Ken Borland

Cricket South Africa may have been restored to reasonably good health, but like the nasty winter flu that just won’t go away, the bonus scandal is still causing all manner of coughs and splutters next door at the offices of the Gauteng Cricket Board.

While Gerald Majola reaped the whirlwind of his duplicated bonuses and has been blown away from the CSA offices, an icy wind is howling through the corridors of the Wanderers and its source is seemingly the same.

It was Gauteng cricket that first raised questions about Majola and his handling of the IPL and whether he was paid bonuses that were not in keeping with good governance, and the then-CSA CEO’s heavy-handed response was to remove the GCB board by way of the Langa Commission, using the lack of transformation in the province as an excuse.

A new board, headed by an interim administrator in former International Cricket Council president Ray Mali, was put in place in August 2010, with representation from each of the race groups involved in Gauteng cricket.

With the two-year term of that administration coming to an end in August, each of these groups is now seemingly jostling for position in what is becoming an ugly power struggle.

A group of Premier League clubs has accused Mali of either wanting to continue his stay or making decisions, such as extending acting CEO Cassim Docrat’s contract by a year, that will effect Gauteng cricket long after August.

Earlier this year, they attempted, unsuccessfully, to remove Mali and four other GCB directors, all of them black.

“When CSA placed Gauteng cricket under administration, there was never consensus, the clubs reluctantly agreed to what was meant to be an experimental structure. All sorts of things have been going on in the meantime and the clubs don’t feel they are effectively represented in Gauteng cricket anymore, because of this purely political act,” Keith Lister, who describes himself as a “volunteer in Gauteng cricket for 25 years” and is “assisting” the disenchanted Premier League clubs, told Mail & Guardian.

Lister says CSA are trying to run Gauteng cricket from across Corlett Drive.

“The clubs have rights and we won’t be bullied into being told what to do by CSA. They should be the servants of the provinces’ interests, but they want us to toe the line because of what they say is our history and because we brought the game into disrepute.

“Why do they think they have this power over us? Nowhere in the Langa Commission does it say in terms of Articles X, Y or Z that CSA has this power.

“And how did Gauteng cricket bring the game into disrepute? Who actually did?” Lister asks.

But both Mali and CSA acting CEO Jacques Faul have given assurances that the interim administration will end on August 31.

“My term ends on August 31, but this [attempt to oust him before that] affects the gains that have been achieved. There is a process, a formula, a way of doing things. Why has this happened after 21 months? Keith Lister was part of the process, they made submissions and this was the agreed-upon route, which must take its full course.

“I was not just imposed on the GCB, the structures agreed on my name which was put forward by [former GCB chairman] Mtutuzeli Nyoka,” Mali said.

Faul said there was no intention to extend the interim administration and he hoped that would bring an end to the bonus scandal.

“I am not aware that we are considering extending the period of administration and I am of the opinion that it will not be in the best interests of CSA or GCB to do that.

“We also note that no club objected to the administration for 21 months out of 24, and we are uncertain of the motive for doing so now. We do not see the matter, should it continue, being resolved within a month of the termination of administration and again question why certain individuals would want to do that at this very late stage.

“We can only hope that this is not a result of the division that was caused by the bonus scandal and that the GCB has become the battlefield for this very sad chapter of our cricket history. All indications are that the GCB will not be under administration after August 2012,” Faul said.

The new Gauteng cricket constitution is also set to be adopted at the AGM in August and could be the motive for the power struggle.

“Gauteng requires a new constitution and it is imperative to transform and restructure the administrative body. The board is committed to a new identity for Gauteng cricket that will reflect the different communities. We want to reshape the landscape of cricket in the province – there must be no domination of one group over another!” Mali said.

The chief stumbling block in the proposed new constitution is over voting rights: The old constitution gives Premier League clubs extra votes, while the proposal is to implement a system of one club, one vote, although Mali has indicated a willingness to compromise and have one team, one vote.

“The voting rights goes to the heart of the problem. The current board approved Premier League status for new clubs, which we objected to on cricketing and constitutional grounds. It increases the power of some clubs, while diluting the power of others,” Lister admits.

“Should a Sunday morning twenty20 club have the same power as a Premier League team? I understand the argument that the old traditionally white clubs are clinging to power, but I don’t think that’s so. There are responsible people taking care of the Premier League clubs and they support transformation in the Premier League.”

