Eastern Province Cricket president Donovan May has defended the Warriors’ decision to select just two black African players for their One-Day Cup match against the KZN Dolphins in Durban.
Provincial teams are required by CSA to select at least six players of colour in every playing XI, three of whom must be black African. If a team cannot meet the target, it must provide CSA with a valid reason to avoid punishment.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Sinethemba Qeshile and all-rounder Andile Mokgakane were the Warriors’ only two black African players to take the field at Kingsmead on 16 February.
As a result, the Warriors – who are coached by former Proteas spinner Robin Peterson – were on Monday docked the five log points (including a bonus point) they earned from their 116-run win, while the Dolphins were awarded four log points.
That cost the Warriors a place in Wednesday’s playoff between the teams that finished second and third on the log, with the Dolphins now set to host the match against the Northerns Titans (who would have hosted the Warriors). The winner will meet Boland in Sunday’s final in Paarl.
May explained to News24 what had happened in Durban.
“The pitch, on the day, wasn’t going to be conducive for fast bowlers and we needed a spinner. We didn’t have another black spinner, but we had a coloured spin bowler, along with an academy player who has a future ahead of him.
“We submitted the team sheets to the transformation committee and, later in the day, we received a call that explained that we breached the administrative rules.
“However, we were making a cricketing decision and there was a conversation between the Dolphins coach [Quinton Friend] and the match referee.”
May said the Warriors had also been fined R500,000 for failing to meet the quota.
“But we have a legal process going,” he added. “We’re going to appeal this matter because we think it was very unfair. There are other instances in where this has happened, but the other teams haven’t faced the music.”
Apart from missing out on a chance to win the One-Day Cup, the Warriors also now face relegation from Division 1 having dropped to last on the 2024-25 promotion-relegation log.
Photo: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images
The EP Warriors will not contest Wednesday’s playoff for a place in the One-Day Cup final after failing to meet CSA’s quota requirements in an earlier match against the KZN Dolphins.
The Warriors – who are coached by former Proteas spinner Robin Peterson – finished third on the log after the league stage and were set to face the second-placed Northerns Titans in Centurion, with the winner meeting Boland in Sunday’s final in Paarl.
However, on Monday the Warriors were docked five log points for failing to select three “black African” players against the Dolphins at Kingsmead on 16 February (only two – Andile Mokgakane and Sinethemba Qeshile – took to the field for a match the visitors won by 116 runs).
The Dolphins posted on social media that they would be hosting the playoff having finished second on the log, after being awarded four log points from their match against the Warriors.
? EXCITING UPDATE ??
Hollywoodbets Dolphins finish the group stage of the One Day Cup in second place ?????
Massive well done to our team for that incredible turnaround bagging 4 consecutive wins in a row ??
The play-off will be held at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead ?? pic.twitter.com/UMhY5hhMow
— Dolphins Cricket (@DolphinsCricket) March 10, 2025
CSA head of domestic cricket Eddie Khoza later told Sport24 that the Warriors had been punished for failing to communicate their missed transformation target.
“If you look at the situation we are dealing with at this point in time, there was no approach to CSA,” he said. “For every situation, there would normally be communication from the member if there’s a problem.
“For example, when Western Province played against North West, one of their black players got injured in that match, and the following day, they had to play the Titans; there was no break in between.
“They had to ask permission because they couldn’t comply the following day, because the player they wanted to bring up couldn’t get the flight.
“On matters of that nature, we engaged with the Titans and Western Province to say we are sitting on this challenge, and they can agree to say they can go into this match without fulfilling the required target.”
In a press release, CSA said the Warriors had also been fined “with 50% payable before the end of the current financial year. The remaining 50% will be suspended for five years and will only be activated if a similar breach occurs within that period.”
MORE: ‘Cricket decision’ cost Warriors playoff spot
Photo: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images
Boland secured their place in the One-Day Cup final with victory over Western Province in Paarl on Sunday.
They will face either the Northerns Titans or EP Warriors after both won their final regular-season fixtures to reach the playoff between second and third on the log, with the KZN Dolphins missing out despite also emerging victorious in round seven.
LATEST: Warriors kicked out of playoffs for quota breach?
Boland eased past their rivals by five wickets in a low-scoring affair that saw the visitors bowled out for just 182 in 45.2 overs after being asked to bat first in the Cape derby.
Shaun von Berg (3-44), Imran Manack (2-32), Siyabonga Mahima (2-17) and Aviwe Mgijima (2-27) were all among the wickets for the hosts, with Eddie Moore (51 off 73 balls; three fours, one six) the top-scorer for Province.
Blayde Capell then anchored the chase with 59 off 96 balls (three fours, one six) with Gavin Kaplan hitting 46 as the hosts patiently hunted down the target with just under seven overs to spare.
The result ensured they moved to an unassailable 25 points at the summit and they will now host the final this Sunday.
They will meet either the in-form Titans or Warriors.
The former, who have been in destructive form in recent rounds, smashed the Knights by seven wickets in a winner-takes-all affair in Bloemfontein where Dewald Brevis plundered seven sixes and eight fours in an unbeaten 38-ball 83 to help his side chase down a target of 231 in just 38.3 overs.
He was helped by half-centuries from Neil Brand (66 off 85 balls, six fours) and Keegan Petersen (59* off 89 balls; five fours) at the Mangaung Oval.
Earlier, Patrick Botha stuck a century for the Knights when he hit 109 off 146 balls (nine fours), but he lacked support as Dayyaan Galiem grabbed 3-32.
The hosts were all out for 230 in 50 overs and then succumbed to the ruthless Titans’ batsmen to miss out on the knockouts.
WATCH: AB hits 28-ball hundred for Titans Legends
In Gqeberha, the Warriors overcame the Central Gauteng Lions by 33 runs on the DLS method.
The match made it to 72.2 overs with the visitors first batting and posting 279-5 at St George’s Park with half-centuries for Connor Esterhuizen (87 off 80 balls; five fours, four sixes) and Mitchell van Buuren (56 off 69 balls; four fours, one six).
The hosts came out attacking and reached 124-1 when rain intervened and ended the game prematurely. Jordan Hermann (40), Matthew de Villiers (49*) and Matthew Breetzke (30*) did more than enough for their side to ensure they qualified ahead of the Dolphins.
The KwaZulu-Natalians missed out despite beating the North West Dragons by seven wickets on the DLS method in Potchefstroom.
Batting first, the hosts posted 246-7 thanks largely to Wihan Lubbe (69 off 86 balls; five fours, one six) and Ruan de Swardt (45*).
Prenelan Subrayen was outstanding with the ball, picking up 2-22.
Jon-Jon Smuts (75 off 73 balls; 10 fours) and Jason Smith (61* off 64 balls; four fours, one six) then both hit half-centuries as the Dolphins chased down their revised target, reaching 216-3 in 34.5 overs.
Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
Watch the One-Day Cup matches in Paarl, Bloemfontein, Gqeberha and Potchefstroom.
Boland vs Western Province
Knights vs Titans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu8KVVyB79Y
Dragons vs Dolphins
Warriors vs Lions
Beyers Swanepoel produced scarcely believable bowling figures to keep the EP Warriors in One-Day Cup semi-final contention with a 19-run win over Western Province in Gqeberha on Wednesday.
There was also a second successive century for Rivaldo Moonsamy as the Northerns Titans kept their playoffs hopes alive with another big win, this time over the North West Dragons, while Boland became the first team through to the last four when their match against the Central Gauteng Lions in Johannesburg was cut short by rain.
The big performances of the evening were delivered by Swanepoel and Moonsamy, with the former registering bowling figures of 9-4-9-4 against the defending champions.
Batting first after winning the toss at St George’s Park, the Warriors were restricted to 223-9 thanks to four wickets from Onke Nyaku (4-34).
Jordan Hermann top-scored for the hosts with 57 off 78 balls (six fours, two sixes) with 40s coming from Matthew Breetzke (45) and Senuran Muthusamy (47) – the batsmen struggling to find any real rhythm.
Province lost three early wickets to the exceptional Swanepoel in their reply to slip to 24-3.
But the chase was resurrected by Edward Moore (88* off 123 balls; 10 fours) and Kyle Verreynne (59 off 84 balls; six fours). The pair put on 107 together for the fourth wicket, but once the stand was broken, WP faltered and were eventually dismissed for 204 in 47.4 overs.
In Potchefstroom, Moonsamy struck five sixes and 10 fours in his 102 off 89 balls to help the Titans post another daunting total. After their spectacular 440-5 in 43 overs in their previous game, they amassed 376-6 this time.
Dewald Brevis (57 off 32 balls; three fours, five sixes), Sibonelo Makhanya (63* off 60 balls; three fours, three sixes) and Andile Phehlukwayo (52 off 32 balls; three fours, four sixes) also played telling roles in what turned out to be a one-sided 133-run win.
In reply, the hosts managed 243 all out – Janneman Malan top-scoring with 92* off 97 balls (eight fours, one six) and Rubin Hermann striking a breezy 63 off 49 balls (three fours, three sixes).
Neil Brand was the most successful bowler with 3-56.
Wednesday’s other match between Boland and the Lions lasted only 31.5 overs as rain had the final say.
Akhona Mnyaka took 2-16 as the hosts reached 126-5, with Wandile Makwetu hitting 47.
Photo: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images
Watch the One-Day Cup match between the EP Warriors and Western Province in Gqeberha.
Watch the One-Day Cup match between the Central Gauteng Lions and Boland in Johannesburg.
An astonishing batting display by the Northerns Titans saw them score 440-5 in 43 overs to lay the platform for a 111-run win (DLS method) against the EP Warriors in Centurion on Sunday.
Asked to bat first by the visitors, openers Lhuan-dre Pretorius (107 off 69 balls; 11 fours) and Rivaldo Moonsamy (126 from 83; 15 fours and six sixes) both hit sensational centuries.
They were well supported by Dewald Brevis (75 off 44 balls; six fours, six sixes), Neil Brand (55* off 34; five fours, two sixes) and Sibonelo Makhanya (46* off 22; one four; four sixes).
That took the hosts to the second-highest team total ever posted in South African domestic 50-over cricket, though the economy rate (10.23) was by far the highest as they batted for only 43 overs on account of the weather. The Titans themselves hold the record of 453 against the North West Dragons from two years earlier.
In reply, the Warriors were 251-7 in 32 overs after more rain shortened the game even more.
The remarkable result bolstered the home side up to fourth on the table, one place behind the Warriors.
Centurions Pretorius and Moonsamy had set the tone for the Titans by putting on 227 for the opening wicket inside 34 overs.
Once the pair fell, Brevis cut loose at an even more rapid rate, before Brand and Makhanya, who smashed four sixes, completed the carnage in the 43 overs set out at the start on account of overnight rain.
Three bowlers – Alfred Mothoa (1-89), Siya Plaatjie (1-89) and Senuran Muthusamy (2-80) – all conceded more than 80.
Matthew Breetzke top-scored for the Warriors with 94 off 72 balls (11 fours, two sixes) but had little support.
On Saturday, Boland consolidated their position at the top of the table with a two-wicket win over the North West Dragons.
The Potchefstroom-based team batted first in Paarl and were bowled out for 179 thanks to a career-best 6-18 by Proteas seamer Glenton Stuurman.
Wihan Lubbe top-scored for the visitors with 54 off 80 balls (four fours).
Boland made heavy weather of the chase as they slipped to 87-5, before Lehan Botha (66 off 67 balls, eight fours, two sixes) did enough to carry them home safely with more than 10 overs to spare.
FRIDAY MATCH: Dolphins add to WP’s woes
In Johannesburg, Jacques Snyman recorded a career-best 160 off 118 balls (12 fours, eight sixes) as the Free State Knights thumped the Central Gauteng Lions by 74 runs (DLS method).
The opener was supported by Dominic Hendricks (58 off 83 balls; four fours) after being put in to bat at the Wanderers where they posted 292-7 in 39 overs.
Matthew Pollard (3-56), Dane Piedt (2-30) and Tiaan van Vuuren (2-39) then shared seven wickets as the hosts were restricted to 220-8 in reply.
Reeza Hendricks hit 54 off 52 balls (six fours, one six) and Mitchell van Buuren 54 off 73 (five fours), with the Lions dropping to second bottom on the table.
Photo:Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
Watch the One-Day Cup match between Boland and the North West Dragons in Paarl.
The KZN Dolphins crushed Western Province by 194 runs in their One-Day Cup match at Newlands on Friday.
The visitors posted 317-6 before a fine bowling display led by Prenelan Subrayen saw WP bowled out for 123.
The spinner claimed 3-27 and was supported expertly by Tristan Luus (3-36) and Ottniel Baartman (2-20) as the defending champions were dismissed in just 26.5 overs to stay bottom of the log.
The Dolphins, meanwhile, climbed to fourth and are now just three points off leaders Boland.
And they were fully deserved winners of their second win of the campaign after an excellent performance that was set up by their batsmen.
Veteran Jon-Jon Smuts struck 61 off 61 balls (eight fours) and Tshepang Dithole 67 off 82 balls (10 fours) during an opening partnership of 129.
That was followed by 48 from Bryce Parsons, before Hanu Viljoen (74 off 63 balls; eight fours) and Eathan Bosch (40* off 26 balls) provided the finishing touches to lift the Durban side beyond 300.
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In contrast, WP were under the pump from the get-go after both openers, Edward Moore and Valentine Kitime, fell for ducks.
Their struggles continued right the way through after they slipped to 22-3, though they were rescued from complete annihilation by Proteas batsman David Bedingham (45), one of just two WP batsmen to hit double figures.
They then slipped from 62-3 to 78-8 in a matter of 6.4 overs, with Kyle Simmonds (30) ensuring they at least crossed 100, before being last man out in a big loss.
Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images