BIG cricket will return to the townships next summer when England's second string, the Lions, tour South Africa.
The tour will start on January 5 with a three- day match against South Africa Invitation XI at the University of Johannesburg's Soweto Oval.
The Lions' next stop is Paarl, where they will take on South Africa A over four days at Boland Park - which is in a historically coloured neighbourhood - from January 11-14.
On February 2, South Africa A play the Lions in Mamelodi, northeast of Pretoria, in the fourth of five one-day matches.
Boland Park has hosted 10 one-day internationals, the most recent of them on January 19 last year when SA took on New Zealand.
However, the Proteas have yet to play a fully fledged international match in a black African area despite cricket in SA having unified across racial lines in 1991.
The reciprocal agreement between Cricket SA (CSA) and the England Cricket Board makes provision for South Africa A to tour England in 2017, a visit that will coincide with the senior SA team's tour to the same country.
A CSA statement quoted the general manager for cricket, Corrie van Zyl, as saying: "England is always an out-of-season tour for us and it will help a lot to know that our back-up players are match fit in case of need."
The Lions itinerary:
January 25: first one-day match (day), SA A vs Lions, Bloemfontein.
January 28: second one-day match (day-night) in Kimberley.
January 31: third one-day match (day) in Potchefstroom.
February 5: fifth one-day match (day-night) in Benoni.
Cricket comes to the township
BIG cricket will return to the townships next summer when England's second string, the Lions, tour South Africa.
The tour will start on January 5 with a three- day match against South Africa Invitation XI at the University of Johannesburg's Soweto Oval.
The Lions' next stop is Paarl, where they will take on South Africa A over four days at Boland Park - which is in a historically coloured neighbourhood - from January 11-14.
On February 2, South Africa A play the Lions in Mamelodi, northeast of Pretoria, in the fourth of five one-day matches.
Boland Park has hosted 10 one-day internationals, the most recent of them on January 19 last year when SA took on New Zealand.
However, the Proteas have yet to play a fully fledged international match in a black African area despite cricket in SA having unified across racial lines in 1991.
The reciprocal agreement between Cricket SA (CSA) and the England Cricket Board makes provision for South Africa A to tour England in 2017, a visit that will coincide with the senior SA team's tour to the same country.
A CSA statement quoted the general manager for cricket, Corrie van Zyl, as saying: "England is always an out-of-season tour for us and it will help a lot to know that our back-up players are match fit in case of need."
The Lions itinerary:
January 25: first one-day match (day), SA A vs Lions, Bloemfontein.
January 28: second one-day match (day-night) in Kimberley.
January 31: third one-day match (day) in Potchefstroom.
February 5: fifth one-day match (day-night) in Benoni.
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