By Kevin Rademeyer, Sports Journalist.
Photo Credit: DP World Lions.
The Cricket South Africa (CSA) 2026/27 domestic season is set to get under way on Thursday, with the newly rebranded 1st Class Series ushering in a fresh chapter for the country’s premier red ball competition.
The tournament, which has been part of South African cricket for more than a century, begins on 10 September, with defending champions DP World Lions facing seven Division 1 rivals all chasing the title.
For generations, the competition has provided a proving ground for cricketers hoping to make the step up to Test level. Its status remains undiminished, with players and coaches continuing to regard the title as one of the most significant prizes on the domestic calendar.
The Lions begin their defence against Boland at the DP World Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, with Russell Domingo’s side strengthened by three Proteas as they prepare for the international season.
Temba Bavuma, Ryan Rickelton and Wiaan Mulder will feature for the Lions as they look to gain valuable time in the middle ahead of a demanding summer.
The Lions finished last season by beating the Dafabet Warriors by eight wickets in February, securing a third title in three seasons, including the shared championship they claimed the previous campaign.
Their sustained success has been built on depth as much as individual performances, according to bowling coach Allan Donald. “All I can say is that we work tirelessly on our standards. We are very lucky that we’ve got the depth that we’ve got at the DP World Lions,” Donald said.
“You sit every season and you think, ‘What can I do better? What are the things we need to focus on to make us an even better side?’ And the rest of the country have got you fair and square in the crosshairs. So, we’ve just got to keep hammering away at what we’ve been doing over the last three years.”
Across the Jukskei at SuperSport Park, the Momentum Multiply Titans will begin their campaign against the Hollywoodbets Dolphins, hoping to improve on a seventh place finish last season.
There is a meeting of contrasting fortunes at YesPlay Newlands, where YesPlay Western Province Cobras will host the Warriors. The Eastern Cape side went all the way to last season’s final and came within touching distance of a maiden title.
In Bloemfontein, the Flexbrands Knights return to Division 1 after earning promotion from Division 2. They open their campaign at home against the North West Dragons.
The Knights have also strengthened their squad ahead of their return to the top tier. Under 19 star Ntando Soni has joined from the Warriors, while Nico van Zyl arrives from Border, Jono Bird from Western Province and Emmanuel Motswiri from Limpopo.
Lesego Senokwane is also back with the Knights after returning from the Titans. He was the Titans’ leading run scorer in the 4 Day Series two seasons ago.
The season will form part of a wider overhaul of the domestic structure. Each of the eight Division 1 teams will play 10 matches, three more than in previous seasons.
There will be 12 rounds of fixtures before the competition reaches its climax, with the final scheduled to begin on 26 April 2027.
For the Lions, the immediate task is defending their crown. For the seven teams chasing them, the target is clear enough: find a way to stop a side that has made winning the country’s oldest red ball competition a habit.