Luus calls for women’s SA20 as Proteas demand more support from CSA

Suné Luus hopes her side’s exploits at this year’s T20 World Cup will create the necessary stimulus to elevate the women’s game in South Africa, calling for the creation of an SA20 competition for women.

Luus led the Proteas to the runners-up spot in the tournament where they lost a hard-fought final to Australia in front of a packed Newlands stadium on Sunday.

“Besides winning, I think we've done our best to give the girls in the country the best possible chance. I don't think we could have given it a bigger shot and more of a chance,” she said.

“I think it's obviously up to CSA [Cricket South Africa] and the minister of sport and whoever's in charge of cricket in this country to obviously knock on doors and open those doors, and give women's cricket the best chance possible to keep up with Australia, England and India.”

“Hopefully we get an SA20 tournament for women's cricket as well. I think that would really help South African cricket and South African women's cricket, especially to get that depth we keep talking about.”

South Africa’s female players have had to make do with a fraction of the financial backing available to their male counterparts.

CSA’s financial difficulties make putting firmer structures in place even more challenging. Over and above that, there needs to be more attention given to assisting young female cricketers by provincial unions. 

“I think we've been asking for a very long time for a South African League. I know it is  budget-constrained, and there's always resources and all those things,” Luus said.

“But, like I said, we've given our girls the best chance we could have. It's up to CSA and everyone involved to make that happen and give it our best shot.”

England and Australia have major franchise league competitions and from next month India will host the Women’s Premier League, which given the strong financial backing it has received, is expected to be a game-changer for the sport. 

There is a danger, of course, that the gap between those three countries and the rest will widen, making for a bit of a closed shop at future World Cups.

“If you look at all those leagues in those countries, it's in the top three nations. That's why they're so good. That's why they have that depth,” Luus said. 

Laura Wolvaardt, who has featured regularly in the Big Bash in Australia and The Hundred in England in recent years, backed her skipper.

“An SA20 would help to make the gap to Australia smaller,” she said.

“It would help our girls to get exposure to crowds like this and atmospheres like this.”

“The depth Australia have is incredible. If they lose one player they can replace her with a carbon copy.

“We don’t have that luxury. They are years ahead of us development wise. We’ve put on a good show to get to the final with what we have.”