South Africa cricket plan national team racial quotas

CSA president Chris Nenzani said the national body wanted a minimum number of black cricketers in all national teams. But he gave no details regarding the number of blacks that must be selected.

“(This) will depend on work to be undertaken by relevant committees to determine what is realistic and sustainable. “This will be announced in due course.

“Targets would be calculated over a year and not apply on a match-by-match basis.

“In the past we never set targets in our national teams, but with changing circumstances we feel it is essential to move with the times,” Nenzani said.

Cricket, rugby, netball and athletics came under fire from the South African government this year for a lack of post-apartheid racial transformation.

Sports minister Fikile Mbalula banned the four sports from bidding for or hosting international competitions until a transformation review next April.

Traditionally, national cricket and rugby teams have been dominated by whites while football teams are predominantly black.

While the pace of racial change has been slow, the one-day international cricket team that beat Australia last month included a record eight black players.

Racial quotas are in place at domestic cricket level with the six top-tier teams compelled to field at least six black players.