While the targets of the Lister-assisted clubs were all black, Mali says he does not believe the issue is a racial one.

“I won’t say it’s a racial issue. I would term it a power struggle,” he said.

The issue of power is clear when CSA acting president Willie Basson says things like: “Considering their history, they [Lister’s clubs] need to very seriously consider their positions and their actions from here onward. There are various options; CSA can withdraw or CSA can prolong the period of administration.” [Business Day, June 6]

The response of Daniel Phetla, the chairman of Alexandra Cricket Club, was “On the (Gauteng) board there have been murmurs that it could be extended. When people talk like that you start to wonder if we are moving towards a dictatorial situation; that’s a sign of Mugabeism.” [Business Day, June 22].

Lister has gone so far as to accuse CSA of wanting an Apartheid-style solution.

“CSA want three chambers of equal power based on colour. Dr Verwoerd would be so proud, he would say ‘I told you so’.

“That South Africans are not capable of solving their problems unless they’re in racial groupings is utter bullshit,” Lister said.

But is the love of the game in the province going to be enough for the people involved in Gauteng cricket to solve their complex problems?

The world’s best T20 cricketers are once again coming to South Africa, and this time the country won’t fall victim to any financial scandals, according to CSA acting chief executive Jacques Faul.

Faul confirmed at OR Tambo International Airport on Thursday that South Africa would once again host the Champions League T20 tournament – a spin-off from the Indian Premier League – in October.

South Africa also hosted the 2010 event, just when the whole IPL bonus scandal was gathering steam.

“I’m sure that if bonuses are paid, the correct governance procedures will be followed this time,” Faul said on Thursday.

The acting CEO said South Africa had been asked to host the tournament again because the home grounds of three of the IPL teams that have qualified – Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai – will be out of commission in October, while Australia, the other founder members of the CLT20, aren’t suitable because of time zones – most of India is asleep when matches would be played Down Under.

“India obviously have a lot of venues that could host the tournament, but the venues of the teams that qualified have problems.

“Mumbai will have a problem hosting a Pakistan team, for obvious reasons [the 2008 terrorist attacks], it’s monsoon time in Chennai and Kolkata has a religious festival, which leaves only Delhi,” Faul said.

“Plus the attendance figures are highest in South Africa and the logistics at our stadia are very good.”

Faul confirmed that the qualifying tournament will also be held in South Africa. Seven teams have already qualified: IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders will join runners-up Chennai Super Kings and third-placed Delhi Daredevils as India’s three representatives, alongside Australia’s Big Bash League champions Sydney Sixers and runners-up Perth Scorchers, and South Africa’s Nashua Titans and bizhub Highveld Lions.

Three more teams come from the multi-national qualifying series featuring the domestic T20 champions in Sri Lanka, New Zealand, West Indies, Pakistan and England.

DAY-NIGHT TEST A POSSIBILITY

Faul had even more exciting news for the fans of the longer versions of the game when he announced that Cricket South Africa would be trialling day/night cricket at first-class level, with a view to playing a night test.

The move follows the ICC’s Chief Executives Committee meeting in Kuala Lumpur.

“We were encouraged to try and host night tests. Obviously our board must first approve this and then we have to get the buy-in of our coach and players, and then of course the opposition still have to agree!

“But the idea really excites me and it was the highlight of the chief executives’ meeting for me,” Faul said. “I understand that we’ll use a pink ball and, according to the New Zealand CEO [David White], Kookaburra have made a ball that is good enough for night tests.

“Maybe it’s the way forward for test cricket to evolve and it could be very beneficial for the longer forms of the game. But I’d be nervous just rushing into it at test level, we’ll probably start with a first-class match,” he said.

“It’s early days, but I can see it happening in the near future. I’m just scared of the different conditions between day-time and night-time and the dew factor at certain of our grounds.”

http://www.supersport.com/cricket/champions-league-t20/news/120628/Best_domestic_T20_sides_heading_for_SA

Cricket South Africa are excited by the prospect of experimenting with day/night Tests, acting chief executive Jacques Faul said in Johannesburg on Thursday.

Faul told a news conference that the instruction given to the Full Member Countries to begin investigations into the viability of day/night Tests had been the highlight of the International Cricket Council’s Chief Executives Committee meeting in Kuala Lumpur this week.

“We were encouraged to try and host night Tests. Obviously our board must first approve this and then we have to get the buy-in of our coach and players, and then of course the opposition still have to agree!

