Aiden Markram and Lungi Ngidi handed central contracts

The South Africa cricket board has released the list of players that are set to receive central contracts. The Proteas have had a difficult road on the field in the past few months. They won the test series against India 2-1 but it was not a dominant performance by the home team. What followed after the test series is that last thing that the Protea fans want to remember. The Men in Blue brutally hammered them in the limited overs leg and took the series comprehensively.

Confidence booster

An absence of key players like AB De Villiers and Faf Du Plessis has hunted the team to a great extent. Aiden Markram, who captained the side in the ODIs in the absence of Du Plessis, has been awarded a central contract. Lungi Ngidi, who exceeded expectations in the test series and earned an IPL contract is given a contract as well. The contracts cover the bilateral tours away to Sri Lanka and Australia as well as the home series against Zimbabwe, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, finishing with the 2019 edition of the ICC World Cup to be played in England and Wales.

“Aiden and Lungi have both made an immediate impact on the international scene and this is a continuation of our policy of having a strong squad with a good mix of young and experienced world-class stars.” CSA Acting Chief Executive, Thabang Moroe was quoted as saying by sport24.com.za.

CSA had awarded contracts to 21 players last year but have now trimmed down that number to 18. The team is currently taking part in the test series against Australia and are 1-0 down. The confidence of the team has surely jolted over the past few months. The support staff and senior players must take the team forward to instill some life into the youngsters and get back to winning ways.

CSA contracted Proteas players:

Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Imran Tahir, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Chris Morris, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn.