Photo Credit: Instagram Photo of @schools_sa20
Graeme Smith, League Commissioner of SA20, asserts that the tournament has been instrumental in South Africa’s recent cricketing success. Reflecting on the national teams’ achievements, Smith emphasized the positive influence of SA20 on both the men’s and women’s squads.
“I definitely, I mean, I’ve been saying that from the start. You know, I think our domestic cricket had kind of levelled off in South Africa. We now have a tournament that puts 70 South Africans up against the best international talent. They’re working with franchises that bring real expertise back into the game. They’re playing in front of big crowds, which brings pressure. The TV production is of international standards,” Smith said, as per an SA20 release.
The SA20 league has provided South African players with a platform to compete at a high level, exposing them to the pressures and expectations of international cricket. Smith added, “All this, you know, is putting a group of players that were never exposed to at a level where hopefully we start to see more and more talent competing like the IPL has done, competing to play for South Africa.”
Smith also lauded South Africa’s overall cricket performance, particularly in the white-ball formats. “South African cricket in general, particularly in the white-ball stuff, has had a really successful, women and men period. If it wasn’t for India, we would have had our first trophy,” he remarked at SA20 India Day, acknowledging India’s strong competition.
Looking forward, Smith stressed the importance of SA20 in sustaining South African cricket’s global competitiveness.
“For us, we want to be a real catalyst for the strength of South African cricket that keeps it strong and competing with the likes of India, Australia, and England,” he concluded.
Smith’s comments underline SA20’s pivotal role in nurturing talent and raising the bar for South African cricket, aiming to secure a stronger future for the sport.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Stay ahead of the latest cricket industry trends by subscribing to our free cricexec “daily briefing” newsletter.
Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
