Cricket South Africa (CSA) has officially launched the action-packed 2022/23 summer of cricket as the Division One CSA T20 Challenge commences in Potchefstroom.
The CSA Division Two and Provincial Women have already kickstarted their campaigns for the busiest summer in both the domestic and international cricketing spheres. Division One will commence on Monday, 17 October with the CSA T20 Challenge at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom.
CSA Director of Cricket, Enoch Nkwe, commented on the season this will be:
“Arguably, this is the biggest summer of cricket we have ever had in the country.
“The domestic teams will be battling it out to secure space in the top division as the promotion/relegation takes effect when this season concludes. The inaugural SA20 will also make its way in January 2023, a welcomed edition to our summer of cricket.
“The SA U19 Men were the undefeated champions in Division 2’s CSA T20KO competition. This is the true strength of our pipeline, and we look forward to what the season has in store for the different teams.
“It is another bumper season on the international front. The Proteas will welcome England, West Indies, and the Netherlands while the Momentum Proteas will take on India and the West Indies in a T20 International (T20I) Tri-series at home in preparation for the home T20 World Cup.
“It is time for South Africans to come together in empowering and supporting women in our communities. South Africa will play host to two ICC Women’s events; the inaugural ICC U19 Women’s World Cup and the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in January and February 2023,” said Nkwe.
This season, CSA has taken a stand to join the fight against gender-based violence. The #ENDGBV campaign aims to raise awareness throughout the 2022/23 domestic season with the focus being on ending violence against women and children in the country.
“Momentum Proteas begun the drive with the Black Day movement, donning black kit in an international match to shed light on the scourge facing our country,” Nkwe continued.
“We encourage all South Africans to fill up stadiums and support our teams. And in the same voice, call up on all of them to take a stand against gender-based violence,” concluded Nkwe.
In the continued education drive, CSA has partnered with People Opposing Women Abuse (POWA).
“POWA turned 43 Years old this year. An organisation which was started by volunteers in 1979 to highlight the issues that were facing women. It is really sad that in 2022, the situation has worsened, and violence is becoming the legacy of our country,” said POWA Legal Manager, Naledi Kuali.
“It is no longer the responsibility of one organisation to fight the scourge. We can no longer look away, hoping someone does something about it.
“We have all been victims, witnessed, or party to, violence. We are the first responders, and how we react is the beginning of our fight. One has to stand up and say, ‘I am not okay with it’, then do something about it, report or seek help.
“It is an honour that an institution such as CSA is taking a stand to say, ‘not in my space’. This is a call to everyone in cricket to say, ‘not in my name’,” said Kuali.
Ricardo Gressel, a vocal advocate in the fight against Gender-Based Violence globally, also shared his sentiments during the proceedings.
“It is good that we are having these conversations in a room full of men. Our complicity as men needs to end. Women have been the voice of calling an end to the violence while the silence from men was too deafening.
“As men, we have the responsibility to raise our boys to be independent and to be the voices that will fight for equality in the world.
“Equality will be in the way we see ourselves, speaking our voices to power to protect the legacy of this nation,” said Gressel.