In the annual contract list of 2020-2021, Cricket South Africa (CSA) did not have any room for their veteran pacer Dale Steyn.
Steyn recently made a comeback into the T20I side for South Africa against Australia. The 36-year old also had plans for making it to the T20 World Cup squad in Australia.
The likes of Rassie van Dussen, Beuran Hendricks, Anrich Nortje, and Dwaine Pretorius were amongst the winners through their first central contract.
Surprisingly, Heinrich Klaasen’s omission, along with Steyn’s, raised a few eyebrows within the cricketing fraternity in South Africa. Also, middle-order batsman, Theunis de Bruyn, lost out of a central contract.
“We have contracted 16 men’s players and 14 women’s players, which we feel is the appropriate number to maintain our national squads across the various formats,” said CSA Acting Chief Executive, Dr. Jaques Faul.
“This enables us to contract both our Test players as well as those who are limited-overs specialists. We have decided to keep the 17th men’s contract open for the moment, and players can qualify for it through performance,” added Faul.
The upgrade system will again be in place this year wherein the players performing and selected for South Africa during the 2020/21 season and who are not contracted can qualify for a National Contract upgrade,” the CSA release further stated.
The contract for men’s cricket will cover prominent series such as ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia, the tours of Sri Lanka and the West Indies, T20Is against Pakistan and India, and the home Test series against Sri Lanka and Australia.
CSA Central Contract List:
Men: Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Beuran Hendricks, Reeza Hendricks, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen
Women: Trisha Chetty, Nadine de Klerk, Mignon du Preez, Shabnim Ismail, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Lizelle Lee, Sune Luus, Tumi Sekhukhune, Chloe Tryon, Dane van Niekerk, Laura Wolvaardt.
