Luus urges Cricket SA to start a women's league

After their heroics in the recently concluded Women's T20 World Cup, Proteas captain Sune Luus has urged Cricket South Africa (CSA) and other stakeholders to establish a women's version of the SA20.

Luus’s side became the first SA side to take part in a final of an ICC tournament yesterday. Even though they lost by 19 runs to Australia at Newlands, the Proteas left the country beaming with pride with the determination and tenacity they showed throughout the tournament.

The support the team got when they played their matches was immense. Fans in Cape Town, Paarl and Gqeberha showed up for the Proteas as women’s cricket fever swept the country.

Luus, who was the face of the team as the skipper, has urged cricket stakeholders to put in structures that will elevate the women’s game from grassroots to the domestic scene.

“We’ve done our best to give the girls in the country the best possible chance. We would have loved to win but I don’t think we could have given it a bigger shot,” said Luus when speaking to the media yesterday.

“It’s up to CSA and the minister of sport and those in charge of cricket in this country to knock on doors and open those doors and give women’s cricket the best chance it can have to keep up with Australia, England and India,” she said.

Given the lease of life the SA20 gave cricket in SA, Luus believes that a women’s SA20 league will help to grow women’s cricket.

“With the SA20 on the men’s side, hopefully, we get an SA20 for the women as well. I think that would help SA women’s cricket, especially to get the depth that we keep talking about,” Luus said.

“If you look at all those leagues in the top three countries [Australia, India, England] that’s why they are so good. They have a league where overseas players come and play and you get used to playing with them.

“That’s something we need to look at. We have been asking for a very long time for an SA league. I know there are budget constraints and resources and all those things, but as I said we have given our girls the best chance we could and now it’s up to CSA and everyone involved to make that happen,” she said.