Ken Borland

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Gauteng cricket may have been accused in the past of being slow on the transformation front, but they made history on Tuesday by announcing Geoffrey Toyana as the new Highveld Lions head coach, the first black African to take charge of a franchise team.

Although the bold move may be seen as a gamble given that Toyana has never been a head coach at franchise level before, the 38-year-old has been steadily working his way up the coaching ladder and has done his apprenticeship.

He was the assistant coach to previous Lions mentor Dave Nosworthy, who resigned last month, and was the head coach of the Easterns team between 2008 and 2011. Toyana has also been an assistant coach with the SA U19 and Emerging Players teams.

“This is a very important and historic day for the development of cricket in this region. Geoffrey has a wealth of experience and talent, he played at the highest provincial level and he’s the right person to make sure there is a constant flow in the pipeline from amateur to professional cricket. We decided not to advertise the post because we felt we had somebody with the quality and experience to replace Dave Nosworthy in Geoffrey,” Lions CEO Cassim Docrat said at the Wanderers on Tuesday.

A left-handed batsman and part-time offspinner, Toyana played 84 first-class and 71 List A limited-overs games for Transvaal, Gauteng, Easterns and the Titans, between 1995/96 and 2011. He averaged just 24.49 and 18.95 respectively, scoring just one century, but his career was marked by the impression that his talent was never quite set free to blossom.

But you should not judge a coach by his playing record – Graham Ford, John Buchanan, Richard Pybus and Nosworthy himself are proof of that – and Toyana is confident that his own struggles as a cricketer will give him the empathy and understanding to help his charges.

Toyana should perhaps be more wary of the growing level of interference coaches now have to put up with from their boards – which is believed to be the reason Nosworthy resigned – but the Soweto product said his predecessor had taught him well.

“I’m very close to the board and there are no issues between us. But Dave also taught me a lot in terms of how to handle selection and budgets,” Toyana said.

The new coach will also have a hardened right-hand man in bowling coach Gordon Parsons, your typical crusty old county pro who was also the head coach of the Lions between 2005/6 and 2007/8, with Dumisa Makalima (video analyst), Craig Govender (physio) and Jeff Lunsky (trainer) the other support staff.

While the Lions played fantastic, entertaining cricket during their MiWay T20 Challenge run to the final last season, they ultimately fell short in the final, extending the franchise’s trophy-less run to five seasons. Toyana will inherit a squad with some exciting youngsters as well as a handful of experienced veterans, but he knows the lack of trophies will be the first thing he has to remedy.

“We have a good, experienced squad, but for the last five years we have struggled to win trophies. I hope I can turn this around and I’m walking into a structure that is all set up, so I want to create an environment in which the players can grow,” Toyana said.

“But I’m very delighted and humbled by the appointment and I hope I can be an example for other coaches in the townships and show that if you do the work, you can make it.”

Toyana’s appointment has been lauded by the Soweto Cricket Club, where both he and his father, Gus, began their playing days.

“As a club, where Geoffrey has played most of his cricket since his late father, Gus Toyana, led the club as captain and chairman, we are overjoyed at the message this sends to not only our players, but to all previously disadvantaged cricketers in both province and country. Geoffrey has always been a sterling example of a rolemodel throughout his cricket career,” Soweto CC chairman Gordon Templeton said.

“The board of the Lions franchise have illustrated the ability to be visionary in their outlook for the future of cricket not only in the Gauteng province, but also in South Africa. History will reflect that they have taken a cricketing decision to usher in a new era in the sport.”

http://www.supersport.com/cricket/domestic-cricket/news/120710/Lions_make_history_in_appointing_Toyana

There is clearly plenty of work still to do for South Africa in T20 cricket as they slumped to a 29-run defeat at the hands of Zimbabwe in their Pran RFL Triangular Series match at Harare Sports Club on Wednesday.

 – http://www.supersport.com/cricket/sa-team/news/120620/Plenty_of_work_to_do_for_SA

South Africa’s back-up attack is a worry as they conceded 176 for four after Zimbabwe chose to bat first; and the home attack then sent out a clear warning that spinners and bowlers who take the pace off are still a major threat for the South African batsmen as they bowled them out for 147.

Richard Levi had given South Africa a solid start with his 40 off 28 balls, but his soft dismissal, pulling off-spinner Prosper Utseya to cow-corner, and the decision to move Justin Ontong (4) and Dane Vilas (0) up the order proved costly as the tourists slumped from 73 for one after eight overs to 91 for five just four overs later.

Colin Ingram, who was dropped first ball by Vusi Sibanda, scored a defiant 48 off 39 balls, but when Sibanda caught him at deep mid-off off the bowling of the superb Christopher Mpofu in the 18th over, it was all over for South Africa.

Hashim Amla (11) still looked in prime form as he collected two boundaries off Kyle Jarvis in the second over, but in the next over, he tried to drive Mpofu on the up and could only sky a catch into the hands of the back-pedalling Hamilton Masakadza.

Mpofu had Ingram dropped at square-leg by Sibanda in the fifth over but took a break with excellent figures of one for 14 in three overs.

But Jarvis continued to leak runs at the other end, going for 28 in two, and South Africa were in charge until the introduction of spinners Graeme Cremer and Prosper Utseya.

