Are South African racial quotas hurting the game?

[Freo Big Fella]

They'll keep heading down this path until they get a credible, black-lead opposition.

Only at baby-steps stage at the moment.

 

[Zach Package]

God damn it

Cape Town - The board of directors of Cricket South Africa (CSA) has approved in principle the decision to introduce targets for all national teams.

This means that a quota system would be introduced for the Proteas, with CSA yet to determine the exact amount of players of colour required.

The system implemented in domestic cricket last season stipulated that all franchise teams field a minimum of six players of colour in their starting XIs, while three players were required to be black African.

“In the past we had never set targets in our national teams but with changing circumstances we feel it is essential to move with the times,” commented CSA president and chairperson of the board, Chris Nenzani.

“The precise targets will depend on work to be undertaken by relevant committees to determine what is realistic and sustainable. This will be announced in due course,” he added. “We will aim to achieve our targets over the course of the year and not on a match by match basis.”

 

[Carbine Chaos]

The future of the past is today.

 

[ioppolo]

Six non whites with least three black African.

Good luck.

 

[Scotland]

Disgrace. Completely non-representative of the population.

Should be 9 black African, 1 coloured, 1 white. * it, just make it 11 black African.

 

[The_Reaper]

So which 4 whiteys make it to their test XI?

Can't have all of de Villiers, du Plessis, de Kock, Steyn and Morkel

 

[Scotland]

de Villiers is 32, Steyn 33, du Plessis 32, Morkel 31.

These guys will phase out shortly anyway and they'll just keep going down their path towards becoming Zimbabwe 2.0.

If I was an up and coming white South African cricketer I'd be looking at eligibility to play elsewhere.

 

[ioppolo]

de Villiers is 32, Steyn 33, du Plessis 32, Morkel 31.

These guys will phase out shortly anyway and they'll just keep going down their path towards becoming Zimbabwe 2.0.

If I was an up and coming white South African cricketer I'd be looking at eligibility to play elsewhere.

It's already started. England and NZ have their fair share of South African borns

 

[Scotland]

It's already started. England and NZ have their fair share of South African borns

It's been going on for years because England/NZ/Australia > South Africa as places to live anyway. Increasing quotas is just going to intensify it.

Cricket is a tough game to succeed in at an international level. Each team has a roughly 6/1/4 split so if you're the 7th best batsman or 2nd best keeper etc. you're already having to wait in line.

They have essentially turned their test team into the IPL where you can only pick 4 foreign players in your XI.

 

[Gough]

Has this policy actually helped South Africa in that it has forced them to pick young players on a hunch, and blood them early, rather than going down the Australian path of thirtysomething debutants?

 

[Plugger35]

Has this policy actually helped South Africa in that it has forced them to pick young players on a hunch, and blood them early, rather than going down the Australian path of thirtysomething debutants?

Well it's not like picking black players like Rabada and Bavuma are holding them back, both deserve to be in the team going by their performances here.

Tapping into the black population in South Africa to develop cricket talent appears to be reaping benefits now and should only make the Proteas stronger.

 

[Scotland]

Well this thread started with an article from March 2015.

South Africa's test record since is 7 wins, 7 draws, 5 losses.

They've also dropped from 1st to 5th in the ICC test rankings (not that they're worth a lot) from January 2016 to now.

The first two tests against Australia say more about us than they do about South Africa.

 

[iluvparis]

So since the article was posted they have become the #1 ranked test side in the world?

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Has this policy actually helped South Africa in that it has forced them to pick young players on a hunch, and blood them early, rather than going down the Australian path of thirtysomething debutants?

You'd think it would spill down the levels too.

If this policy is in place then it would make sense for the provinces, clubs and schools to also try to get more players of colour into their structures because they know there are spots available at the levels above.

 

[Scotland]

No. They were #1 until January 2016, starting July 2014.

 

[Scotland]

You'd think it would spill down the levels too.

If this policy is in place then it would make sense for the provinces, clubs and schools to also try to get more players of colour into their structures because they know there are spots available at the levels above.

Applying the same logic it would make sense for provinces, clubs and schools to discourage whites from playing because they know there are less spots available at the levels above.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Applying the same logic it would make sense for provinces, clubs and schools to discourage whites from playing because they know there are less spots available at the levels above.

There are only 11 spots in a team

If more players of colour are being selected at lower levels then of course fewer white players would be selected

 

[Stopher]

Rabada will be a genuine superstar before long, which can only bode well for more young black South Africans to take up cricket. It's hardly like Bavuma is struggling either, solid with the bat in the series and was crucial in the field in Perth, including one of the more brilliant bits of fielding you are ever likely to see.

 

[Scotland]

There are only 11 spots in a team

If more players of colour are being selected at lower levels then of course fewer white players would be selected

'Thanks for that keen observation, Ian'

There are no guaranteed spots for whites at any level.

 

[Gough]

'Thanks for that keen observation, Ian'

There are no guaranteed spots for whites at any level.

I think we all agree that discrimination is not a good thing, but context is important when looking at this. Part of rectifying the enormous gap in equality of opportunity in South Africa that still exists, and is still based on racial lines, policy like this becomes necessary, and will in time through it's success become obsolete.

 

[iluvparis]

No. They were #1 until January 2016, starting July 2014.

Exactly - so the quota system hasn't stopped them becoming the best side in the world - let's all move on

 

[Scotland]

Yep, there are no possible negative effects of quotas whatsoever.

 

[PhatBoy]

de Villiers is 32, Steyn 33, du Plessis 32, Morkel 31.

These guys will phase out shortly anyway and they'll just keep going down their path towards becoming Zimbabwe 2.0.

If I was an up and coming white South African cricketer I'd be looking at eligibility to play elsewhere.

Yeah looks like they're really battling to find international class players of colour at the moment.

 

[PhatBoy]

Has this policy actually helped South Africa in that it has forced them to pick young players on a hunch, and blood them early, rather than going down the Australian path of thirtysomething debutants?

Probably, in addition to the fact that a player like Maharaj who has an outstanding FC record as it is, gets one more tick in the box when it comes to weighing up the positives and negatives of selecting him. same with Bavuma - he was a fringe player, probably made the final transition courtesy of his colour and so far it's worked out well.

 

[Scotland]

Yeah looks like they're really battling to find international class players of colour at the moment.

We won a few games when Warne, McGrath etc. retired, too. Have we found a world class spinner yet? How about a reliable top order?