South African Domestic Season 2025/26

[SeamUp]

Kitime starting to turn the corner, but pushed a bit soon (https://www.espncricinfo.com/series...e-vs-titans-13th-match-1444833/full-scorecard) ... Most batters at 22 are nowhere near the peak of their craft.

The real questions are, are there better than him? And has it been in his best interests to play over 50 games across formats and pass 50 4 times. Doesn't drive standards of our game up and it doesn't help him mentally to play no matter what when TdZ is away. That feeling of earning your spot and then staying there through performance is what matters. Then the dynamics of unhappy players outside the XI doesn't help matters.

 

[SeamUp]

Sounds like Benni Hansen and Raeeq Daniels have got High Performance contracts at WP. These aren't funded by CSA so you probably find its WPs only two. So this is on top of the 17 contracted.

The Lions for example had 5 last season and now 2 have earned full contracts in Richard Seletswane and Tiaan Brits. The others were Khaya Fakude, Zack Momberg & Rafeeq Patel. Just going off their Colts team back end of last season their batsmen that look interesting are Reuben du Toit & Neil Timmers whilst their opening bowlers Greg Ford & Cole Francis look to have potential.

 

[GRAB]

The real questions are, are there better than him? And has it been in his best interests to play over 50 games across formats and pass 50 4 times. Doesn't drive standards of our game up and it doesn't help him mentally to play no matter what when TdZ is away. That feeling of earning your spot and then staying there through performance is what matters. Then the dynamics of unhappy players outside the XI doesn't help matters.

Devon Conway, when he left SA...

Franchise 4-day M21, I36, 660 runs, 3 50s, 0 100s, ave 21.3
Franchise List A M12, I9, 132 runs, 0 50s, 0 100s, SR 72, ave 22
Franchise T20 M21, I20, runs 409, 2 50s, 0 100s, SR 100, ave 21,5

65 innings 5 50s

Prevailing dogma is still that he left SA because of lack of opportunities...

 

[SeamUp]

Devon Conway, when he left SA...

Franchise 4-day M21, I36, 660 runs, 3 50s, 0 100s, ave 21.3
Franchise List A M12, I9, 132 runs, 0 50s, 0 100s, SR 72, ave 22
Franchise T20 M21, I20, runs 409, 2 50s, 0 100s, SR 100, ave 21,5

65 innings 5 50s

Prevailing dogma is still that he left SA because of lack of opportunities...

Absolutely. Some players just come on later. He was a schoolboy prodigy which also makes things a little interesting to deep-dive further.

You got to ask yourself why he succeeded in New Zealand and not here. So many factors that effect performance and mentality is so important. Enjoying the game but also ease of mind and less outside factors. Only he can answer.

 

[WpGuy]

Devon Conway, when he left SA...

Franchise 4-day M21, I36, 660 runs, 3 50s, 0 100s, ave 21.3
Franchise List A M12, I9, 132 runs, 0 50s, 0 100s, SR 72, ave 22
Franchise T20 M21, I20, runs 409, 2 50s, 0 100s, SR 100, ave 21,5

65 innings 5 50s

Prevailing dogma is still that he left SA because of lack of opportunities...

What's valentine kitmes youth and schools performance record?

 

[SeamUp]

2025 CSA Emerging Academy – men

1. Schalk Englebrecht (Titans)
2. Connor Esterhuizen (Lions)
3. Thobile Hlatuka (Border),
4. Tristan Luus (Dolphins)
5. Dewan Marais (Easterns),
6. Nqobani Mokoena (Dolphins)
7. Romashan Pillay (Dolphins)
8. Meeka-eel Prince (North West)
9. Richard Seletswane (Lions)
10. Ntando Soni (Warriors),
11. George van Heerden (South Western Districts)
12. Tiaan Van Vuuren (Knights)
13. Ntando Zuma (Tuskers)

 

[SeamUp]

What's valentine kitmes youth and schools performance record?

He didn't do much for SA U19s. Can't remember if he made SA Schools or not.

He does look the goods to be fair to him. Just other doesn't know how to put it together yet or may never have the ability to do it. Div 2 would be perfect for him now.

