The MTN Domestic Championship is the premier one-day cricket championship in South Africa. It is a one-day game; each team plays each other twice in a home and away leg. It is based on the same principle as a one-day international. The top four teams progress to the semi-finals, with the winners of the semi-finals going through to the final. The series starts on 14 October 2008 and plays through until the final on 17 January 2009.