A hectic season ahead
18 November 2008
It is hard to believe that half of the Supersport Series is finished and in about a week’s time we will be half way through the MTN Championship. The cricket seasons seem to be getting more hectic every year. The Titans and the Dolphins have a very crammed season due to the fact that they will be taking part in the Champions League 20/20 in India in a fortnight’s time. All the SACA members wish them all the best for the tournament and know that they will do us all proud. The opportunity will be a great one for many youngsters who will be playing for the first time against the best in the world. I also believe that the Champions League will give us a good indication as to where our standard of domestic cricket is.
20/20 cricket has also given the game a huge financial boost and domestic players will benefit financially. I think that it will be key to the future success of the game that the players must realise that with the added financial benefit will come added responsibility. We cannot expect more and more and want to give less and less. As long as we understand that we are the custodians of the game and that we as players must leave the game in a better condition than when we started playing, then we will be on the right track. The late Hansie Cronje used to say that we as cricketers are in the entertainment business and if sponsors and the public don’t get their value for money, they will spend their money somewhere else.
Let’s make sure that we as cricketers take ownership of the added responsibilities in the exciting times that lie ahead!