South African cricket in brown, black and white

Would the real SA20 please stand up? The tournament that has jolted South African cricket at the domestic level seems to be causing confusion in its fourth edition.

Patrick Moroney, convenor selector, said after announcing the men's T20 World Cup squad: "It's very early doors for the SA20 and the reality is it's still fairly domestic. The international step up is significantly higher. When you look at those SA20 performances you might be taking your eye off the ball. It is good to have the tournament, but I don't think it has played a significant role in selection."

Corbin Bosch of Mumbai Indians Cape Town countered: "There's no better competition to get you ready for the World Cup. The players here are incredible. This definitely forces you to raise your level."

Paarl Royals' David Miller added: "Everyone's getting put under pressure during this competition. It is good preparation for the World Cup. Nothing can match international standard, but the SA20 certainly goes a long way to getting us into the right space."

The selectors are correct that the SA20 came too early to influence decisions. There's no contradiction between Moroney's comments and those of Bosch and Miller. But cricket-minded South Africans might wonder if selectors Moroney and Shukri Conrad are on the same page as players regarding squad selection.

The omission of Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs, and inclusion of Tony de Zorzi and Jason Smith has raised noise. Rickelton scored the only SA20 century (113 off 63 on December 26), but that's his only score above 45 in his last dozen innings. Stubbs made 76 in a Test against Pakistan and 49 and 94 against India, but in seven other innings during that period his top score was 37.

De Zorzi last played on December 3 when he injured his hamstring. Against Pakistan, he scored 104 in Lahore, 55 in Rawalpindi, and 76 off 63 in an ODI. Smith earned his place with an unbeaten 68 off 19 balls in domestic cricket, though that competition is significantly lower quality than SA20.

Closer to the truth is that this is South Africa. Rickelton and Stubbs are white. De Zorzi is black and Smith brown. For some, that matters more than cricketing arguments.

Consider that no fuss has been made about Donovan Ferreira (white) making the squad despite not scoring above 29 in his last 15 innings. Ottneil Baartman's omission generated little debate despite him being the leading wicket-taker in SA20 history. Baartman is brown.

When Bosch made his international debut in December 2024, he had modest numbers but his selection wasn't questioned. Bosch is white.

When South Africa beat Australia in the WTC final last year, Rabada's 9-wicket match and Bavuma's crucial 66 weren't celebrated alongside their blackness. But when Ngidi struggled in the first innings, he faced unfair criticism. When he redeemed himself with key wickets, apologies weren't forthcoming. It was as if, because he bowled well, Ngidi was no longer black.

Thus in South Africa: when black and brown players perform well, they are merely cricketers. When they don't succeed, they become brown and black again.

Nevermind the real SA20, would the real intentions of too many cricket-minded South Africans please stand up?