JOHANNESBURG – Cricket South Africa will decide in the next few days which teams will be declared winners of its various domestic competitions after the local season was effectively ended on Monday following the decision to follow government guidelines related to the coronavirus pandemic.
After a lengthy meeting on Monday, Cricket SA suspended all cricket activities for 60 days, basically ending the domestic season even though there was still a week of play-off matches left in the Momentum One-Day Cup and two more rounds of the domestic four-day franchise competition remaining to be played.
In the semi-professional competitions, the three-day provincial challenge still had another two weeks to run with a final set to start on April 2, while the One-Day provincial challenge was due to be concluded on March 29.
The Proteas men’s team had their tour to India suspended last week, and the players are expected back in the country on Wednesday, while the national women’s team’s two series against Australia later this month were also suspended.
On Sunday, President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a national state of disaster to assist in preventing and reducing the outbreak of the virus. Among the measures Ramaphosa announced was prohibiting gatherings of more than 100 people.
“We at CSA take this pronouncement by the President and the cabinet very seriously and we will most certainly use our leverage to ensure that we minimise the impact of the virus in our spaces,” said Cricket SA’s interim CEO, Jacques Faul.
“Consequently and during this time of absolute caution and surveillance, we would like to call upon all our members and affiliates to desist from taking part in any cricket related gatherings and other events that will include the congregation of large numbers of people and/or up to 100 people.”
The Over-50s Cricket World Cup being staged in and around Cape Town has been cancelled with immediate effect because of the Covid-19 virus..Photo: Phando Jikelo/African News Agency (ANA)
Even before Cricket SA’s announcement, the Western Province Cricket Association had already shut down Newlands cricket ground and cancelled all Board and Committee meetings and all club, youth and any other form of cricket under its authority.
The Central Gauteng Lions carried out similar action, cancelling all non-cricket related events at the Wanderers for the next month, while certain essential operations at the union will continue with a skeleton staff.
The CGL will also refund any spectators who bought tickets for Wednesday’s Momentum Cup semifinal it was due to host between the Lions and the Warriors.
The KwaZulu Natal Cricket Union will do the same following the cancellation of Tuesday’s semi-final between the Dolphins and the Knights. “It’s a hugely unfortunate way to end the competition but the health of players, staff and spectators is of the utmost importance,” KZN Cricket’s chief executive, Heinrich Strydom said.
In their press release, on Monday the KZN Cricket made sure to state that the Dolphins finished top of the Momentum Cup log.