Ken Borland

Cricket South Africa (CSA) have won a major battle in their disciplinary enquiry against former chief executive officer Gerald Majola and are also making progress in their efforts to restructure their board to align with the recommendations of the Nicholson Committee.

Acting chief executive Jacques Faul revealed in Sandton on Friday that the chairman of the disciplinary enquiry, Advocate Johan Myburgh SC, had handed down an advisory award in favour of Cricket South Africa, finding sufficient reason for Majola to be fired.

Majola and his legal team have not accepted the advisory award, which is non-binding, and the case will now proceed to a full disciplinary hearing, where witnesses and cross-examination can now be included in the process.

In more good news for cricket, Faul also announced that he had withdrawn his resignation letter because those board members who were apparently unhappy with how he carried out his responsibilites now backed him.

“I’ve withdrawn my resignation because I now feel that I have the support of the board. I wasn’t sure before, but I’ve subsequently had numerous calls from board members stating that they back me fully,” Faul said.

A smaller board, with more independent representation and greater corporate skills were amongst the key recommendations made by Judge Chris Nicholson after his hearing into Majola and the bonus scandal, and CSA acting president Dr Willie Basson said this process was still firmly on track and now had the full backing of the board.

“It was a very severe Nicholson report, his findings had great implications and his recommendations were difficult to accept. But after today’s meeting, I can categorically state that there is a very strong resolve to complete the process as closely as possible to the judge’s recommendations,” Basson said.

“The reality is very simple, we had problems with our governance structure and it was at odds with how it is developing across the world. It’s all about smaller boards now, that are more skilled and have more of an independent presence. The board has accepted these proposals and made peace with them.”

The benefits of a smaller, more independent but better skilled board are that cricket should be run more efficiently, they will be better attuned to corporate South Africa and provincial presidents can then concentrate more on their own constituencies, without clouding issues of national importance with their own agendas.

CSA will then be divided into two bodies – a professional board and a members’ forum made up of representatives from all the provinces, associates and aligned bodies.

Basson said a nominations committee would be formed and will provide the current board with a list of people to sit on the new structure.

“The nominations committee will have independent members and will be appointed by the board to identify potential independent board members. Through advertisements and submissions by the public, they will sift through the candidates and then the final choice will be made by the members’ forum,” he said.

In the new structure, the members’ forum will meet perhaps three times a year and decide on broad policies for cricket in the country, while providing “checks and balances” to the board.

The smaller, independent board will meet monthly and be responsible for implementing those policies, the day-to-day operations of cricket and monetary issues.

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

Corrie van Zyl, CSA’s General Manager of cricket, says attitudes need to change and the focus must be on the amateur game if the newly-instituted transformation fund is to succeed in its developmental goals.

Cricket South Africa this week announced the establishment of a dedicated transformation fund, in line with the agreements they signed with the department of sport and Sascoc.

The fund will go towards improving facilities and creating more opportunities for youngsters to play cricket. As acting president Willie Basson pointed out at the launch, more than 80% of the population under the age of 15 is ethnic African.

“The transformation fund that has just been announced means there’s going to be greater effort in pushing for transformation and funds for new projects, but it’s all about our attitudes towards our country. If our attitude isn’t right, then it’s not going to happen. What’s in our hearts matters most and South African cricket will not be strong without its amateur base.

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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.