“But the idea really excites me and it was the highlight of the chief executives’ meeting for me,” Faul said.

“I understand that we’ll use a pink ball and, according to the New Zealand CEO [David White], Kookaburra have made a ball that is good enough for night Tests.”

While Faul was thrilled with the prospect of day/night Test cricket, he warned that it would be too risky to just rush into the new playing times.

“Maybe it’s the way forward for test cricket to evolve and it could be very beneficial for the longer forms of the game. But I’d be nervous just rushing into it at Test level, we’ll probably start with a first-class match,” he said.

“It’s early days, but I can see it happening in the near future. I’m just scared of the different conditions between day-time and night-time and the dew factor at certain of our grounds.”
Faul also confirmed that the Champions League T20 tournament would be coming back to South Africa this year, after Sundar Raman, a member of the CLT20’s technical committee, confirmed it on the social network Twitter.

“The protocol is for CLT20 to announce it first, but you can’t beat a tweet and it’s only fair to our public that I say ‘yes, we are hosting it’,” Faul said.

The acting CEO said the CLT20 board’s decision to go back to South Africa in October after they hosted the 2010 tournament was due to Indian venues not being available.

“India obviously have a lot of venues that could host the tournament, but the venues of the teams that qualified have problems.

“Mumbai will have a problem hosting a Pakistan team, for obvious reasons [the 2008 terrorist attacks], it’s monsoon time in Chennai and Kolkata has a religious festival, which leaves only Delhi,” Faul said.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Thursday admitted that they have misread the mood in the country and will definitely return Test cricket to its traditional place in the period between Christmas and New Year.

CSA announced their summer fixture list this week and there will be no test between Christmas and New Year, traditionally known as the “Boxing Day Test” starting on December 26. Since readmission in 1992, South Africa have always played a Boxing Day test, except on the five occasions that they were touring Australia.

The 2012 Boxing Day Test has been replaced by a T20 international against New Zealand in Port Elizabeth, leading to an outcry amongst cricket fans in South Africa.

“We’ve clearly noted the concerns and it was heartwarming to see such a passion for Test cricket being expressed. It shows that there is still a great following for Test cricket and that’s something we must not just take for granted. We made a mistake in not explaining the reasons for the move better,” CSA acting chief executive Jacques Faul told Reuters in Johannesburg on Thursday.

Faul said the absence of a Boxing Day Test in 2012 was a one-off.

“We’re going to have to take Test cricket more seriously and I can see the Boxing Day Test definitely being played again soon,” he said.

“The reasons for the move were several. Obviously crowds have been disappointing, but it’s not just about numbers. Our playing record then is poor, plus the players have not been at home for Christmas for a long time and it’s important to keep them fresh and motivated.”

South Africa have lost their last four home Boxing Day Tests – against Sri Lanka, India, England and Australia.

Faul admitted that the host broadcasters, SuperSport, had also expressed concerns over having just one day of live cricket during the prime period between Christmas and New Year.

“It’s a period of year when content is very important for the broadcasters and they did raise concerns,” Faul said.

The acting CEO was, however, delighted to announce a massive new sponsorship deal for CSA, with financial services group Momentum signing a six-year deal that covers all 50-over cricket – both one-day internationals and domestically.

The deal is believed to have netted CSA in the region of R200 million [$124.2 million] and is a huge vote of confidence in an organisation that has spent the last two years fighting a scandal over irregular bonuses paid to chief executive Gerald Majola and other allegations of bad corporate governance.

Majola has been suspended and is currently involved in a disciplinary hearing and could face criminal charges as well.

“It is a sign of confidence that we’ve made progress. Six years is a very long time and there’s no denying there were concerns over the bonus saga and Momentum obviously had their good name to consider,” Faull said.

Nicolaas Kruger, the CEO of MMI Holdings, Momentum’s parent company, said they were confident the bonus scandal was a thing of the past.

“In terms of CSA’s corporate governance, we are very comfortable with the significant progress that has been made with the recommendations of the Nicholson Inquiry being implemented and sports minister Fikile Mbalula getting involved to get the right governance structures in place,” Kruger said.

“But the deal represents a great business opportunity for us to expand our exposure. Cricket has a growing and diverse fan base of over 10 million South Africans and the benefits far outweigh the potential risks.”

The deal includes contractual assurances that CSA will complete the restructuring recommended by Judge Chris Nicholson, who was appointed by Mbalula late last year.