Cricket South Africa is to allow players contracted to the breakaway Indian Cricket League to return to official cricket.
Path cleared for banned South African players to return next season
Cricket South Africa is to allow players contracted to the breakaway Indian Cricket League to return to official cricket, it emerged on Friday.
In addition to announcing a resumption of bilateral ties with Zimbabwe, the CSA said that players and officials who terminate their contracts with the ICL will be accepted back into the fold.
Several leading players, including Justin Kemp, Nicky Boje, Dale Benkenstein, Andrew Hall and Johan van der Wath, were banned from South African cricket after signing for the ICL in 2007.
But the decision will allow them back into local structures and to be eligible for official International Cricket Council events after serving a cooling-off period in line with an ICC recommendation.
The CSA board has decided that the cooling off period should be six months from the players' most recent appearance in the ICL.
Resumption
But, since the last ICL fixtures was in November 2008 the players will be able to return in time for the start of the next South African season in September.
Provided they end their ICL contracts by May 31, returning players will also be eligible for the next officially sanctioned Indian Premier League and the Champions League.
The resumption of ties with the Zimbabwe Cricket Union has come as a result of the formation of a government of national unity plus a request by the ICC to assist the country's cricket.
Relations were broken off in June 2008 because of the general deteriorating situation in the country.
A coordinating committee will be set up to assist Zimbabwe over the next three to five years to help the country in its goal of returning to Test cricket.
