Durban - Mayor of Msunduzi Municipality Mzimkhulu Thebolla said that the promotion of the Tuskers cricket team to the first division of domestic cricket for the 2023/2024 season was a welcome boost to the economy.
The mayor was speaking at the launch of the new domestic cricket at the City Oval in Pietermaritzburg on Saturday.
Thebolla said that having a professional sports team in the domestic cricket league positively influenced the municipality's economy.
“We anticipate that a boost in the economy through the promotion of the Tuskers team to the first division will result in the creation of new jobs, an increase in consumer spending and in sales in certain markets.”
Thebolla added that this would also mean an increase in the tourism sector.
“This will be achieved by the arrival of teams from other provinces coming to the city along with fans from other provinces. More media coverage of the Tuskers will mean more marketing and advertising of the City of Pietermaritzburg.”
Thebolla said the promotion of the Tuskers could not have come at a better time as the City celebrated 185 years in 2023.
“The City Oval is one of the few stadiums in the world that has a tree in the centre. We remember that we hosted the Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh cricket match in the 2003 Cricket World Cup, and we have capabilities to host international matches and we want the Proteas to play international matches at the City Oval. We are sports fanatics in Pietermaritzburg and we support cricket.”
The 2023/24 men’s campaign will begin with the Cricket South Africa (CSA) One Day Cup in September.
Cricket South Africa Director of Cricket, Enoch Nkwe, said that CSA had continuously strived for access, excellence, and inclusion for the entire cricket fraternity, and this had been evident throughout its pathway.
“This season promises to be an action-packed one on the domestic front, with a fully fledged professional domestic set-up as 2023/24 marks the inaugural CSA Professional Domestic Women’s League and the return of the CSA Colts,” he said.
Nkwe added that the CSA urged all supporters to join it as it kickstarted the cricket season.