Sth African cricket completes it's restructure.

[commonwombat]

Link on cricinfo

http://www.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/CRICKET_NEWS/2004/FEB/058504_RSA_01FEB2004.html

SA domestic cricket competition has restructured from 11 teams into 6 regional sides in order to strengthen competition.

Historically SA domestic cricket ran on a 2 tier system with the major provincial sides playing in a top level comp (Currie later Castle Cup). There was also a second level competition for the smaller and weaker provinces and the 2nd XI (B sides) of the major teams.

With a change in cricketing powers in the 80's, a number of B section sides saw promotion to the top level and indeed became powers namely Free State (thru Donald, Cronje), Border.

In the 90's a number of smaller sides were added to the 2nd level comp and in the later 90's the structure was revamped with the second level comp abolished and all sides playing in the one championship.

This cannot be said to be a success with talent being often too thinly spread. With the new structure, sides are being formed out of mergers of geographic neighbours similar to those for Rugby Super XII.