 

[WpGuy]

2025 CSA Emerging Academy – men

1. Schalk Englebrecht (Titans)
2. Connor Esterhuizen (Lions)
3. Thobile Hlatuka (Border),
4. Tristan Luus (Dolphins)
5. Dewan Marais (Easterns),
6. Nqobani Mokoena (Dolphins)
7. Romashan Pillay (Dolphins)
8. Meeka-eel Prince (North West)
9. Richard Seletswane (Lions)
10. Ntando Soni (Warriors),
11. George van Heerden (South Western Districts)
12. Tiaan Van Vuuren (Knights)
13. Ntando Zuma (Tuskers)

Should wp not of gone for George van heerden instead of Titans opener .

 

[WpGuy]

He didn't do much for SA U19s. Can't remember if he made SA Schools or not.

He does look the goods to be fair to him. Just other doesn't know how to put it together yet or may never have the ability to do it. Div 2 would be perfect for him now.

Yeah he seems to get stuck and then get out either early or later on.

 

[WpGuy]

Yeah he seems to get stuck and then get out either early or later on.

Just realized no wp players in emerging squad

 

[SeamUp]

Jono Vandiar has retired. Him & Parnell were bigged up by Ray Jennings from that 2008 U19 CWC. Vandiar was signed in the IPL too. Just didn't happen for him.

 

[GRAB]

He went from spindly young batter to Ranatunga lookalike too...

Jono Vandiar has retired. Him & Parnell were bigged up by Ray Jennings from that 2008 U19 CWC. Vandiar was signed in the IPL too. Just didn't happen for him.

 

[WpGuy]

Jono Vandiar has retired. Him & Parnell were bigged up by Ray Jennings from that 2008 U19 CWC. Vandiar was signed in the IPL too. Just didn't happen for him.

Parnell coulda been one of best swing fast lefties imho who could hold a bat feel he underperformed like Gibbs talent but achieved Bjorn fortuin status a mid range player .

 

[chris.hinton]

CSA Contracts 2025/26

Batsmen
D Miller (hybrid), R vd Dussen (hybrid), R Hendricks, T Bavuma, A Markram, D Bedingham, T de Zorzi, T Stubbs

Wk/bats
R Rickelton, K Verreynne

All-rounders
M Jansen, W Mulder, S Muthusamy

Spinners
K Maharaj

Seamers
K Rabada, L Ngidi, G Coetzee, N Burger, L Williams, K Maphaka

Not sure if H Klassen, A Nortje & T Shamsi just play under pay as you play for CSA and their Provinces.



Div 1 Transfers
Alfred Mothoa Warriors > NW Dragons
Dian Forrester Knights > NW Dragons
Diego Rosier Warriors > NW Dragons
Onke Nyaku WP > NW Dragons
Jade De Klerk Border > NW Dragons
Beyers Swanepoel Warriors > Lions
Siya Plaatjie Warriors > Lions
Jhedli van Bresies Titans > Boland
Gideon Peters NW Dragons > Warriors
Kerwin Mungroo NW Dragons > Warriors
Thomas Kaber SWD Badgers > Warriors
Aphiwe Mnyanda Border > Warriors
Modiri Litheko Northern Cape > Warriors
Matthew Boast Titans > Warriors
Wesley Bedja WP > Warriors
Muhammed Manack Lions > Warriors
Marco Jansen NW Dragons > Titans
Duan Jansen NW Dragons > Titans
Junaid Dawood Lions > Titans
Renaldo Meyer Warriors > Tuskers
Hardus Viljoen Northern Cape > Tuskers
Bamanye Xenxe NW Dragons > Tuskers
Daryn Dupavillon Dolphins > Tuskers
Joshua van Heerden Titans > WP
Tshepo Moreki Lions > WP


Players who could still do with moves
Jono Bird WP
Lesego Senokwane Knights
Tiaan van Vuuren Knights
Jean du Plessis Warriors

Potential first contracts or upgrades
Jody Lawrence WP
Bongile Mfunelwa WP
Oliver Whitehead WP
Raeeq Daniels WP
Benni Hansen WP
Ethan Cunningham Boland
Nathan Jacobs (Boland)
CJ King Warriors (confirmed)
Jason Raubenheimer Warriors
Nqobani Mokoena Dolphins
Ntando Soni Dolphins
Richard Seletswane Lions (confirmed)
Tiaan Brits Lions (confirmed)
Schalk Engelbrecht Titans
Lesego Kokohlabana Titans
Janco Smit Titans
Keagan Lion-Cachet Titans
Merrick Brett Titans
Lethabo Phalahmohlaka Titans
Muhammed Bulbulia NW Dragons
Lutando Tsanwani NW Dragons

2 confirmed retirements
Matthew Kleinveldt NW Dragons
Sarel Erwee Dolphins

Potential retirements
Mohammed Vallie WP
Ferisco Adams Boland

1 confirmed released
Wayne Parnell Western Province

Potential releases (joining)
Duanne Olivier Warriors
Siya Simetu Warriors
Liam Alder Warriors
Sisanda Magala Titans
Achilles Cloete NW Dragons
Michael Copeland (Border)

Will there be any changes to the domestic system?

