du Plessis free to play in overseas T20 leagues while being available for South Africa for ICC events
Heinrich Klaasen and Lara Goodall have been awarded their first national contracts by CSA, with Klaasen replacing Faf du Plessis and Goodall included with an additional women’s contract becoming available. With 16 men and 15 women contracted, the board has also left open the possibility for anyone selected in the national teams in the 2021-22 season to be upgraded to a central contract.
du Plessis, who retired from Test cricket last month but remains available for white-ball selection, has not been recontracted by CSA. That will leave him free to pursue opportunities in T20 leagues around the world, and he will remain eligible to play for South Africa at upcoming ICC events. His contract has gone to Klaasen, who captained South Africa’s second-string T20I side in Pakistan, and has been part of the white-ball squads.
Goodall, who played a starring role in South Africa’s series win against India, will get additional funds, as CSA prepares for several upcoming world tournaments.
“We are about to enter into a very important cricket season with ICC World Cup events for both the men’s and the women’s teams and we are confident that we have the correct personnel and necessary depth within the system to produce teams that will challenge the best in the world in the coming 12 months,” Pholetsi Moseki, CSA’s acting chief executive, said. “On behalf of CSA, I would like to congratulate Lara Goodall and Heinrich Klaasen on their newly awarded contracts. Their performances on the field of play as well as the way they have carried themselves off the field has done the talking for them and we are pleased to reward the hard work that they have put in.”
The announcement of the contracts means that South Africa’s domestic teams can now finalise their squads for next summer. The current six set-up is being revamped and reduced to eliminate the franchises and include 15 provincial teams playing in two divisions. The eight teams in the top division would be allocated funds to contract 16 players each, while the seven teams in the second division can contract 11 players each. In total, there will be 75 fewer contracts available for players at the domestic level.
Men’s contracts: Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Dean Elgar, Beuran Hendricks, Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen
Women’s contracts: Dané van Niekerk, Trisha Chetty, Nadine de Klerk, Mignon du Preez, Lara Goodall, Shabnim Ismail, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Lizelle Lee, Suné Luus, Tumi Sekhukhune, Chloe Tryon, Laura Wolvaardt
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s South Africa correspondent