Injury prone South African pace ace Dale Steyn’s future in international cricket seems hazy and under the cloud after the veteran fast bowler was left out of Cricket South Africa’s national contract list for the 2020-21 season. Meanwhile, seamer Beuran Hendricks was awarded his first national contract.
In the list of contracted players announced by the South African cricket board on Monday, all-rounder Dwaine Pretorius, batsman Rassie van der Dussen and fast bowler Anrich Nortje received contract upgrades.
“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 formats,” CSA Acting Chief Executive Dr Jacques Faul said.
“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.”
The men’s contracts will cover the T20 World Cup in Australia, South Africa’s home series against Sri Lanka (Tests), Australia (Tests), Pakistan (T20Is), India (T20Is) and away tours to West Indies and Sri Lanka.
In women’s category, Nadine de Klerk and Sinalo Jafta earned contract upgrades during the course of the past season, and these two players have been retained on the list of contracted players.
The women’s contracts will cover the Women’s World Cup to be played in New Zealand in 2021, in addition to the West Indies and England tours. It will also cover the postponed home series against Australia.
“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.
Contracted men’s players: 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
