Racial quotas to be introduced for South African cricket teams

Racial quotas are to be introduced for South African national cricket teams.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) will "move with the times" and set a minimum number of black players to be selected in all their national teams, its president Chris Nenzani said.

Targets will be calculated over a year, not on a match-by-match basis.

Mr Nenzani said: "In the past we had never set targets in our national teams but with changing circumstances we feel it is essential to move with the times."

The South African government has criticised CSA in the past for a lack of transformation in its national teams.

Kagiso Rabada was part of the team which faced England in January. Credit: Reuters

In April, South Africa's sports minister Fikile Mbalula slammed the federations from rugby, cricket, netball and athletics for failing to meet what he said were agreed targets on transformation, and banned them from bidding for or hosting international events until they met their targets. A review of this decision will take place in April 2017.

Recent teams have seen the use of more black players, including the one-day international side that defeated Australia in the tri-series competition in June, which had eight black players.

There is already a quota in South Africa's domestic franchise competitions, with teams required to field at least six black players, including three black African players.