 

[Stefan9]

Will there be any changes to the domestic system?

Not this season but likely for the next one.

 

[SeamUp]

Will there be any changes to the domestic system?

@Stefan9 mentions, supposedly it will be announced any day now what those changes are from 2026/27

We probably have 12/13 teams for a claim to remain professional.

Our big 6 are Western Province (Cape Town), Gauteng (Joburg), KZN Coastal (Durban), Northerns (Pretoria), Eastern Province (Port Elizabeth) & Free State (Bloemfontein). With the latter 2 behind the other 4. Much like in rugby union over here too so their players get snapped up by the bigger 4.

When they re-structured a few years ago they gave North West (Potchefstroom) & Boland (Paarl) such an amazing opportunity & both have taken it. At the expense of maybe the other 3 smaller teams with bigger historical foundations in Border (East London), Griquas (Kimberley) & Easterns (Benoni) who have run their unions poorly and negligently.

The spanner in the works is that they've spread the game a lot & now KZN Inland ((Pietermaritzburg)(whose players really always played for KZN Coastal) are also being more successful than Border, Griquas & Easterns. Thats not even taking into account SWD/Garden Route Badgers (Oudtshoorn) who are quite ambitious.

I definitely think there needs to be a culling. Too many teams. But also I would have no issues with promotion/relegation if we had a strong teams in Div 2 but understandably after a concentration of talent in the major cities I don't think there is enough quality in Div 2 teams to be fine for 1 of our big 6 to be relegated.

 

[GRAB]

BTW, they've been doing promotion/relegation in the women's side since 2014, but no team was relegated in 2023? Does anyone know if a team was relegated this season? It suits Garden Route, who have only been one of the top 6 (it's a 6/10 split) for the last three years, but doesn't suit the likes of NW and Border who have been big producers and developers of talent in the women's game... (FWIW, EP has been in that top 6 for one season of 11 back in 2016...)

 

[SeamUp]

Whilst we wait on official squad releases or more confirmed transfers let's see how squads are shaping up.



CSA Contracted: Tony De Zorzi (28), David Bedingham (31), Kyle Verreynne (28), Nandre Burger (30)

Batsmen: Edward Moore (32), Josh van Heerden (27), Jiveshan Pillay (26), Jono Bird (24), Daniel Smith (23), Valentine Kitime (22)

Wk/batsmen: Bongile Mfunelwa (21), Benni Hansen (19)

Bat/seam AR: Mihlali Mpongwana (25), Oliver Whitehead (20)

Spinners: George Linde (34), Kyle Simmonds (31), Juan James (21)

Seamers: Dane Paterson (36), Beuran Hendricks (35), Jody Lawrence (35), Tshepo Moreki (32), Mthiwekhaya Nabe (30), Raeeq Daniels (19)



CSA Contracted: Tristan Stubbs (25), Senuran Muthusamy (31)
Freelancer: Anrich Nortje (32)

Batsmen: Matthew Breetzke (27), Matthew De Villiers (25), Jordan Hermann (24), Muhammed Manack (23), JP King (22)

Wk/batsmen: Jean Du Plessis (27), Sinethemba Qeshile (26), Modiri Litheko (25)

Bat seam/AR: Patrick Kruger (30), Jordan Morris (26)

Spinners: Thomas Kaber (33), Jason Raubenheimer (26)

Seamers: Kerwin Mungroo (31), Wesley Bedja (28), Gideon Peters (26), Matthew Boast (22), CJ King (21), Aphiwe Mnyanda (21), Ntando Soni (19)

 

[SeamUp]

Red hot run machine. Not long off his maiden FC hundred which was a double.

 

[StephenZA]

Warriors have impressed maintaining their squad. Pity about Swanepoel. Otherwise pretty good.