CRICKET NEWS - Cricket South Africa and the BCCI are close to finalising the playing schedule for the summer and, as has been known for several weeks, it will begin with the New Year test at Newlands rather than the traditional Boxing Day test match at either Kingsmead or St George’s Park.
The Indian team are not due to arrive in South Africa until the final days of December and the BCCI have insisted on at least one, full warm-up match or a couple of unofficial two-day games.
That leaves January 4 as the earliest possible start for the Newlands test although January 5 seems more likely.
CSA chief executive Haroon Lorgat promised the South African public that there would definitely be a Boxing Day test match but his efforts to secure an opponent have so far been thwarted by schedules and other logistical challenges.
Lorgat has been proposing an inaugural day/night test against neighbours Zimbabwe for the Boxing Day match but negotiations have been slow going.
New boys Afghanistan and Ireland are the only other options.
