Proteas bowling legend and current Lions bowling coach Allan Donald admits handling the player workload will be key in navigating a rejigged domestic season.
Cricket South Africa’s revamped domestic structure promises more opportunities for players but will also place unprecedented demands on provincial squads, with Lions bowling coach Allan Donald warning that the 2026/27 campaign will be a “monster season”.
CSA officially launched the new domestic season on Thursday, unveiling a streamlined competition structure designed to give greater clarity to the country’s domestic game while increasing opportunities across both red and white-ball cricket.
The biggest change is the introduction of the Pro20 Cup, which brings together the former T20 Challenge and T20 Knockout competitions into a single premier competition.
The expanded Pro20 will feature 16 teams from both Division 1 and Division 2, as well as an SA Emerging side. Division 1’s 50-over competition will be known as the Dafabet Pro50, while the traditional red-ball competition will be branded the First Class Series. Division 2 will contest the First Class Shield and Dafabet Pro50 Shield.
