Some of events in which CSA made the headlines for all the wrong reasons this year.
Cricket South Africa has accused the media of ‘unmediated attacks’ following the storm that engulfed cricket’s governing body after revoking the accreditation of five journalists. But they really haven’t covered themselves in glory in 2019, and have been stumbled from one scandal to another.
READ: Moroe, Nenzani must go … and quickly
30 May 2019: The South African Cricketers’ Association takes CSA to court in an attempt to get clarity from the organisation with regard to the direction it’s taking with the restructuring of the domestic game. The application called on CSA to show cause as to why its decision to restructure domestic cricket in South Africa should not be reviewed.
19 July 2019: The Proteas finish their World Cup campaign with a win over Australia. However, it wasn’t enough to make up for a rather dire tournament, in which they only managed three wins from their nine matches.
4 August 2019: Ottis Gibson is sacked as Proteas coach following a disastrous World Cup campaign, in which the South African team failed to make the semi-finals of the tournament. The team looked woefully underprepared for the tournament. Enoch Nkwe was later named as ‘interim team director’ for the team’s tour to India.
21 October 2019: India whitewash the Proteas 3-0 in South Africa’s first series in the new Test Championship. The Proteas managed to draw the T20 series 1-1, but Enoch Nkwe’s team were easily dispatched by India in the Tests.
8 September 2019: CSA announces a R200-million loss ‘because of expenses incurred in hosting last year’s inaugural Mzansi Super League, and the incoming tours, by Sri Lanka and Pakistan, last summer’.
Also, the CSA board and members council decide that, in a change of their constitution, president Chris Nenzani should have his term extended by another year. Board vice-president Beresford Williams said it had been decided that Nenzani should continue for another year ‘for the sake of stability’.
29 October 2019: Corrie van Zyl, the interim director of cricket, chief operating officer Naasei Appiah and commercial manager Clive Eksteen were all suspended by CSA. The issue was around last the 2018 Mzansi Super League (MSL) and an agreement between CSA and Saca. Saca had issued a dispute with CSA, claiming the organisation owed the South African Professional Cricketers’ Trust R2.5 million dating back to a commercial agreement around player rights signed in November 2018.
31 October 2019: Saca releases an explosive statement, saying it’s ‘very surprised’ at the suspension of the three officials. Saca said that they had no dealings with Appiah in relation to the commercial rights deal, while both Van Zyl and Eksteen had sought to resolve the matter. ‘Saca didn’t deal with Appiah on this issue and in its dealings with Van Zyl and Eksteen over many months they both expressed a strong desire to resolve the payment issue, but it eventually became clear that higher approval to do so was necessary,’ the statement read. ‘We think it’s highly unlikely that CSA’s chief executive, Thabang Moroe, would not have been aware of this ongoing issue. He was undoubtedly aware of payment obligations as he had signed the agreement.’
14 November 2019: Former South African captain Graeme Smith withdraws his interest in becoming CSA’s director of cricket, saying: ‘I have not developed the necessary confidence that I would be given the level of freedom and support to initiate the required changes.’ Smith was shortlisted for the job.
26 November 2019: CSA suffers a blow when the Johannesburg High Court ruled in favour of the Western Province Cricket Association after CSA suspended the WPCA board because of ‘administration and financial concerns’. But the entire WPCA executive board was reinstated, while CSA was held accountable for all the legal costs incurred. In court papers, WPCA cited irregularities in the process of the suspension of the board.
1 December 2019: CSA revokes the accreditation of five of the country’s seasoned cricket writers, which led to widespread condemnation on social media. The accreditation was later reactivated.
2 December 2019: CSA still hasn’t announced a new management team for the upcoming series against England. The first Test starts on 26 December in Centurion.
LSO READ: CSA responds to ‘unmediated attacks’
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