2021–22 CSA 4-Day Series

The 2021–22 CSA 4-Day Series is a first-class cricket competition that is taking place in South Africa from October 2021 to March 2022.[1][2] It is the first edition of the post-franchise era, and the first edition to return to a two-division league format. Domestic cricketing reforms were introduced in 2020 that discontinued the six franchise team format, and announced a return to the more traditional provincial based system. Fifteen teams, split over the two divisions, now compete in the 4-Day Series.

In Division 1, five of the six teams who competed in the 2020–21 CSA 4-Day Franchise Series opted to retain their franchise brand, with only the former Cape Cobras reverting to their traditional Western Province name. They were joined in Division 1 by Boland and North West. Matches featuring either Limpopo or Mpumalanga, both in Division 2, do not have first-class status.[3] Dolphins are the defending champions.[4]

In November 2021, in the Division 2 match between South Western Districts and Easterns, Sean Whitehead took all ten wickets in the second innings for South Western Districts,[5] recording the second-best figures in a domestic first-class match in South Africa.[6][7] Following positive tests for COVID-19, all of the Division 2 matches scheduled to start on 2 December 2021 were postponed.[8] The next round of matches, all scheduled to start on 16 December 2021, were also postponed due to COVID-19 concerns.[9]