Cricket South Africa "should be grateful" to its players, who "remain a very attractive option for brands," according to Stuart Hess of IOL. Courier company Ram came on board at the 11th hour. CSA acting CEO Thabang Moroe said that this is "indicative of the star attractions that exist in South African cricket." Ram "ignored the current controversy clouding CSA" in the wake of its failure to launch the T20 Global League to re-establish the RamSlam. On top of that, Ram’s name "was on the competition two seasons back when the tournament was enmeshed in a match-fixing scandal." Brands do not "like drama such as that," but Ram has "diplomatically chosen to look past" it. Ram is putting its name back in South African cricket because of players like AB de Villiers, Kagiso Rabada, Quinton de Kock, Hashim Amla and Temba Bavuma (IOL, 11/9). BUSINESS DAY's Telford Vice reported the T20 Challenge "is not nearly as big a deal" as the aborted T20 Global League it will replace, but for the sponsors it is "perfect." Ram Exec Chair David Lazarus said, "We were told the new format would be an international event and would warrant more sponsorship and more money and we couldn’t afford it. As a domestic tournament it's perfect for us." A domestic tournament "is what the T20 Challenge‚ which starts on Friday‚ will be" in the wake of the T20 Global League "being halted in its tracks" (BUSINESS DAY, 11/9).
