The CSA 4-Day Series is South Africa’s premier first-class competition, and its top tier now carries the Division 1 name. The red-ball trophy has been chased for over a century, first as the Currie Cup and later the SuperSport Series.
Since the franchise era began in 2004-05, a handful of powerful sides have dominated the honours board, and promotion and relegation from 2021-22 sharpened the fight. The Lions have set the recent pace, closing 2025-26 as champions again.
In this article, we cover the full winners list, the last ten champions, the most successful teams and the complete title tally.
CSA 4-Day Series Men’s Winners List
South Africa’s four-day title has been claimed by six different franchises and provinces across the modern era, with several seasons shared when a final was rained out or drawn.
The table below tracks every champion since the franchise competition began in 2004-05.
| Season | Champion | Runner-up | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | Lions | Warriors | Won the Division 1 final |
| 2024-25 | Lions and Titans | Shared | Final drawn, title shared |
| 2023-24 | Lions | Western Province | Won the Division 1 final |
| 2022-23 | Dolphins | Warriors | League title |
| 2021-22 | Titans | Warriors | League title |
| 2020-21 | Dolphins | Titans | League title |
| 2019-20 | Lions | Titans | League title |
| 2018-19 | Lions | Cape Cobras | League title |
| 2017-18 | Titans | Warriors | League title |
| 2016-17 | Knights | Titans | League title |
| 2015-16 | Titans | Lions | League title |
| 2014-15 | Lions | Titans | League title |
| 2013-14 | Cape Cobras | Knights | League title |
| 2012-13 | Cape Cobras | Lions | League title |
| 2011-12 | Titans | Cape Cobras | League title |
| 2010-11 | Cape Cobras | Titans | League title |
| 2009-10 | Cape Cobras | Titans | League title |
| 2008-09 | Titans | Eagles | League title |
| 2007-08 | Eagles | Warriors | League title |
| 2006-07 | Titans | Lions | League title |
| 2005-06 | Titans and Dolphins | Shared | Title shared |
| 2004-05 | Eagles and Dolphins | Shared | Title shared |
The two-division system that arrived in 2021-22 added a top-two final to decide the Division 1 crown, which is how the last three titles have been settled. Before that, the franchise champions were the side that finished top of the single league table.
Last 10 Champions
The most recent decade of the competition has been shaped by the Lions and the Titans, with the Dolphins and Knights also getting their hands on the trophy. Each of the last ten completed seasons is broken down below.
1. 2025-26 – Lions
The Lions topped the eight-team Division 1 table with 124.36 points and went on to seal the title, their fifth in the competition. KwaZulu-Natal Inland finished bottom and were relegated.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Champion | Lions |
| Runner-up | Warriors |
| Title decided by | Division 1 final |
| Leading run-scorer | Gavin Kaplan (903 runs) |
Gavin Kaplan was the season’s leading run-scorer with 903, while Matthew Boast led the wickets with 43, confirming the Lions’ recent grip on the four-day game.
2. 2024-25 – Lions and Titans
The Lions finished on top of the league and met the Titans in the five-day final. A gritty Titans rearguard, led by centurion Lhuan-dre Pretorius, secured an honourable draw, so the championship was shared.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Champions | Lions and Titans (shared) |
| Result | Final drawn |
| Title decided by | Five-day final |
| Key moment | Titans batted out the last day to force the draw |
The drawn decider still counted as a title for both franchises, and it underlined the Lions’ growing consistency.
3. 2023-24 – Lions
The Lions edged a tight league race and then beat Western Province by 99 runs in a testing five-day final to claim the title.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Champion | Lions |
| Runner-up | Western Province |
| Result | Lions won by 99 runs |
| Title decided by | Five-day final |
Western Province had pushed them to the wire in the league. It began the Lions’ run of three straight titles, outright or shared, through to 2025-26.
4. 2022-23 – Dolphins
The Dolphins topped Division 1 to take the title in the second season of the two-division era. The result also carried a historic footnote, as the Knights became the first team relegated under the restructured system.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Champion | Dolphins |
| Runner-up | Warriors |
| Title decided by | League standings |
| Milestone | Knights became the first side relegated |
It was a second modern title for the coastal side, decided on league standings rather than a final.
5. 2021-22 – Titans
The Titans won the inaugural Division 1 title in the first season of the two-division structure.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Champion | Titans |
| Runner-up | Warriors |
| Title decided by | League standings |
| Key moment | Title sealed on the final day |
The race went to the final day, with the Titans moving clear of the Warriors after victory over the Lions, and the Warriors’ last match washed out. It was the Titans’ sixth four-day crown.
6. 2020-21 – Dolphins
The Dolphins claimed the title in the final season of the six-franchise structure, finishing ahead of the Titans.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Champion | Dolphins |
| Runner-up | Titans |
| Title decided by | League standings |
| Format | Six-franchise era |
It was a first four-day franchise crown for the KwaZulu-Natal coastal side in that era and set the stage for the wider restructure that introduced Division 1 and Division 2 the following season.
