Tag: CSA

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Kyle Simmonds Crowned Overall Division 1 SACA MVP

The 2025/26 domestic cricket season concludes with Western Province all-rounder Kyle Simmonds named Division 1 Overall SACA MVP. Simmonds earned…

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Liam Alder Named Overall SACA MVP for Domestic Division 2

Following the completion of all domestic fixtures, Liam Alder of the Garden Route Badgers finished at the top of the…

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TWELVE YEARS OF RESEARCH-BASED PLAYER SERVICE

Over the past 12 years, the South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) has cemented its dedication to evidence-based practice through a…

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SACA CALLS ON CSA BOARD TO STAND DOWN

South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) today called on the CSA Board of Directors to stand down following the Notice of 14 October 2020 advising of Government Intervention from the Minister of Sports, Art and Culture (DSAC), Minister Nathi Mthethwa.

The crises that have engulfed the CSA Board of Directors over the past 18 months have culminated in a situation where there is no longer confidence in their ability to govern the organization and provide guidance on resolving many of the crises that remain.  

SACA believes that an interim Board of Directors must be established to stabilize the organization.  This interim Board should include a SACA player’s representative as well as a representative from the remaining stakeholders in the game (sponsors and broadcasters).  Furthermore, the interim Board should appoint an experienced Administrator to assist in the operational work that is required at CSA, ensuring a link between the interim Board and operational staff.

Andrew Breetzke, SACA CEO stated, “Cricket is in an existential crisis, and the intervention of Government will result in the International Cricket Council (ICC) reviewing CSA’s position as an ICC Member, and will furthermore jeopardise the England Tour scheduled for next month.  Players will suffer, development will suffer and the future of the game will be prejudiced.  However, as has been recognised by DSAC and SASCOC, the current Board has no credibility to resolve the crises, and it is clear that the current impasse between Government and CSA will not be resolved until such time as the Board stands down.”

“We therefore implore the CSA Board to stand down and thereby take a decision that will be in the best interests of cricket,” added Breetzke.

“As we have stated previously, CSA is not able to self-correct, and the intervention of Government is further evidence of this.  The current governance structure of CSA must be reviewed, and this has been acknowledged by CSA.  The interim Board must facilitate the implementation of the Nicholson Recommendations through amendments to the MOI, as this will allow for an effective Board of Directors to ultimately take over the responsibility of the governance of the game.  The Fundudzi Forensic Report has identified various failures in governance, failures that have consistently been highlighted by SACA, and this is the opportunity to remedy these for the sake of the game and ensure that experienced personnel are recruited into key executive positions,” concluded Omphile Ramela, SACA President.

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SACA RESPONDS TO BARRING OF MEMBERS OF THE CRICKET MEDIA

The South African Cricketers’ Association (“SACA”) today called on the Board of Directors of Cricket South Africa (“CSA”) to act decisively in order to deal with the ongoing damage being caused to the game in South Africa.  This follows the latest controversy caused by attempts by CSA to silence members of the cricket media by withdrawing their media accreditation to matches.

“It’s a sorry state of affairs when attempts are made to silence respected journalists for writing about the ongoing problems in the game,” said SACA chief executive, Tony Irish.  “This is not however dissimilar to what SACA has had to endure over the last nine months, during which we have been barred from CSA sub-committees, denied access to critical information necessary for us to represent the players and had our agreements breached with impunity.”

At SACA’s annual general meeting of players in November it was specifically mandated by the players to re-affirm its concerns relating to the financial position, the domestic restructure, the CSA/SACA relationship, the Proteas (men) team structures, the financial aspects of the MSL and CSA’s refusal to engage SACA to resolve these issues.  In response to SACA letters taking these up, CSA has however persisted in its refusal to address any of the concerns and instead has stated that they are ‘sub-judice’ under the current High Court application.

“Many of the concerns we have are not even related to the High Court application yet CSA continues to refuse to address them” said Irish.  “Now in the last week there are added concerns relating to ‘unknown selectors’ selecting the Proteas team and the barring of cricket journalists from matches.  It is clear to us that things are getting worse, not better.”

“On behalf of the 310 professional cricketers which we represent we are now left to publically implore the Directors of CSA to exercise their fiduciary duties by acting to deal with these issues and to protect the game from further damage.  The players not only care deeply about the game but also understand that their careers depend on its health and sustainability. From a players’ point of view we therefore want to see solutions to the current problems, and for the game to be returned to a healthy position as a matter of priority,” concluded Irish.

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MOMENTUM PROTEAS GO UP IN T20 SERIES

The Momentum Proteas continued their winning ways when they beat Bangladesh by 17 runs in the first Cricket South Africa (CSA) Women’s T20I in Kimberley. They go one-nil up in the three-match series.

Shabnim Ismail was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3/19 in her four-over spell, including a maiden to help restrict the visitors to 110/5 chasing a 128-run target. Raisibe Ntozakhe (1/10) and Masabata Klaas (1/21) chipped in with a wicket each along the way.

Bangladesh’s Rumana Ahmed (36 off 41 balls) and Fargana Hoque (35 off 37) batted their side out of early trouble after losing the opening pair of Shamima Sultana (5) and Sanjida Islam (8) cheaply inside the first five overs. Ahmed and Hoque then went about reconstructing the innings, sharing a 72-run, fourth-wicket partnership before the former was toppled by Ismail. The bowlers squeezed away the overs, ensuring the tourists did not get over the line in the end.

Earlier in the day, the home side got off to a flying start with the bat thanks to a 77-run opening stand between Lizelle Lee (46 off 38 balls) and Laura Wolvaardt (30 off 22) after winning the toss and electing to bat first. Trouble came after the loss of Wolvaardt at the hands of Ahmed (2/19) in the 10th over. She and Khadija Tul Kubra (3/23) ripped through the South African top order, taking five wickets between them as the hosts slipped from 77/1 to 86/5 after 13 overs. They lost the openers, stand in captain Chloe Tryon (6), Mignon du Preez (1) and debutant Stacey Lackay (1) in rapid succession.

Marizanne Kapp added 11 runs to the scoreboard before she fell victim to Salma Khatun (1/12) off the first ball of the 19th over. Suné Luus took the innings in her own hands, blasting 28 runs from 23 deliveries including two fours and six, moving South Africa from 113/6 to a healthier 127 in the end.

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CSA AND SACA CONCLUDE INTERIM AGREEMENT

The South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) and Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced today that an Interim Agreement has been reached and will apply until MOU18 Agreement has been officially finalised.
The short-term arrangement will allow the player contracting process to go ahead for the coming contract year and ensure that players will not be out of contract after 30th April 2018.

CSA and SACA have also committed to negotiating a recognition agreement to regulate the ongoing relationship between them. The two bodies have agreed on the date of 30th June 2018 as the bull’s eye deadline by which MOU18 should be finalised with set dates in May and June for negotiations meetings.

Summary of the key aspects of the Interim Agreement:

1. Player Contracts
An interim increase of 6% will be applied to fund the remuneration of both national and franchise players and this will apply to their standard contract benefits with effect from 1st May 2018. This will not preclude any additional increases, which may apply retrospectively to 1st May 2018, when the MOU18 is finalised.

2. Revenue Share Model
CSA has committed to maintaining a revenue share model with the players, details of which will be finalised as part of the MOU18.

3. Commercial Rights
The collective licensing of player commercial rights to CSA, for use by it and its commercial partners, will be extended by SACA for an interim two-month period until 30th June 2018. CSA and SACA have committed to negotiating a new long term commercial rights agreement to apply from 1st July 2018, the terms of which will be no less favourable to players than those existing in the current commercial agreement under the MOU14.

4. MOU18
It is intended that the MOU18 will establish the longer term financial arrangements necessary to underpin the national and franchise player contracts on a sustainable basis for the next four to five years. It will also deal with a wide range of player matters, relating to their employment and their careers as professional cricketers. Many of these will be similar to the arrangements under the MOU14.

CSA and SACA have set 30th June 2018 as the target deadline by which time the MOU18 should be finalised. In addition, they have agreed to specific dates during May and June for negotiation meetings.

“We are satisfied that this Interim Agreement addresses the uncertainty that has existed amongst players regarding the MOU and their contracts and it ensures that no national or franchise player in the system going forward is left without a contract come 1st May 2018,” said Tony Irish, SACA’s chief executive.

“The Interim Agreement also contains commitments to key issues outside the player contracts and commits the parties to further structured negotiation over a two-month period which aims to finalise the full ambit of player benefits, and other player relevant matters, to apply over the longer, four to five-year term of the MOU18.”

“There is still a long way to go in these negotiations but CSA and SACA have both acted in the best interests of the game by setting a clear platform needed to jointly and constructively get this done within a two-month period,” concluded Thabang Moroe, CSA Acting Chief Executive.

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SACA RESPONDS TO CSA ON PLAYERS MOU

 

The South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) today responded to statements made by Cricket South Africa (CSA) in a CSA media release late yesterday regarding the players MOU.

 

The MOU is a comprehensive collective agreement concluded on a four year basis between CSA, SACA and cricket Franchises which regulates critical matters relating to professional cricketers, including the contracts of national and franchise players. The current MOU will expire on 30 April 2018 and a new MOU would ordinarily commence on 1st May 2018 and run for a four year period from that date. Certain key elements of the MOU (which include the financial model underpinning player contracts and benefits) need to be agreed between CSA and SACA prior to player contracts being finalised.

 

“We are both surprised and disappointed that CSA has seen fit to make a public statement announcing plans relating to the MOU without giving us any proper opportunity to respond to, or to deal with, these first” said Tony Irish, SACA’s chief executive. The suggested plans have caused consternation amongst players and they require a response from SACA. The indication of further possible delays and the unworkability of certain aspects of what is being suggested are particular matters of concern to us. The suggestion also that there have actually been negotiations conducted by SACA officials with CSA on the MOU to date is also not correct. Negotiations on the key elements have yet to start”

 

“SACA has been doing everything possible from its side for approximately three months to engage with CSA on the MOU and to deal with the key elements to enable player contracts to be finalised well in advance of 30th April 2018, being the date on which the majority of player contracts end. In past MOU’s the key elements have always been agreed by the end of February at the latest to ensure a proper player contracting process can take place well in advance of expiry dates. Unfortunately our attempts to date have been met with very little response from CSA and much of our correspondence has gone unanswered.”

 

“We have now reached a point where many of our players could be out of contract in less than two weeks. The effect of this runs across the player group from senior players who play for the Proteas to young players seeking to make their way in franchise cricket.”

 

“The delays have created an environment of uncertainty for players, and also for Franchises who wish to secure their players. This comes at a time when South African cricket needs to do whatever it can to retain its players in the face of competing opportunities afforded to players in the emerging T20 leagues market and also in the UK. A key recommendation of CSA’s National Teams Review Report released last year was the implementation of an effective retention strategy.”

 

“CSA further announced in yesterday’s release that it is willing to extend existing player contracts. This has caused confusion because it doesn’t cater for what is actually happening on the ground for many players. Some players have already been told that they will no longer be contracted, some will be moving between national and franchise contracts, some will be moving between franchises and some will be first time franchise players. Extensions of contract are simply unworkable for all of these players”

 

“Although CSA now acknowledges in its media statement that concluding the MOU has become a matter of urgency it goes on to suggest that a new agreement may only be finalised in July. We do not understand why such a long further delay may be necessary. We believe that the new MOU is likely to be substantially similar to the existing one in most respects”

 

“Whilst SACA does not have an issue with clarifying the relationship between it and CSA we urge CSA to prioritise finalising the key elements of the MOU so that there is a greater degree of certainty and security for players going forward. Our players deserve that.”
“Should an interim arrangement be necessary because finalisation of all the key elements can’t now be done by 30th April, then we believe that this needs to be agreed with SACA, before any further media statements are made, to ensure that it is workable and that it aligns with, and feeds into, the MOU once finalised.”

 

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ECB AND CSA ANNOUNCE ITINERARIES FOR PROTEAS AND SA ‘A’ 2017 TOURS TO ENGLAND

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Cricket South Africa (CSA) today announced the itineraries for the Standard Bank Proteas and the South Africa ‘A’ tours of Britain in 2017.

The Proteas will play four Test matches, three One-Day Internationals and three T20 International matches against England while South Africa ‘A’ will play three ‘A’ 50 overs matches against the England Lions as well as one ‘A’ four-day match.

The ICC Champions Trophy Tournament, which is also in England during June 2017, will take place between the Proteas’ one-day and T20 series against England.

“This is going to be both an exciting and challenging time for our Proteas,” commented CSA Chief Executive, Haroon Lorgat. “Test matches in England are always special and, together with the ECB, we have agreed a schedule that gives us a good chance to prepare for the ICC Champions Trophy. We can all anticipate some thrilling cricket in 2017.

“By having South Africa ‘A’ touring England at the same time, we can take full advantage of making sure that all our players are exposed to English conditions and ready for any call up.

“By announcing these fixtures well in advance we are hoping that our loyal fans will travel to support our Proteas in England,” concluded Mr. Lorgat.

ECB Chief Executive Officer Tom Harrison commented: “With England also hosting the ICC Champions Trophy and the ICC Women’s World Cup next season in addition to the two South African men’s tours as well as the West Indies, 2017 promises to be a hugely exciting summer of cricket – and a strong platform to promote our sport to an even wider and more diverse audience.”

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SACA STATEMENT ON CSA CORRUPTION FINDINGS

The South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) today responded to the Cricket South Africa (CSA) findings in its anti-corruption investigation.
“It will always be a sad day for the sport when players are found to have been involved in corruption”, said SACA chief executive Tony Irish.

“It’s important that where players are found to be guilty under the anti-corruption code that they are then appropriately punished and that the message goes out that cricket will not tolerate any form of corruption. In this regard I would like to commend the CSA investigators for conducting a thorough and professional investigation to date which has resulted in these severe punishments for guilty players.”
“Despite the shadow this casts over the game I think it’s also important to emphasise a few positives in all this. South African cricket has shown that it has measures in place to detect and uncover corruption, properly investigate it and then follow through with prosecution against those who are guilty. Players are properly educated, there is a highly competent anti-corruption unit and there’s a zero tolerance towards corruption.”
“Corruption is however a worldwide issue in cricket and needs to be fought everywhere and at every level. Because it has now been shown to exist in domestic competitions there needs to be a co-ordinated and concerted effort in every country. The players are at the heart of this fight and it’s virtually impossible to successfully defeat corruption unless players are prepared to come forward and help with that fight.

Fortunately this is what has happened in South Africa and I commend those players who came forward to report and to assist with this investigation. The vast majority of our cricketers in South Africa are clean and play the game hard and fair. Although players are obliged under the provisions of the code to report corrupt activity to the authorities it still takes a lot of courage for a player to actually do this.”
“SACA will continue to work with the players and with CSA to protect the integrity of the game.”

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DU PREEZ STEPS DOWN AS PROTEAS WOMEN’S CAPTAIN

Proteas women’s captain Mignon du Preez announced on Tuesday that she will be stepping down from the captaincy in all formats with immediate effect.

Du Preez will be succeeded by Dane van Niekerk.

Du Preez cited a desire to work on her game as the main motivation for stepping down. The announcement comes a month ahead of the team’s tour to Ireland in July.

Du Preez led the Momentum Proteas in 46 One-Day Internationals (ODIs), 50 T20s and one Test match in her four years at the helm. Her greatest achievement was to lead the side to its first ever ICC Women’s World T20 semi-final in 2014 and she was also the first women’s captain to beat India and Bangladesh in ODI series away from home.

“This was an incredibly difficult decision and took a lot of introspection, but ultimately I believe that this is the best step forward not only for myself, but for the team,” Du Preez said.

“Stepping down from the captaincy role will give me an opportunity to work on my own game, which has taken a downturn in the last couple of seasons. I believe I can make a better contribution by putting runs on the board and offering support and advice to the next captain.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Cricket South Africa for the faith that they have shown in me for the last five years in granting me the privilege of being the captain of the national women’s team. I would also like to thank my team mates and our management staff for all of their support over the years and for helping me make the Momentum Proteas the team that it is today.

“I would be remiss to fail to mention Momentum and my personal sponsors for their support and kindness towards me over the years. I hope that I can be an even better batter and continue to make you all proud.

“Finally, I would like to wish incoming captain, Dane van Niekerk, all the best in her new role. It is a thoroughly deserved appointment and I look forward to watching her grow in this all important role.”

Cricket South Africa (CSA) General Manager Corrie van Zyl thanked Du Preez for her contribution.

“We (as CSA) respect and accept Mignon’s decision to relieve herself of her captaincy duties and understand the reasoning behind the decision. As a senior player and now former captain, she will still have a massive supporting role to play for the new captain and in assisting in the further grooming of the youngsters coming into the national team,” he said.

“We would like to thank her for her many years of service and look forward to seeing her star continue to rise on the international stage and hope that she reaches the new goals that she has set for herself.

“At the same time, we would like to congratulate Dane van Niekerk and thank her for taking on this new role in the team. We look forward to watching her lead the team to many a victory in the future.”

Twenty-three-year-old Van Niekerk said she was both humbled and excited by the appointment.

“This is the biggest honour of my career so far,” she said.

“Captaining my country has been a dream since I began playing cricket and I am humbled that CSA have chosen me for the job. I would like to thank Mignon for paving the way and bringing the team this far. I look forward to filling her shoes as best I can and moving the team forward.”

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LEARNING THROUGH EXPERIENCE

Arno Jacobs discovered that being mentally prepared to leave the game doesn’t mean you’ll avoid the practical difficulties of doing so, but support remains at hand.

After 17 years on the senior circuit Arno Jacobs knew his playing career was drawing to a close, which is why the erstwhile Warriors batsman and wicketkeeper was not caught off guard when it ended after the 2012/13 season.


Jacobs had played through the change of eras from provincial to franchise cricket, plied his trade overseas and even had a taste of international cricket – playing for Scotland, interestingly. During his career he played in more than 300 matches in the three formats of the game, amassing 13 000 runs. So when he packed away his tog bag for the last time, he was happy to give himself a bit of distance from the game.


“I wanted to get away from the game for a while, but I was perhaps a bit naive. I wanted to become successful in business but lacked experience in the industry I ended up in,” he says.


After taking over ownership of the Port Elizabeth agency of a telecommunications company in June 2013, he had to make the tough decision 18 months later to relinquish the reins – not an easy call with a wife and daughter at home.


“It was a financial disaster, but I kind of had to go through it. Overall it’s not a failure, just an experience. When my business venture didn’t turn out to be a success I looked at different avenues back in cricket. The obvious options were coaching, umpiring or commentary. I explored the commentary angle but the doors didn’t open and I was fine with that.”


In the interim, using the CSA Level II Coaching Certificate he acquired during his cricket career, Jacobs turned to offering private coaching to school kids in the Port Elizabeth area – and this March Arno Jacobs Cricket turned a year old.


“I really enjoy the one-on-one scenario. It’s difficult to give enough attention to individuals in a group set-up, but that also has its merits because players can measure themselves against others.”


The 39-year-old laughs when asked how he related to coaches as a player, admitting he ‘wasn’t the easiest guy to deal with’. He adds, “I was opinionated, which doesn’t always come across as nice but I can now deal with that type of personality as a coach.”


Dealing with different personalities is also an important aspect of another side of the game Jacobs has immersed himself in – umpiring.


“It’s been nice to fit back into a team environment,” he says. “Getting into it is similar to coaching – there are two basic levels which you can complete anywhere in the country. The last level, which allows you to umpire First Class matches, requires a Cricket South Africa invitation so you don’t know when and where you may do it. I’m taking the long-term view. My goal is to umpire internationally, but I know things won’t happen overnight. I’ve been getting good appointments, though. I was invited to the Cubs Week in January [pictured] and am officiating at the academies week this month. I’ve also previously umpired at schools weeks.”


Being on the ‘authority’ side of the game has given Jacobs a new appreciation for umpires and the pressure that’s on them.


“The biggest eye opener is the thorough knowledge of the laws you have to have. The other important aspect of umpiring is managing players on the field – you have to make sure the game doesn’t drift and not allow players to dictate to you while still making sure you’re not overbearing.”


Jacobs believes being an ex-player gives him a unique understanding of the ‘feel’ of a match, which is why he thinks more ex-players turning to umpiring will have a good effect on the game.


“Having played myself, my level of understanding about where players are coming from and my ability to relate to them is a positive. That said, umpiring is not an easy job and it can be lonely, but I would definitely say it’s worthwhile for ex-First Class players. I don’t know why we shy away from it here in South Africa.”


Emerging from the harder parts of transitioning out of the game has been made easier through the support Jacobs has received.


“Melonie Gobel [SACA Personal Development Manager based in the Eastern Cape] has been amazing and I still chat to her now and again. It can be daunting trying to find your way again after cricket and I have huge appreciation for the advice and rational voice she provided in helping my decision-making.”
For her part, Gobel says she is delighted how Jacobs has taken his opportunities and run with them.

“For me, one of the greatest elements of the SACA Player Plus Programme is the ability to network and create opportunities for players – it’s not always about physical assistance. After two years away from the game he came to me and we chatted about umpiring – he knew he wasn’t alone and that we were there to walk beside him. Ultimately, all we gave him was the opportunity of the umpiring course and he has run with it successfully. Over the years he’s been a delight to work with and very mature about looking after his beautiful wife and lovely little daughter.”


In the end, Jacobs even got that break from the game he wanted. Some of his former colleagues have also enabled him to tentatively get back into business, by utilising the BCom Honours degree in Accounting that he obtained at North West University in Potchefstroom in the early stages of his career between 1996 and 2001.


“I’m using it now to a certain degree. I facilitate the odd course, which means I use the theoretical background. I wouldn’t be able to build a career as a chartered accountant because I don’t have the relevant experience, and at my age plus with a family I can’t spare two years to do my articles. However, some of my old cricket friends have been very supportive and thrown some business my way. My knowledge of current systems is building, so something is developing…”

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‘EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON’

When Travis Muller’s season ended after one match, he didn’t immediately realise the benefits that could arise from enforced time off…

Western Province and Cape Cobras pace bowler Travis Muller was looking forward to a breakthrough season, his second as a contracted player. Now the 23-year-old is spending it doing rehab for a stress fracture in his lower back.
Muller’s injury has brought a halt to his steady rise (and packed schedule) since he captained Wynberg Boys’ High School during his Matric year in 2011. In January 2012 he played Cubs Week and was selected for South Africa U19 in series against Zimbabwe and Pakistan before being drafted straight into the Western Province team for the remainder of the season. As it happened, that 2012 winter proved to be his last proper off-season.
Muller was a regular for the provincial amateur side in 2012/13 before going into a stint at Tavistock CC in England. He then had his most prolific season in 2013/14, cracking the Cape Cobras squad in the midst of playing 16 First Class matches. He then headed overseas again, this time to Horsham CC. Last season was almost as busy, spending time in both the provincial and franchise teams before earning selection to the National Academy for 2015 – which culminated in an Emerging Players tour of Sri Lanka last August.
“It was there that I first felt my back, though it’s probably been building for a while. When we returned I played a match in the Africa T20 Cup and haven’t played since… it hasn’t been fun. At the start we weren’t sure what the problem was – some doctors were saying one thing and others were saying another. Finally, in October, we got clarity from a surgeon and thankfully I didn’t need an operation.”
While Muller recognises that he was required to squeeze a lot of cricket into the past four years, he feels his enthusiasm didn’t help either.
“I wouldn’t say I’ve been a victim of my success; there are a number of things that could have played a part besides over-bowling. Apart from games and training I’ve always done lots of outside training too, so I haven’t always given myself enough time to rest.”
As he really loves being involved in the action, Muller initially found it ‘mentally and physically tough’ to be standing around at the nets with his to-do list reduced to rest and rehab. While he could take charge of the physical side of his rehab – which included swimming, cycling and light core work – the mental side needed external help.
“Brad Player [SACA Player Development Manager based in the Western Cape] has been great. He had a similar injury during his playing days so it’s been good to get his insight. He also sent me to Clinton Gahwiler, a psychologist at the Sports Science Institute, for further support. Brad told me to use this time for myself by concentrating on my future and my health, and then cricket will come after. He also suggested that I consider studying while I’m injured. We did aptitude tests which showed I’m strongly interested in a career in sport, so initially we considered Sports Management.”
As it turned out, they settled on another option that suits Muller even better… in surroundings he’s familiar with.
“I’ve always been interested in studying. I wanted to straight after school, but then I broke into SA U19s and it’s just been cricket since. My other passion is fitness, and we found a two-year diploma in sports conditioning at the Exercise Teachers Academy (ETA) College that will also help me manage my workload when I get back on the field.”
Conveniently, ETA College Cape Town is based at the Western Province Cricket Club – where you will find Muller’s name on the Honours board – and they’ve been flexible about fitting his rehab into his daily schedule there.
“ETA is a nice place to study. The hours aren’t long and it’s been easy to relate to the content. There’s usually an hour when the other members of the class perform physical tasks that I’m not allowed to do yet and that’s when I do my rehab. It’s very convenient.”
Another positive to Muller’s current situation is the quality time he’s been able to spend with his friends and parents.
“It’s actually been good to have weekends and be able to go out and see my friends. A couple of my mates are studying, so it’s been nice to chat to them about what their experiences are like. That said, I’ve been missing cricket and would rather be in bed early on a weekend night looking forward to a match the next day.”
At the time of writing Muller was awaiting the programme for his next phase of rehab, but with the cricket season ending shortly he realises his next match will only come next season.
“I was speaking to [Western Province] coach Faiek Davids recently and he was saying that when pre-season starts I must come in and do my rehab there, with my teammates. He told me not to rush back. It’s great that they’re being so understanding and accommodating.”
While Muller has chalked this season down to one where ‘everything happens for a reason’, with breakthroughs coming in other facets of his life, his on-field goals remain undiminished.
“My long-term goals are to have the longest cricket career I can possibly have, so for now I’ll focus on getting fit and healed. Then I want to get back in the Western Province amateur team, then the Cobras, and finally, if I can, the Proteas.”

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STEPHEN COOK JOINS PROTEAS TEST SQUAD

Cricket South Africa (CSA) today added Stephen Cook to the Castle Lager Proteas squad for the final Sunfoil Test match against England, starting at SuperSport Park on Friday.

The bizhub Highveld Lions opening batsman currently tops the Sunfoil Series batting averages with 415 runs at an average of 83 including two centuries. If he does gain selection for the final XI he will part of the first ever father and son combination to represent the Proteas in a Test match.

His father, Jimmy, played in three Test matches against India and Sri Lanka between 1992 and 1993.

“Stephen has been in excellent form this season,” commented CSA Selection Convener, Linda Zondi, and gives us another option at the top of the order.”

Castle Lager Proteas Test squad: AB de Villiers (The Unlimited Titans, capt), Kyle Abbott (Sunfoil Dolphins), Hashim Amla (Cape Cobras), Temba Bavuma (bizhub Highveld Lions), Stephen Cook (bizhub Highveld Lions), Quinton de Kock (The Unlimited Titans), JP Duminy (Cape Cobras), Faf du Plessis (the Unlimited Titans), Dean Elgar (The Unlimited Titans), Morne Morkel (The Unlimited Titans), Chris Morris (The Unlimited Titans), Dane Piedt (Cape Cobras), Kagiso Rabada (bizhub Highveld Lions), Rilee Rossouw (VKB Knights), Dale Steyn (Cape Cobras), Stiaan van Zyl (Cape Cobras), Hardus Viljoen (bizhub Highveldl Lions).

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DUAL CAREER. DUAL SUCCESS.

Can you become a Proteas player while studying? Temba Bavuma provides the answer…

When Temba Bavuma scored his maiden Test century against England in January, all the headlines were about him becoming the first ethnic black South African to do so.

Less heralded was the interesting fact that he proved that chasing dual career objectives need not affect cricket performance – he finished his degree in 2014, the same year he was selected for the Proteas against West Indies.

The seeds for the 25-year-old batsman doing tertiary education were sown during his high school years. Bavuma started Grade 8 in 2003 at SACS in Cape Town, then spent the following year at Fourways High when his family moved to Johannesburg before completing school at St David’s Marist Inanda after receiving a cricket scholarship.

He passed matric in 2007, but he then decided to do post matric in the year he turned 18.

“Doing post matric was mainly from a cricket point of view as I didn’t want to get lost in the system being only 17. [He had only made the SA Schools Colts team in his actual matric year, but then went on to make the Gauteng provincial side before SA Schools and SA Under-19 selection after the 2008 Coca-Cola Khaya Majola Cricket Week] Academically, it basically reinforced all the knowledge that I had. St David’s didn’t actually have post matric, so I just redid subjects and reinforced my marks.”

In so doing, Bavuma achieved three distinctions, one of which set the platform for what he wanted to study.

“When I finished school, I knew the importance of getting a qualification to be able to have a career outside of cricket – my parents always stressed the importance of education. Accounting had always been a favourite subject of mine, so I knew I wanted to go into finance.”

So in 2009, Bavuma registered for a BCom Financial Management degree at University of Johannesburg. Eighteen months later though, he dropped out – the demands of full-time tertiary education not mixing well with his burgeoning cricket career.

“For me it was quite hard initially to find the balance between cricket and studying. With cricket we’re travelling a lot and some days after a game I’d be studying until one or two in the morning… that was quite tough.”

As it turned out, it was his progress in professional cricket that proved pivotal in him finding the right balance.

“In 2012 I became a SACA member and one of the main benefits for me was related to my studies through the Player Plus programme and the financial point of view. SACA awarded me a bursary to restart my studies through Unisa. What also helped was the close contact with my SACA PDM, Mary-Jane Goebel. We spoke frequently, and she would check on my progress and help me with anything I needed. I was motivated in what I was doing but her help was important.”

Bavuma confirms that he’s never regretted his decision to target dual career goals.

“I’ve missed a couple of exams because of cricket and sometimes walked straight onto the field after writing an exam but I’ve always enjoyed studying. It’s had a positive effect on my cricket as it takes my mind off the game. When the Player Plus programme was presented to us I didn’t have an idea of the kind of benefit it would have for me. Looking back now, and particularly having somebody like Mary-Jane to throw ideas at… she’s been like a mentor throughout the process and has really assisted in helping me get through my degree which I finished in 2014.”

A further off-field interest, beyond his regular house music DJ sessions with his friends, is Bavuma’s involvement with a cricket coaching programme at his alma mater and his role in organising the annual Langa All Day Festival of Cricket, held over the festive period.

“Langa is a place I hold close to my heart as it was where I was born and grew up. We [fellow Langa-born professionals Thami Tsolekile, Malusi Siboto, Siya Simetu and Nono Pongolo are also involved] organise the festival as basically a day to unite the community where they can enjoy themselves in sport. This past year we had about 3500 supporters whereas the first edition had about 2000 – so the day is growing thanks to sponsors like Kookaburra, KFC, Score and Cricket South Africa.”

As it is, while Bavuma chases further honours with the Proteas, he is determined to do the same off the field too…

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REAPING THE BENEFITS

Proteas Women all-rounder Sune Luus discovered that SACA Player Plus access played a big part in 2015 being one of the best years of her life

Thanks to her leg-spinning and game-closing batting, Sune Luus has been playing for the Proteas Women since she was a 16-year-old in high school. Her fortune is that in the intervening four years, she’s witnessed women’s cricket gain prominence, sponsors, fans and access to opportunities – the SACA Player Plus programme being one – like never before.

It helped her out of a quandary when she finished school in 2014…

“After matriculating I was basically in two minds. I was thinking of studying to be a teacher but I was worried that with all the touring and trying to go to class I’d struggle. Then we had a team gathering at the HPC in Pretoria with SACA where it was mentioned I could do a diploma geared towards elite athletes at University of Pretoria. It’s a year course but you can do it over two years which covers first year Sport Science and first year Education,” Luus says.

She immediately put up her hand, and found the subsequent process very easy.

“Applying for a bursary was really easy,” she recalls. “Our PDM Ruan Schlebusch gave me the application form, I filled it in, and he said he would take care of the rest… which he did. He was really helpful, there were no hassles.”

On top of that Luus, who turned 20 on January 5, found her first year in university rewarding, having spent very little time actually at Die Hoerskool Menlopark in her Matric year.

“I think I spent about three months at school in Matric because of how busy we were [thanks to tours to Qatar, Bangladesh and England] so last year was just so amazing being able to walk around campus, meet new people and have long training sessions in the afternoon. Initially, going to university was quite a scary idea, especially when I saw I’d have to wake up early for some 7:30 classes but it was a great journey… one of the best year’ of my life.”

Luus’ time-management will be tested this year though. After only one tour in 2015, the Proteas host England, West Indies, Bangladesh and New Zealand with the World Twenty20 in India in the middle.

“I do quite well on my own, but everybody needs support. My two loving parents are very supportive as is my brother who’s doing an honours in agriculture and knows what I’ll go through. Also, I grew up in a hardworking home, and apart from them my cricket teammates and coaches support me as well while my friends are always sending me SMS’ encouraging me.”

What about the university, will they be accommodating?

“Definitely, the course is geared towards elite athletes so lecturers help us a lot by sending our work via email and then we can send it back. I will also take my work with me wherever I travel.”

Having gone for the two-year option, and all things being well, Luus will end this year with a Higher Certificate in Sports Science [HCert (Sports Science)] with the option of choosing a more focussed degree in the Faculty of Humanities or Education. However, considering Momentum’s sponsorship of Cricket South Africa in 2013 allowed the women’s team to become contracted players, Luus could surely have just focused on cricket for now?

“We don’t get the same kind of money the Proteas men get so we can’t just play cricket, we have to get something behind our names. Also, we have to remember that if we get a long-term injury the contract won’t completely take care of you and somewhere along the line you’re going to have to stop whether you want to have children or age catches up. That said, it’s been awesome getting a contract and does make a difference. For example, after school my dad cut off my phone bill so I’ve been paying that and having money in the bank to pay for other expenses has been really helpful. Getting the bursary from SACA really helped too, because I might not be studying if it wasn’t for them.”

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“My experience with the Player Plus programme has really been a good one” – JP Duminy

Key Proteas player. SACA President. Husband. Father. JP Duminy has many elements to his life that he needs to balance. Having identified the need for personal development and plan for life after cricket, he recently added ‘student’ to that list too…

At only 31 and a key player in all three formats for the Proteas, JP Duminy could conceivably delay post-cricket thoughts for a few years still. Instead he has decided to lay the foundation for life after cricket during his playing career, to ensure a smooth transition.

“I guess I’m in a stage of my life now where I’m sort of looking at post cricket as well, and that is where the Player Plus programme has come into play and obviously SACA has been a huge influence in that,” says the current SACA President.

As it is, Duminy, being an elegant batsman who can also hit the ball big; a wicket-threatening off-spinner and agile fielder will have opportunities to extend his career post-Proteas if this was the route he wished to take. However, having that option hasn’t stopped him identifying what he wants to pursue in life when he does pack up his kit bag for the last time.

“My passion lies in dealing with people. I’m involved in one or two charities which is something I’d like to pursue further and I’ve also done a sports psychology course – working with sports psychologists has always intrigued me considering the sport I play. So I definitely want to help young cricketers come through from a mental side and it’s definitely something I will look into.”

Duminy didn’t identify these interests entirely on his own…

“I met up with my Personal Development Manager, Ruan Schlebusch, and we went through an array of questions in a questionnaire that identifies what your ambitions are or where your interests lie. That’s where I found that psychology might be something I want to go into… and me playing sport fits in well with me considering sports psychology. Hopefully I can make a great career out of it.”

Duminy took advantage of a SACA Player Plus bursary in 2014 by completing a course in Small Business Management through GetSmarter; the online nature of the course providing the necessary flexibility to fit into his schedule.

“We always have internet access wherever we’re touring so it was easy to access the information, the notes, the study material… I was privileged to be able to do something like that. Also, the great thing about it is that it’s not exam-based. It’s module-based so you have a week to do your module before handing it in – so it’s not studying per se but lots of research work. You don’t have to freak out about exams, which we don’t always get time to fit in in any case.”

Having last made a concerted effort to study in 2001, while completing Matric at Plumstead High School, Duminy is grateful for the support he has received while tackling dual career objectives so many years later.

“We have a huge amount of support from SACA and obviously our PDMs. They obviously identified how crucial it is for guys to be involved in a dual career – so not only looking after cricket but looking after life after cricket too. We’re privileged to have them as a support structure to put that in place for us.”

In the same vein, he is showing that if a national cricketer who spends up to eight months touring can manage to successfully engage in dual career activities, then all professional South African cricketers could be doing the same.

“I would definitely advise fellow cricketers to get involved in the Player Plus programme. My biggest regret is perhaps that I didn’t have these opportunities earlier in my career or be vigilant enough to study straight after school – it’s important for guys who are restricted in their career to have something else to fall back on. Also, I think it benefits you not only off the field but on the field as well. Maybe that’s where we as cricketers get it wrong as we put too much emphasis on cricket on its own and too much pressure on ourselves because we have to perform; but if we have something that takes our mind away from the game, it’s beneficial for us. I believe it’s important for young cricketers especially to get involved in the Player Plus programme – it’s been set up for us, it will benefit us and is being managed around our schedules which is obviously very important. My experience of the Player Plus programme has really been a good one.”

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“WORK EXPERIENCE IS KEY” – SHEZI

While a desire to return to the national fold is fuelling his sporting objectives, Cape Cobras bowler Mthokozisi Shezi is mindful of chasing personal development goals too

A cricketer’s off-season is usually spent resting their weary body, catching up with friends and family and setting goals for the season to come. That, or packing in experience by playing club or county cricket in the UK.

However, earlier this year, Cape Cobras left-arm seamer Mthokozisi Shezi gained experience of a different kind during a work placement at Momentum – sponsors of the domestic one-day cup.

“SACA approached me about it which I was very happy about and I was glad to accept. I wanted to learn how the corporate world works and see if I’m interested in that side of things,” Shezi says.

SACA Player Plus put Shezi in contact with Rory Gruss, an accredited financial advisor with programme partners Momentum, who put him at ease about what to expect.

“I’d been speaking to Rory so knew I was going to do three days [conveniently at the Momentum offices right next door to PPC Newlands] but I was still very nervous. My girlfriend dressed me up, as she said I needed to look formal.”

Initially, looking the part was all he had going for him.

“I remember on the Monday, the guys I spent time with had two cases to solve and watching three people sit together trying to do so was impressive but I must admit for the first 30 minutes I didn’t know what was going on because they were speaking in ‘work code’. That’s also when I realised how important it is to have real work experience and not just a diploma or a degree.”

As it is, the Pietermaritzburg-born 28-year-old already has the former and is currently working towards the latter.

“When I was still playing for the Dolphins, I completed a three-year diploma in sports management at Varsity College in Durban [after applying for and receiving a SACA Player Plus bursary]. When I finished that I said to myself let me do something corporate. After realising how much I like people and them being taken care of, my research led me to human resources – I’m studying that through Mancosa.”

Back to the work experience, what had Shezi learnt by the end of his three days?

“I was there to absorb… mostly by learning through listening but I also asked basic questions related to savings and shares for example. However, I’m really happy to know my finances are safe, because I’ve seen first hand how much they care. As a result, I’ve upped my investment because I now know where, how and when is being used.”

Buoyed by this year’s work experience, Shezi is already looking for an opportunity to do the same at the end of this season.

“I’m in the second year of my three-year HR degree. I’ll try for honours too, but I will be consulting Brad Player, my SACA Personal Development Manager, because next pre-season I want to do work experience in the HR field too. Instead of going to England I want to invest in doing work experience – I want to learn as much as possible and know that I can confidently walk into a job one day.”

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A TRANSITION WELL-MANAGED

A sudden end to your playing career doesn’t mean an abrupt end to your SACA Player Plus access, as Craig Thyssen happily discovered

One Saturday, erstwhile Warriors all-rounder Craig Thyssen was scoring 33 for Walsall CC in an English club match. The next Saturday his 10-year-long career was over…

“I didn’t know it would be my last match,” he says, recalling what followed that fateful match on 21 July 2013.

“On the Monday morning I woke up, had breakfast and went to the gym like a normal day. Afterwards, while I was lying on the couch watching TV I just started having headaches and stuff. I remember there was a clock on the wall, it couldn’t have been more than four metres away but I couldn’t see the time on it… it was so blurry. When I got up my head was sore so I thought it was just a migraine.”

Only it wasn’t… after a week of ‘tunnel vision headaches’, a teammate’s brother advised a brain scan. The result? “They found strokes on the brain.”

“A few weeks earlier I’d hurt my knee and considered flying home but when I told them that at the hospital they said I might have died on the flight… they found a blood clot on my heart too and it would have exploded at altitude! A higher power was looking out for me.”

Following treatment Thyssen did return home, but the remaining blank spot in his left eye ended, at 29, a career that had started as a prodigious schoolboy at Grey High in Port Elizabeth.

As it turns out, he now nurtures talented schoolboys, as Paarl Gym’s first team coach.

“I was lucky, when this happened to me I still had a season – 2013/14 – left on my Warriors contract, so I could still look at what I wanted to do. Melonie Gobel [SACA’s Eastern Cape-based Personal Development Manager] was a massive help in me identifying that I should to go into coaching.”

“With Craig, as with all the players we work with, we really looked holistically after the player and to make sure that they’re ‘okay’,” says Gobel. “Usually we’ll start from a financial perspective by identifying their short-term and long-term goals. We also look at life preparation work, like getting a will in order and other life skills they might identify in one-on-one workshops. More specific to Craig, he now didn’t have a job, so we gave him a CV template to do his own and then fine-tuned it with him. Then we as SACA heard of the coaching job at Paarl Gym and endorsed and motivated for him – he got the job ahead of a number of other candidates.”

To round off their transition support, SACA Player Plus also motivated for Thyssen – and current national bowling coach Charl Langeveldt – to do the CSA Level III coaching course in 2014/15 .

