SA20: Graeme Smith explains why new T20 league is imperative for South Africa's future

It doesn't use such simplistic c during our hour-long conversation, but its relationship to the longest and oldest format cannot be questioned.

He made a name for himself. He was 22 when he first skippered South Africa and would do so 109 times, more than any other test captain.

He was huge at the top of the order, amassing 9,265 runs at 48.25, registering two double tons on his inaugural England tour in 2003.

In 2009 he became the first South African captain to win a streak in Australia en route to securing the No. 1 ranking in the world, a feat he has achieved twice in his storied career.

And yet, despite his own narrative and highlights, he is the architect of a new contest franchise T20 which could further relegate Test cricket to an anachronism in its country.

The SA20, whose launch is scheduled for January 10 next year, comes at a time when the future of South Africa's testing hangs in the balance after the Future Tours program limited the Proteas to just 28 tests over the next four years. /p>

In comparison, England will play 43, Australia 40 and India 38.

"A lot of traditionalists are afraid of the impact [competition] will have on the global game," Smith said since a sunny cafe in Cape Town. "But why can't South Africa have its own league? Why is that wrong? All the best teams in the world have one.

"South African cricket now has its place at the table. World cricket could not afford to see South Africa disappear."

Smith, officially the 'commissioner' of SA20, acknowledges that the competition can be seen through the prism of a culture war.

The overall schedule has never been red ball cricket is down with only a handful of teams with enough resources to stage a series of three or more matches.

Apart from the big three of India, Australia and England, the vast circuits that span months are now relics of a bygone era.

< p class="" data-reactid=".290rawykzcs. 0.0.0.1.$paragraph-14">Understandably many elite players are ditching their whites for a plethora of colored kits in many leagues.

"Every nation has to adapt," adds Smith. "Every nation is also putting themselves first, and that's understandable. The ICC [International Cricket Council] is essentially an event organization.

"Schedule pressures are coming from two sides, first from an ICC event in October and November, and then the [Indian Premier League] from March to May. This does not leave much time for bilateral tours which do not offer enough financial stability anyway.

"It's a changing environment. Franchise cricket is growing. But there's no reason it shouldn't work with international cricket. Playing for your country will always be the pinnacle, but I firmly believe that if South African cricket didn't have that, it would lose players to other leagues and you would see South African cricket disappear from the map.< /p>

"If we don't invest in our best players, we won't see them again."