South Africa’s second-tier first-class competition is young, launched only in 2021-22 when Cricket South Africa split its red-ball game in two. Its first five seasons ran as a four-day event, and from 2026-27 it becomes the three-day 1st Class Shield.
So there is not yet a three-day champion, as the rebranded 2026-27 edition has not been played. The honours so far belong to the four-day era, where Northern Cape dominated before the Knights won in 2025-26.
In this article, we cover the full winners list, a season-by-season breakdown, the most successful teams and the title tally.
CSA Division 2 Men’s Winners List
Only three teams appear on the Division 2 honours board. Northern Cape Heat won the first three titles and shared the fourth with the Tuskers, before the Knights claimed the 2025-26 championship. The Knights spent three seasons in Division 2 before returning to Division 1 for 2026-27.
The table below lists every Division 2 champion since 2021-22.
| Season | Champion | Runner-up / other finalist | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | Flexbrands Knights | Eastern Storm | Final drawn; Knights won the title on first-innings advantage |
| 2024-25 | Northern Cape Heat and ACDC Express Tuskers | Joint champions | Rain-affected final drawn; title shared |
| 2023-24 | Northern Cape Heat | Knights | Northern Cape won the final by four wickets |
| 2022-23 | Northern Cape Heat | KwaZulu-Natal Inland | Northern Cape finished first in the league |
| 2021-22 | Northern Cape Heat | South Western Districts | Northern Cape finished first in the league |
Division 2 was decided by league standings in its first two seasons before a top-two final was added in 2023-24. Promotion and relegation are determined separately through CSA’s calculations across domestic competitions; winning the red-ball title alone does not automatically guarantee promotion. The Knights moved to Division 1 for 2026-27 after their cumulative performances across the promotion and relegation cycle.
2025-26 Season: Knights Win and Go Up
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Champion | Flexbrands Knights |
| Runner-up | Eastern Storm |
| Final venue | Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein |
| Result | Drawn; Knights won the title on first-innings advantage |
| Leading Division 2 run-scorer | Gihahn Cloete (743) |
The Knights topped the Division 2 table and hosted Eastern Storm in the final at Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein. Eastern Storm were dismissed for 277 before the Knights reached 479/8 from the maximum 140 overs, establishing a first-innings lead of 202. Gihahn Cloete led the innings with 210, while Patrick Botha made 96.
The match ended in a draw with time running out, but the Knights were crowned champions because of their first-innings advantage. Cloete also finished as the competition’s leading run-scorer with 743 runs. The red-ball championship formed part of the Knights’ successful overall promotion campaign, but the title alone did not determine promotion.
2024-25 Season: A Shared Title
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Champions | ACDC Express Tuskers and Northern Cape Heat |
| Final venue | City Oval, Pietermaritzburg |
| Result | Rain-affected final drawn; title shared |
| Leading Division 2 run-scorer | George van Heerden (515) |
The Tuskers finished first in the Division 2 league and met second-placed Northern Cape Heat in the final at Pietermaritzburg. After choosing to field, the Tuskers reduced Northern Cape to 83/4 before an unbeaten partnership between Ernest Kemm and Abel Mokwena took the visitors to 149/4. Kemm finished unbeaten on 54 and Mokwena on 26.
Persistent rain and a wet outfield prevented any further play, meaning the Tuskers did not begin their first innings. The match was drawn and CSA declared Northern Cape Heat and the Tuskers joint champions.
2023-24 Season: Northern Cape’s First Final
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Champion | Northern Cape Heat |
| Runner-up | Knights |
| Title decided by | Division 2 final |
| Final result | Northern Cape won by four wickets |
| Leading Division 2 run-scorer | Blayde Capell (781) |
Northern Cape Heat met the Knights in the first Division 2 final at Diamond Oval in Kimberley. The Knights made 330 before Northern Cape replied with 427. After dismissing the Knights for 222 in their second innings, Northern Cape reached 126/6 to win by four wickets and secure their third consecutive Division 2 title.
