Cricket South Africa have returned the T20 Community Cup for the 2023-24 season.
The T20 Community Cup was absent from the 2022-23 season, when Claremont Cricket Club won the Ama20 Competition premier league.
“CSA have announced the exciting news that the CSA Community Cup has returned to the cricket calendar. The process has now begun in making sure the Western Cape region has a representative at the national tournament,” read a statement from the WPCA.
“The process will be as follows:
“The WPCA Ama20 Competition premier league group stage will conclude on 12 November 2023.
“The WPCA Ama20 Competition premier league semi-finals and final will take place on 19 November 2023.
“The highest placed team based on the transformation criteria will be representing WPCA at the Western Cape regional play-offs.
“The Western Cape regional play-offs will take place in Oudtshoorn on 25 and 26 November 2023.
“WPCA, Boland and South Western Districts representatives will play each other once in Oudtshoorn and the highest placed club will progress to the CSA Community Cup.”
Western Province Cricket Club represented the Western Cape at the previous T20 Community Cup and preceding play-off. They had lost the WPCA’s Ama20 Competition premier league final to Bellville Cricket Club. However, the WPCA stated Bellville Cricket Club had not met the transformation criteria by-laws.
“The following WPCA by-laws have been in place for numerous years and remain a key factor in determining the qualifying team for the Western Cape regional play-off,” added the WPCA.
“The highest placed club in the Ama20 Competition premier league, excluding tertiary institutions, which have played a minimum of two players of colour, of which one is black African, in at least three Ama20 Competition premier league matches, will represent the WPCA in the regional play-off to determine the club representing the franchise at the CSA Community Cup.
“Should a premier league club’s regular player/s of colour or black African player/s be called up for any representative game authorised/organised or promoted by CSA and/or by WPCA, or if such player/s is/are prevented from playing on medical grounds under signed instruction of such player/’s representative coach, such player shall for the purpose of this by-law be deemed to have played in the match concerned.”
Who is in T20 Community Cup play-off contention?
Durbanville Cricket Club and Bellville Cricket Club currently occupy first position in pool A and B, respectively, in the 2023-24 Ama20 Competition premier league. Western Province Cricket Club are in second position in pool A. Rondebosch Cricket Club are in second position in pool B.
T20 Community Cup dates and prize money
The T20 Community Cup will be played in Johannesburg from 8 to 10 December 2023.
The tournament winner will be awarded R30,000 and the runners-up R15,000.
Past T20 Community Cup champions
- 2022: Old Edwardians Cricket Club (Gauteng)
- 2018: Delfos Cricket Club (Gauteng)
- Late 2017: Durbanville Cricket Club (Western Province)
- Early 2017: Jeppe Quondam Cricket Club (Gauteng)