7. 2019-20 – Lions
The Lions retained their crown in 2019-20, again edging out the Titans over the franchise league. Backed by a deep bowling attack and strong top-order batting, the Johannesburg-based side confirmed its status as the franchise era’s form team.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Champion | Lions |
| Runner-up | Titans |
| Title decided by | League standings |
| Note | Second title in a row for the Lions |
The title double made the Lions the side to beat heading into the restructure.
8. 2018-19 – Lions
The Lions began their back-to-back run by taking the 2018-19 franchise title ahead of the Cape Cobras.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Champion | Lions |
| Runner-up | Cape Cobras |
| Title decided by | League standings |
| Note | Start of back-to-back titles |
A settled squad and consistency across the long red-ball season proved decisive, giving the Highveld side a platform that carried through into the following campaign. The Cape Cobras pushed hardest but could not deny them.
9. 2017-18 – Titans
The Titans, long the benchmark franchise, added the 2017-18 title, finishing clear of the Warriors.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Champion | Titans |
| Runner-up | Warriors |
| Title decided by | League standings |
| Note | Centurion powerhouse |
Built around a strong pace unit and reliable batting at Centurion, the Titans reaffirmed the depth that made them the most successful side of the franchise era. The Warriors finished as the closest challengers that season.
10. 2016-17 – Knights
The Bloemfontein-based Knights claimed the 2016-17 four-day title, holding off the Titans.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Champion | Knights |
| Runner-up | Titans |
| Title decided by | League standings |
| Note | Central franchise’s finest season |
It was a standout campaign for the Central franchise, whose red-ball pedigree traces back to the Eagles, and remains one of the region’s proudest first-class achievements in the modern competition. The Titans had to settle for the runner-up spot that year.
Most Successful Teams in CSA 4-Day Series
A short list of sides has monopolised the four-day title through the franchise and division eras.
The table below counts every championship since 2004-05, with shared titles credited to each co-champion.
| Team | Titles (since 2004-05) | Winning Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Titans | 8 | 2005-06, 2006-07, 2008-09, 2011-12, 2015-16, 2017-18, 2021-22, 2024-25 |
| Lions | 6 | 2014-15, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26 |
| Cape Cobras | 4 | 2009-10, 2010-11, 2012-13, 2013-14 |
| Dolphins | 4 | 2004-05, 2005-06, 2020-21, 2022-23 |
| Eagles/Knights | 3 | 2004-05, 2007-08, 2016-17 |
Titans
The Titans are the modern competition’s benchmark, with eight four-day titles since 2004-05, including two shared.
Based at SuperSport Park in Centurion, they combined a fearsome pace attack with dependable batting to dominate the franchise era, and they added the inaugural Division 1 crown in 2021-22 before sharing the 2024-25 title.
Lions
The Lions have become the form side of the division era, taking six titles and closing the gap on the Titans.
After back-to-back franchise crowns in 2018-19 and 2019-20, the Johannesburg-based side won the 2023-24 final, shared 2024-25 and topped the table again in 2025-26 for their fifth title in the competition.
Cape Cobras and Dolphins
The Cape Cobras were the franchise era’s other giant, stringing together four titles between 2009-10 and 2013-14 from their Newlands base.
The Dolphins also hold four crowns, including two shared in the mid-2000s, the 2020-21 franchise title and the 2022-23 Division 1 championship, keeping KwaZulu-Natal’s coastal region among the honours.
CSA 4-Day Series Winners by Team
Beyond the champions, several sides have been regular runners-up without landing the title, which the full tally below captures. The table lists every team’s titles and near-misses since the franchise competition began.
| Team | Titles | Runner-up Finishes |
|---|---|---|
| Titans | 8 | 2006-07, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2014-15, 2016-17, 2019-20, 2020-21 |
| Lions | 6 | 2012-13, 2015-16 |
| Cape Cobras | 4 | 2011-12, 2018-19 |
| Dolphins | 4 | Not applicable |
| Eagles/Knights | 3 | 2008-09, 2013-14 |
| Warriors | 0 | 2007-08, 2017-18, 2021-22, 2022-23, 2025-26 |
| Western Province | 0 | 2023-24 |
Conclusion: The Lions Rule South Africa’s Four-Day Game
South Africa’s four-day title carries deep history, from its Currie Cup roots to the franchise years and today’s Division 1. Across the modern era the Titans built the biggest cabinet, but the Lions have taken command of the recent seasons.
Three titles in a row, either outright or shared, capped by the 2025-26 crown, have made the Lions the side to beat. With promotion and relegation now sharpening every campaign, Division 1 remains the toughest test in domestic cricket.
For sides such as the Warriors and Western Province, a first title of the era is the clear next target.
