Cricket SA considers new split-format contracting model

Cricket South Africa's director of cricket Enoch Nkwe said they're already engaging in conversations around split-format contracts as the cricket world changes around them.

South Africa's new Future Tours Program schedule has seen a reduction in international engagements to make space for the SA20 and the Indian Premier League window that's now standard across world cricket.

The England and Wales Cricket Board, along with Cricket West Indies (CWI), are already ahead of the curve with splitting format contracts, with the former board being in the healthier financial position to do so.

CWI has long allowed players to be on different contracts, with the small caveat of availing themselves for domestic tournaments if they're angling for International Cricket Council tournament participation.

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Nkwe said the move to split contracting is unavoidable, but it will have to be eased in a thorough manner that all parties are happy with.

"We're going to engage further in the next two months with the player's association to ensure that we're all aligned," Nkwe said.

"The conversations around the changing landscape of the game have already started because the leagues are having a massive impact from a financial perspective.

"The need to create a model that benefits all the involved parties now becomes important to ensure that there's longevity.

"We can manage players better and also look at how we can grow player pools. Contracts will become a big thing so we're looking into that space.

"We may need to give it a trial period to see if it works and deal with the challenges that stem from that.

"If it means we have three different contracting models, then so be it