South Africa's domestic cricket season is to start in September as opposed to October this year.

The first-class competition - the Supersport Series - will begin on September 17, more than two weeks earlier than normal, due to the Champions League in India.

Cricket South Africa's two representatives in the competition, the Cape Cobras and the Diamond Eagles, will play two matches each next month in a bid to avoid fixture congestion.

A statement released by CSA read: "There have been no changes to the formats of any of the three competitions - the four-day Supersport Series, the 50-over MTN Domestic Championship and the Standard Bank Domestic Pro20 - but what has changed is that the domestic professional season will start in September.

"This has been done to accommodate two Supersport Series fixtures each for the Cape Cobras and the Diamond Eagles who will be out of the country for much of October as CSA's representatives in the Champions' League tournament in India."

The tournament is due to be held from October 8-23 in Hyderabad, Delhi and Bangalore.