Faf du Plessis loses out on Proteas central contract

Former Proteas skipper Faf du Plessis has missed out on a central contract from Cricket South Africa after his retirement from Test cricket.

CSA have announced the Proteas men’s and women’s squad players who will enjoy national contracts for the 2021/22 season.

Du Plessis misses out

The men’s international programme includes two ICC T20 World Cups in October and November of 2021 (India) and 2022 (Australia) along with a historic, full limited overs tour to Ireland in July of this year. The major upcoming engagement for the women’s team is the 2022 ICC Women’s World Cup in New Zealand in March and April.

While Du Plessis has hung up his bat in the Test arena he remains available for T20I and ODI selection and is expected to play a big part in preparations for the T20 World Cup in India.

The former skipper and other regulars without central contracts will be able to qualify for a performance-based National Contract upgrade.

“CSA is delighted to confirm that the women’s contracts have increased from 14 to 15 players, while it has been decided to remain with the 16 men’s contracts, keeping the 17th open, giving players the opportunity to qualify for it through performanc,” a CSA announcement reads.

Lara Goodall is the 15th player who has been awarded a women’s team national contract after consistently good performances throughout the last couple of seasons, while Heinrich Klaasen receives his maiden men’s team contract.

“It is a matter of great pride that CSA has increased the number of women’s contracts from 14 to 15 for the very first time,” CSA Acting Chief Executive, Mr Pholetsi Moseki, commented. “We are confident that the number of selected players for both the men’s and women’s teams is sufficient to maintain them across the formats in which they participate.

“We are about to enter into a very import cricket season with ICC World Cup events for both the men’s and the women’s teams and we are confident that we have the correct personnel and necessary depth within the system to produce teams that will challenge the best in the world in the coming 12 months.

“On behalf of CSA, I would like to congratulate Lara Goodall and Heinrich Klaasen on their newly awarded contracts. Their performances on the field of play as well as the way they have carried themselves off the field has done the talking for them and we are pleased to reward the hard work that they have put in,” Mr Moseki concluded.

CSA Contracted Momentum Proteas Women’s Players

Dané van Niekerk (captain, Eastern Province), Trisha Chetty (KZN Coastal), Nadine de Klerk (Western Province), Mignon du Preez (Northerns), Lara Goodall (Western Province), Shabnim Ismail (KZN Coastal), Sinalo Jafta (Western Province), Marizanne Kapp (Eastern Province), Ayabong Khaka (Gauteng), Masabata Klaas (North West), Lizelle Lee (North West), Suné Luus (Northerns), Tumi Sekhukhune (North West), Chloe Tryon (KZN Coastal), Laura Wolvaardt (Western Province).

CSA Contracted Proteas Men’s Players

Temba Bavuma (white ball captain, Imperial Lions), Quinton de Kock (Momentum Multiply Titans), Dean Elgar (red ball captain, Momentum Multiply Titans), Beuran Hendricks (Imperial Lions), Reeza Hendricks (Imperial Lions), Heinrich Klaasen (Momentum Multiply Titans), Keshav Maharaj (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Aiden Markram (Momentum Multiply Titans), David Miller (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Lungi Ngidi (Momentum Multiply Titans), Anrich Nortje (Warriors), Andile Phehlukwayo (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Dwaine Pretorius (Imperial Lions), Kagiso Rabada (Imperial Lions), Tabraiz Shamsi (Momentum Multiply Titans), Rassie van der Dussen (Imperial Lions).