Utseya removed Levi and Cremer then heaped more pressure on the South Africans by dismissing Ontong – off a cramped drive – and Vilas, who tried to cut a big-turning googly and chopped on, with successive deliveries in the 10th over.

Cremer struck again in his next over with the even bigger scalp of JP Duminy (6). The left-hander also fell to the googly, which Cremer almost turns more than his stock leg-break, and was so far down the pitch that wicketkeeper Brendan Taylor could afford three attempts to complete the stumping!

Ingram and Albie Morkel found ways to score off Cremer, though, as they gave South Africa a chance, taking 15 runs off the leg-spinner in the 14th over, to leave the visitors needing 63 off six overs to win.

Morkel had hit Cremer a long way for six but then found a frustrating way to get out as he bottom-edged a cut at a very wide delivery from Richard Muzhange and was caught behind for 10.

Muzhange was brilliant at the death, taking two for 16 in three overs, but no one bowled better than Mpofu, who finished with three for 20, removing the dangerous Robin Peterson (13) and Ingram in the 18th over.

Cremer finished with three for 29 and Utseya one for 27 in four overs as Zimbabwe pulled off one of their most famous victories.

Half-centuries by both opening batsmen had been the key feature as Zimbabwe posted a fine 176 for four.

South Africa again produced a mediocre bowling display and a messy performance in the field and will have to chase down a testing target on a pitch that is offering turn and grip for the slower balls.

Zimbabwe won the toss and batted and openers Sibanda and Masakadza immediately had the South African bowlers under pressure as they breezed to 38 without loss in five overs.

It just got worse for the visitors as Sibanda and Masakadza reached 50 in the seventh over and raised their century partnership after just 12 overs.

Perhaps one shouldn’t expect miracles just a day after their disappointing first match against Bangladesh, but the South African bowlers once again failed to build pressure, bowling towards the leg-side too often and not stacking up dot balls.

Sibanda and Masakadza eventually added 114 for the first wicket before Masakadza tried to slog-sweep left-arm spinner Peterson, who held the ball back and was rewarded with a catch at cow-corner.

Masakadza, powerful and lethal on the leg side, scored 55 off 39 balls, with five fours and a six.

Sibanda enjoyed himself until the 16th over, hammering four fours and two sixes in his 58 off 50 balls before Parnell had him caught at deep backward point in the 16th over.

The over was an eventful one, also featuring a dropped catch on the boundary by Levi, a four and another wicket when Elton Chigumbura mistimed a pull off the left-arm seamer to be caught off the first ball he faced.

Captain Taylor, dropped by Ontong on the midwicket boundary off Morkel on six, was the star of the closing overs, joining in on the feast as he bashed three fours and two sixes in lashing 38 off 21 balls. His innings ensured Zimbabwe posted a testing target after a very promising start.

Taylor fell to the first ball of the final over when he somehow managed to glove what should have been a free hit at a wretched short ball down leg from Marchant de Lange to wicketkeeper Dane Vilas, who took a good catch diving forward.

Peterson enjoyed bowling on a pitch that suited him, finishing with one for 29 in his four overs, while Morkel (3-0-26-0) and De Lange, in a final over that cost just seven runs, did well when called upon to bowl at the most inconvenient times.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) have had their peculiar financial arrangements exposed during the Nicholson Inquiry, but their ability to make sound cricketing decisions has now been questioned by one of the most respected players in the country.

Boeta Dippenaar retires from cricket today and, even though his feet may no longer move as assuredly as he would like, his brain remains as sharp as ever and is one of the reasons he is the president of the South African Cricketers’ Association.

Speaking in his personal capacity, Dippenaar told City Press he was concerned by CSA’s plans to include 12 teams in the franchise system instead of the current six. Instead of lifting the overall quality of domestic cricket, Dippenaar says this will weaken the game in South Africa and, as a consequence, weaken the national team.

“The domestic structure is incredibly important for the national team, but it will only reflect four or five years later.

“There are players missing out on franchise cricket and how do we make sure that those good enough to play get the opportunity? “I have no doubt that there’s place for an eighth team, but there’s no way there are enough high-quality players for 12 teams in the elite system,” Dippenaar said.

It will be up to the CSA board to vote on the 12-team suggestion. Herein lies the problem: the board comprises 11 provinces, all acting in their own narrow interests.

“If eight teams is correct, how do we get there? Griquas won’t allow North-West to have a franchise if they don’t have one and Boland won’t allow Border to have one if they don’t. It will require turkeys voting for Christmas,” Dippenaar said.

It is a problem that Australian cricket and, right now, the International Cricket Council (ICC), have wrestled with.

“When the franchise system came in here, CSA said it was what Australia were doing, but a lot of aspects were left out. We must remember that Australia has a population of about 22 million, while we have 50 million people.

“The Lord Woolf report was commissioned by the ICC and it clearly outlines that cricket’s governance is not in favour of the game but is rather a political structure.

“It’s no longer an amateur game but we have clubs electing people to run it. Does that serve the interests of the game? Anyone who can put two-and-two together can see that it doesn’t,” Dippenaar said.

For an illustration of the strength of cricket played outside the six franchises, take the example of Dippenaar’s Chevrolet Knights team-mate, Aubrey Swanepoel: He is the leading run-scorer in the CSA Provincial Challenge with 721 at an average of 72.10. But in his first three SuperSport Series innings, he managed just five runs.