Magala and Rickelton among new names on CSA contracted list

Cricket South Africa has increased the number of men’s national contracts from 16 to 20 players, to create cover for the limited overs formats, but there was no room for all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo.

Marco Jansen, Tristan Stubbs, Bjorn Fortuin, Sisanda Magala and Ryan Rickelton all received national contracts for the first time.

Despite the lack of Test matches, former Test captain Dean Elgar retained his contract for the next 12 months. 

“We look forward to seeing them compete at the highest level in what is an important next 12 months for the limited-overs and Test sides, with the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup taking place later this year as well as the start of the new World Test Championship cycle,” said director of cricket Enoch Nkwe.

Phehlukwayo, Janneman Malan and Dwaine Pretorius, who retired from the international game earlier this season, are the only players from last year not on the 2023 list.

For Phehlukwayo it will be a particularly hard blow.

The 27-year-old has played 120 international matches for the Proteas, including four Tests, and has been a mainstay in the limited overs teams since making his debut in 2016.

He’s been part of Proteas squads at the Champions Trophy, the 50-over World Cup in England in 2019 and the last two T20 World Cups. 

With the list of players being increased ostensibly because of the extended limited overs programme — which includes the 50-over World Cup in India later this year — and another T20 World Cup in the Caribbean next year, CSA is certainly sending a strong message to Phehlukwayo.

He has been included in the ODI squad for the three match series against the West Indies next week, but is not in the T20 squad for the series that follows. 

Magala, Wayne Parnell and Jansen have been tasked with carrying the seam-bowling all-rounder role, though all three will acknowledge they will need to show improvement with the bat.

Meanwhile Malan went badly off the boil after his first international season in which he was named the Emerging ODI player of the year in 2022 by the ICC and was included in the ODI team of the year too.

His ODI average is still an impressive 47.90, but he’s made just one half-century in his last 10 innings. 

Reeza Hendricks return to form along with Rickelton’s rise to prominence, means Malan needs to head back to the provincial system to regain form and confidence.

Nkwe said last week the contracting policy may change in the future.

For this year players were still contracted based on whether they played two or three formats, but from next year it is expected that many players will opt out of one format and along with some ‘freelancers’ including the likes of Faf du Plessis and Rilee Rossouw, CSA may look at creating specialised contracts for each of the three formats. 

Proteas Men’s Contracted Squad

Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Dean Elgar, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, Marco Jansen, Sisanda Magala, Keshav Maharaj,  Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortjé, Wayne Parnell, Keegan Petersen, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen