Last year the Toyota Cheetahs lost their Super Rugby status but managed to enter and compete successfully in the Guinness Pro14. The VKB Knights are under threat of losing their franchise status, and should this happen, it may well bring an end to professional cricket in the Free State.

On Saturday during the annual Cricket South Africa Awards in Sandton, Johannesburg, the president of CSA, Chris Nenzani, indicated that the sport’s governing body has agreed to the adding of at least two more franchises to the domestic scene.

This is believed to be in an advanced stage. It is, however, anybody’s guess who the new teams could be, but North West and Border are the obvious choices to receive franchise status.

There is, however, a major concern that the facelift could be part of a bigger plan – one that could come at the expense of a team like the VKB Knights. This team, which is made up of both the Free State and Northern Cape, see home matches being played at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein and the Diamond Oval in Kimberley.

The suggestion that Cricket South Africa will be taking over control of all the cricket unions in the country will result in all the unions competing in a domestic competition but in two separate divisions.

For argument's sake: the A-division will be made up of six teams, and these teams will cover the major centres, as is the case with the current franchise model. OFM News has been informed that Boland, based in Paarl, may indeed be receiving a franchise.

The question is, which one of the six franchises currently playing in the 50-over, 20-over and four-day competitions will be making way to accommodate the Boland? As it is, Boland forms part of the Cape Cobras along with Western Province and SWD.

Logistics and a lack of support from cricket fans could see the Knights being the franchise making way to accommodate a second team from the Western Cape. This will leave both the Free State and the Northern Cape to compete in a second tier or B-division of domestic cricket and will have a major impact on domestic cricket in the entire Central South Africa. One can argue that it makes financial sense for CSA to go this route, but it will effectively kill professional cricket as we know it in the region, a region with a rich tradition and one that has produced many cricketing heroes in not only South African cricket, but international cricket as well.

A source, who wishes to remain anonymous, confirmed that there is a very real chance of these changes being made and that Boland will be receiving franchise status.

OFM Sport attempted to make contact with the acting CEO of Cricket South Africa, Thabang Moroe, with regards to the matter. Unfortunately, Moroe is in Cape Town, where he is busy discussing the memorandum of understanding with the South African Cricketers' Association (SACA) relating franchise expansion.

Koketso Gaofetoge, the Content Manager of Cricket South Africa, could neither deny, nor confirm the suggestions, and indicated that Moroe may be able to shed more light on the issue by Thursday.

In a voice clip sent to OFM Sport by Gaofetoge, Moroe indicated that the changes are expected to be in place as from the 2019/20 domestic season, but the changes could be as soon as September this year. Moroe added the reason for the expansion is in order to develop the game and grant more domestic players an opportunity to play first-class cricket.

Cricket South Africa is set to announce a new T20 competition which will replace the T20 Global League, which was cancelled even before it started last year. Due to a broadcast deal not being reached in time, CSA postponed the tournament until November this year, however, a new modal and business plan will be put forward to the various affiliate presidents for approval on Friday. This is a developing story.

Morgan Piek/OFM Sport