CSA’s release stated that “the recent dispute with the Warriors regarding administrative compliance has been amicably resolved through a successful mediation process” in five phrases totalling 105 words. Additionally, it stated that “the Warriors have agreed to their current log position and will contribute R100,000 [USD5,390] to CSA’s grassroots cricket development programs in Eastern Cape communities with limited resources.” Within 14 days of the settlement, the money will be transferred.
Do you need to do a humiliating climbdown in order to sail safely under the radar? Make the announcement while a sizable section of the target audience is already busy. similar to what CSA did on Tuesday, April 22.
A release appeared out of thin air at 6:35 p.m. (South African time). Cricket-loving South Africans are at the gym, on their way home, preparing supper, or watching the IPL at that hour. They have no intention of waiting to learn what the suits have accomplished.
With that, the consequences of a poor choice that could have severely harmed cricket in the Eastern Cape—a choice made by an institution that frequently undermines its own advancement—were, understandably, undone.
All hail the mediator, but let’s be careful not to give CSA any credit for that.
The hard-working, patient, and mostly innocent administrators and professionals in CSA’s and their affiliates’ offices must enforce and defend the board’s frequently harmful decisions, so let’s be careful about which aspect of CSA we’re discussing.
How did we arrive here? For a one-day match against the Dolphins at Kingsmead on February 16, Warriors coach Robin Peterson determined he needed a third spinner. Jason Raubenheimer was part of his travelling team. Thus, the off-spinner was used in conjunction with leg-spinner Junaid Dawood and left-arm orthodox Senuran Muthusamy. Crucially, they’re all brown. Siya Plaatjie and Alfred Mothoa, two black players, were also among Peterson’s 13 players. They are seamen, nevertheless.
According to CSA’s transformation regulations, the Warriors XI had at least six black and brown players. However, those restrictions were broken because just two of them were Black. CSA normally grants permission to deviate from the diktat in times of illness, injuries, and life events like exams, but Peterson had not asked for permission beforehand. By 126 runs, the Warriors prevailed.
Cue CSA’s indignation. It took the board 21 days to dock the Warriors the five points they had rightfully earned in the game and to fine them USD27,300, which is a slow-burning outrage. The remaining amount was suspended for five years, provided they did not commit another crime during that time, and half was to be paid by the end of February of the following year.
Prior to that, the Warriors were headed for relegation, but they managed to stay out of it. The Eastern Cape, South Africa’s black cricket hotspot, would not have had a first division representative if they hadn’t. How could that not have negatively impacted transformation, most likely permanently? Why wouldn’t a lesser fine, as it has been finally imposed, have been adequate? It appears that sitting on the CSA board prevents you from considering such things.
The Warriors were eliminated from consideration for the one-day playoffs as a result of the points they lost. The board awarded the points to the rightfully defeated Dolphins in their almost limitless ignorance. The Dolphins ended up winning a final they had no right to reach, demonstrating cricket’s peculiar sense of humour.
It makes sense that the Knights are upset over their second relegation in three seasons. However, they believe they see a ray of optimism. They would have a greater net runrate than the Warriors if they could persuade CSA to remove the February 16 game from the records. In that case, the Warriors would lose and the Knights would remain in the game. Games are rarely erased, if at all. The players would be treated unfairly if they pretended they never bowled or batted.
Furthermore, the likelihood of the game being cancelled completely seems to be zero to zero given CSA’s apparent apologies for the substantive aspects of their dispute with the Warriors.
The board’s advertisement for a selection convenor for the men’s national sides is another piece of bad news. South Africa made it to the WTC final and the T20 World Cup final since Shukri Conrad and Rob Walter were permitted to choose their own teams and squads, something they were never able to do when selectors were in place.
Being able to ask the coach, who is in the changing room and nets with them rather than hidden away in the president’s suite, what they need to do to stay in the running has been enjoyable for the players, and they have responded well to it. Before making their decisions public, Conrad and Walter have stated that they confer with reliable allies.
The board will have to pardon us for believing they are addicted to meddling and allergic to success, but it appears that’s not good enough. They will also have to endure us questioning why the structure is in place as it is, which rarely serves the interests of the game and encourages provincialism, avarice, inefficiency, and incompetence.
India
