'Selection a concern to all'
2008-03-21 14:16
Johannesburg - The adverse publicity surrounding the selection of the Proteas is a matter of concern to all cricket lovers, Cricket South Africa (CSA) chief executive Gerald Majola said on Friday.
Speaking at OR Tambo Airport ahead of the Proteas' departure for the three-Test tour of India, Majola said it was disappointing that cricket was hitting the headlines for the wrong reasons.
Majola was commenting on the latest row, in which white pace bowler Andre Nel was dropped from the squad and replaced by Charl Langeveldt, a black bowler.
Langeveldt later withdrew from the squad, after an emotional telephone call to Majola, in which he said he did not want to be selected on the basis of his colour.
Langeveldt was subsequently replaced by another black player, Monde Zondeki.
The controversy is not the first to hit cricket this summer.
South Africa's premier bowler, Jacques Kallis, was controversially left out of the Proteas team for the ICC World Twenty20 World Cup last September, and the announcement of the team for the recent tour of Bangladesh was held up because of an acrimonious row between Proteas coach Mickey Arthur and CSA president Norman Arendse.
'Transformation policy'
The team was finally announced two day before they left for Bangladesh, when Majola side-stepped Arendse by releasing it to the media.
"The transformation policy is unchanged, but it is about targets," said Majola. "The target of six players in a touring squad of 14 was set so that we could determine if our transformation system is working.
"But we have to understand that there are special positions. We need a balanced team, and that there are specialist positions.
For instance, we are not blessed with a lot of black batsmen and all-rounders, but lots of black bowlers, and we have to take note of that. We have to start producing them."
He said that selection was the task of the selection panel. "Once the selectors have chosen the team, they submit it to the president of CSA, who has the power of veto.
"He has to ensure CSA's policies are carried out. If he is not happy with the team, he can ask the selection panel to motivate the selections and explain why the targets have not been met."
Majola said CSA's transformation committee, under the chair of John Smith, who chaired an earlier transformation committee set up by the then sports minister, Ngconde Balfour, would be taking submissions from interested parties, and hearing oral submissions on April 1 and 2.
"They have to come up with a strategy to prevent the sort of things that have been happening," said Majola.
"We need cricket to be in the news because of the performances of players, and not selection issues."
- SAPA