President loses selection veto

2008-06-18 16:03

Johannesburg - Twelve recommendations by Cricket South Africa's transformations review committee have been accepted by the Board of CSA.

CSA president Norman Arendse, on Wednesday released the 12 recommendations.

Recommendation three and four states: "The selection of the national team should be entrusted to the panel of selectors and the present system in terms of which the president has the right to veto the selected team should be abolished."

The committee, under the chair of John Smith, was appointed to review CSA'S transformation policy and to make recommendations to the Board.

The decision to appoint the committee was made after a row erupted between Arendse and CSA chief executive Gerald Majola over the selection of the national team to tour Bangladesh.

Arendse refused to sign off the team selected for the tour, saying the selectors had not taken note of CSA's transformation policy. He and Proteas coach became involved in a public spat, and the team was finalised two days before the scheduled departure for Bangladesh when Majola released the names of the players in defiance of Arendse.

Announcing the recommendations, Arendse said they had been unanimously accepted by the CSA Board.

Further recommendations

"The Board also decided that the committee should continue its mandate and make further recommendations on how to increase black African representivity in South African cricket at all levels and focus on other areas of transformation," said Arendse.

He said that the following recommendations were accepted:

1. CSA must focus on lobbying the State and other stakeholders to make possible the main thrust of the transformation policy which is to provide facilities, resources and access in previously disadvantaged communities, with particular emphasis to black African areas, as no sport has the resources to achieve these goals on its own.

2. The existing targets applicable to all levels of the game should remain in existence at least until the end of the 2010 season where after a process should be put in place to review them and make adjustments which maintain the momentum of the past decade towards more equitable and representative cricket demographics.

3. The selection of the national team should be entrusted to the panel of selectors.

4. The present system in terms of which the president has the right to veto the selected team should be abolished.

5. The president and board of CSA should continue to be the custodians of the transformation policy insofar as the national team is concerned and, in this regard, should continue to monitor the progress in achieving acceptable levels of representivity that will eventually reflect the demographic makeup of the country, but there should be a change of process whereby the CEO and convener of selectors are required to manage the process and report regularly to the CSA president/board as the ultimate oversight and policy body.

6. CSA should, as soon as possible, implement a process which will ensure that selectors are appointed on the basis of a rigorous selection procedures to ensure that they possess the necessary experience, expertise and knowledge of the game and, additionally, are trusted to ensure that the team is representative and reflects the broad ethos of democratic South Africa and the principles of CSA's transformation policy.

7. In order to promote the principles of CSA's transformation policy, the selection panel should include black Africans.

8. In selecting the national squad, the selectors shall consult with and have regard to the input of both the coach and the captain.

The coach and convener shall be responsible for the selection of the final eleven players to take the field. The captain takes charge once the playing eleven have been selected.

9. CSA and the South African Cricketers Association are encouraged to initiate programmes to educate and engage professional players on transformation so that this important constituency can be part of a united South African cricket culture

10. CSA should ensure clear communication of the transformation policy to avoid confusion which has arisen in the past.

11. CSA must in 2010 institute a review of the recommended changes implemented by CSA to ensure their efficacy or otherwise.

12. The transformation review committee will continue its mandate and focus on other areas of transformation.

- SAPA