The Knights had entered Division 2 for 2023-24 after relegation under CSA’s previous cross-format promotion and relegation calculation. They remained in the second tier for three seasons before returning to Division 1 for 2026-27. Blayde Capell finished the 2023-24 Division 2 competition as its leading run-scorer with 781 runs.
2022-23 Season: Northern Cape Again
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Champion | Northern Cape Heat |
| Runner-up | KwaZulu-Natal Inland |
| Title decided by | League standings |
| Leading Division 2 run-scorer | Rivaldo Moonsamy (591) |
Northern Cape retained top spot in the second season of the two-division system, finishing clear of KwaZulu-Natal Inland. Limpopo and Mpumalanga regained first-class status that season, meaning every Division 2 match carried first-class status.
There was no final that season, so the title went to the team that topped the league. Rivaldo Moonsamy led the Division 2 run-scoring with 591, helping Northern Cape stay a cut above the chasing pack across the campaign.
2021-22 Season: The First Champions
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Champion | Northern Cape Heat |
| Runner-up | South Western Districts |
| Title decided by | League standings |
| Leading Division 2 run-scorer | Jason Niemand (590) |
Northern Cape topped the inaugural Division 2 table in 2021-22, when the return to a provincial system created the second tier. The season was disrupted by COVID-19 postponements, but the Kimberley side came through a stop-start campaign to finish ahead of South Western Districts.
The title was decided on league standings, with no final in that first year. Jason Niemand headed the Division 2 run charts with 590, setting the tone for a competition that Northern Cape would go on to dominate through its opening seasons.
Most Successful Teams in Division 2
Northern Cape are comfortably the most successful side of the Division 2 era, having won or shared the title in each of the competition’s first four seasons. The table below counts every championship since 2021-22, with the shared 2024-25 crown credited to both teams.
| Team | Titles since 2021-22 | Winning seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Cape Heat | 4 | 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25 |
| Flexbrands Knights | 1 | 2025-26 |
| ACDC Express Tuskers / KwaZulu-Natal Inland | 1 | 2024-25 |
Northern Cape
Northern Cape Heat dominated the opening Division 2 era. They finished first in the league in 2021-22 and 2022-23, won the 2023-24 final and shared the rain-affected 2024-25 championship with the Tuskers.
That gave Northern Cape four championship seasons: three outright titles and one shared title.
Knights
The Knights entered Division 2 for the 2023-24 season and finished as runners-up to Northern Cape Heat. After remaining in the division in 2024-25, they topped the table and won the 2025-26 title on first-innings advantage against Eastern Storm.
They were promoted for 2026-27 after three seasons in Division 2, rather than making an immediate return.
CSA Division 2 Winners by Team
Several sides have pushed for the title without landing it, and the full tally below captures both champions and near-misses across the five completed seasons. Runner-up finishes include losing finalists and league runners-up.
| Team | Titles | Runner-up finishes |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Cape Heat | 4 | Not applicable |
| Flexbrands Knights | 1 | 2023-24 |
| ACDC Express Tuskers / KwaZulu-Natal Inland | 1 | 2022-23 |
| South Western Districts | 0 | 2021-22 |
| Eastern Storm | 0 | 2025-26 |
Conclusion: Northern Cape Has Dominated The CSA Division 2
Northern Cape Heat won or shared the title in each of Division 2’s first four seasons, making the Kimberley-based team the leading side of the competition’s opening era.
The Knights ended that sequence by winning the 2025-26 title after a drawn final against Eastern Storm. They subsequently moved to Division 1 under CSA’s wider promotion and relegation structure; winning the red-ball title alone did not automatically secure promotion.
The 2026-27 season begins a new chapter, with Division 2 changing from four-day league cricket to the three-day 1st Class Shield. Its first three-day champion is still to be decided.
