SA domestic cricket faces major examination with top players absent

With the Proteas and the SA A sides in action for a big chunk of the upcoming season, the country's domestic cricket system faces a demanding examination regarding the quality of players it produces. 

In addition to the Proteas being away in Pakistan and India for most of October, November and December, the next tier of players will be touring India in November with the SA A side.

“With SA A away for a portion of the season, that will provide a litmus test of our domestic system. We will see what the standards are with 30 players taken out of the system,” said DP World Lions coach Russell Domingo. 

The 2025/26 domestic season kicks off next week with six teams involved in the opening round of the Four Day Series. The Lions, who are the defending champions, don’t open their campaign until the following week, when they face Western Province at Newlands. 

But for Russell, who already has six players contracted by Cricket SA including Proteas Test captain Temba Bavuma, the prospect of losing others like Bjorn Fortuin, Zubayr Hamza, Codi Yusuf and Nqaba Peter to the SA A side creates an intriguing challenge.

“It’s good for us if we’re getting players picked for the Proteas and SA A. We have to keep having the mindset that we must produce players for South Africa,” said Domingo.

Ahead of his third season with the Lions, the former Proteas head coach said South Africa’s domestic system had proved to be an excellent breeding ground for players, not only new ones, but also those seeking to build form and confidence. “You look at someone like [Dewald] Brevis, who started badly at international level, then came back to the domestic competitions, learnt his game again and he’s now playing well again at the highest level.”

The quality of young players being produced was also high with Domingo citing the impact made by Lhuan-dre Pretorius for the Titans last season and Codi Yusuf for the Lions. Both earned their first Test caps in Zimbabwe, with Pretorius making a hundred on debut and Yusuf picking up six wickets.

“[South Africa is] always producing good cricketers. I think holistically the standard can improve. If you look ahead to our first game in the Four-Day competition — we face WP, and there could be two really good sides playing there. It’s the same with the Dolphins playing the Warriors ... if everyone is playing and available we have some amazing competitive domestic cricket. The challenge will be when the national side and the SA A side are away, as to what the standards could be like,’ said Domingo.

“You’re taking 30 of the best players out of the system. Hopefully the standard can be maintained.” 

The Proteas have tours to Pakistan, encompassing two Tests, T20 and One-Day International series and India where the schedule is almost the same except for a few additional T20 Internationals. SA A meanwhile will tour India, for two Four-Day “Tests” and three One-Day matches in the first three weeks of November. 

Those tours coincide with the domestic T20 competition. 

Domingo said he was looking forward to seeing what the younger players in his squad have to offer while some of the senior players are absent. “I don’t mind [SA A and Proteas call-ups] because I want to give opportunities to younger players, like Tiaan Brits and Richard Seletswane.”

The Lions have also signed Beyers Swanepoel and Siya Plaatjie from Eastern Province to boost their seam bowling stocks, though Domingo admits he’s worried about his spin bowling options with Fortuin and Peter likely to be away with the national sides.