“There was obviously limited space, but he did superbly and got great marks. It shows what a person can do, given the opportunity,” Gobel concludes.

Buoyed by the support, Thyssen has made a successful start to his new career.

“When I arrived in January 2014, the first team was ranked in the 50s I think – remember it’s a rugby school – but we ended the year ranked 10th so I think we’ve done well.”

He has also been unafraid to go straight to the top for some advice…

“[Proteas coach] Russell Domingo was my coach from Under-15 to academy level, and brought me back to the Warriors after two years playing for Free State. He has always been willing to answer any questions I have.”

Besides that, Thyssen can count on first hand experience – three years of SA Schools [2000-02] alongside the likes of AB de Villiers and competing against Brendon McCullum and Alistair Cook on SA Under-19 tours – to nurture the schoolboys under his watch.

“They are always asking me questions about that and my career. The one thing I always tell them is that talent can only take you so far, but you have to work hard if you want to turn professional… and that your career can end when you least expect it.”

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KYLE ABBOTT NAMED SUNFOIL SIZZLER FOR FEBRUARY

KYLE ABBOTT of the Sunfoil Dolphins has bagged the Sunfoil Series Sizzler of the Month award for the month of February following his strong bowling performances in the two rounds of qualifying matches.

The Sunfoil Sizzler of the Month award is worth R15 000.

Abbott took 12/125 for the Dolphins in the match against the Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras. He is the joint leading wicket-taker in the competition (22) along with Simon Harmer of the Chevrolet Warriors. He has the best average (13.09) of those who have played more than three matches and he is also the most economical bowler (2.28).

Other players who came strongly into contention for the February award were Rudi Second of the Chevrolet Knights, Keshav Maharaj of the Sunfoil Dolphins, Shaun von Berg of The Unlimited Titans and Dane Piedt of the Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras.

“Congratulations to Kyle on his Sunfoil sizzler award,” commented Cricket South Africa (CSA) Chief Executive, Haroon Lorgat. “His splendid form earned him a recall to the Proteas Castle Lager Test squad and that should serve as an inspiration to all Franchise players.

“It is also interesting to note that three of the five top performers in February were spin bowlers.”

The South African Cricketers’ Association Most Valuable Player index (SACA MVP) is used as the measuring tool in determining the Sunfoil Sizzler of the Month.

The top 5 performers in the Sunfoil Series during the month of February were:

Rank

 Player Team

Matches

Batting

Bowling

Fielding

Wins

Captain

Total

Avg.

Player ID

1

 Kyle Abbott Dolphins

2

1.083

87.002

1

1

0

90.086

45.043

18293

2

 Rudi Second Knights

2

62.056

0.000

25

1

0

88.056

44.028

18674

3

 Keshav Maharaj Dolphins

2

2.246

72.181

0

1

0

75.427

37.714

18434

4

 Shaun von Berg Titans

2

3.730

67.329

1

1

0

73.059

36.530

25344

5

 Dane Piedt Cape Cobras

2

10.590

55.800

0

2

0

68.389

34.195

30775

 

 

The SACA MVP is calculated using an internationally recognised formula which takes into account every discipline in the game of cricket.  Batting, bowling, fielding, captaining and winning are all factored in within the context of each individual match. Individual player performances in pressure situations, for example, carry more weight; thus players who deliver when their team needs them most, earn more points.

The SACA MVP latest ranking standings are updated weekly on the SACA website (www.saca.org.za), and may be viewed ‘per competition’ or by having a look at the ‘overall’ standings.

 

Caption

 

Kyle Abbott receives the Sunfoil Sizzler award for the month of February from Mr. Cassim Docrat, sponsorship manager for the Sunfoil brand

 

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Elgar replaces Smith on CSA national contact list

CRICKET SOUTH AFRICA (CSA) on Thursday named Dean Elgar as the replacement for Graeme Smith on its national list of contracted players for the 2014/15 year. Graeme Smith who was on the original list of contracted players announced his retirement from international cricket earlier this week.

 

“Dean is the obvious replacement and must be excited by the opportunity to emulate the greatness achieved by his recently retired national captain,” commented CSA Chief Executive, Haroon Lorgat.

 

“He has all the attributes and qualifies as the next player eligible to be awarded a contract in terms of the new methodology we developed together with the South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA).”

 

“As mentioned before, the Board has also agreed to award multi-year contracts to our top players to secure and recognise their value.”

 

The seven players awarded two-year contracts are: Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander and Dale Steyn.

 

The other 10 nationally contracted players awarded one-year contracts are: Quinton de Kock, Dean Elgar, Rory Kleinveldt, Ryan McLaren, David Miller, Wayne Parnell, Alviro Petersen, Robin Peterson, Imran Tahir, Lonwabo Tsotsobe.

 

As previously announced, Jacques Kallis has been awarded a special contract for one year only.

 

In addition, CSA has announced the 12 Franchise players to receive CSA High Performance Centre (HPC) top-up contracts, also for a one-year period.

 

“This is investment in our future,” commented CSA selection convener Andrew Hudson.

 

“We are keen to centrally influence the management and close monitoring of these exciting young players so that we can provide the best chance of developing their careers to the full potential.”

 

“I am excited by the mix of this group of talented players and it is now up to our programmes to develop these players to one day represent the Proteas as we move into a new era following the retirement of several great players from the Castle Lager Test squad.

 

“The HPC players will be managed, developed and monitored quarterly to see that they are fulfilling their potential.”

 

CSA HPC contracted players: Kyle Abbott, Temba Bavuma, Simon Harmer, Beuran Hendricks, Reeza Hendricks, Eddie Leie, Mangaliso Mosehle, Aaron Phangiso, Kagiso Rabada, Rilee Rossouw, Stiaan van Zyl, Khaya Zondo.

 

CSA Chief Executive also took the opportunity to confirm enhancements to the existing BskyB broadcasting deal that would extend broadcast content into the markets of UK, Ireland and mainland Europe.

 

“It is really exciting to work with our commercial partners to seek new opportunities and even augment existing deals”

 

“Their confidence in South African cricket and our future tours programme is truly rewarding.” stated Lorgat.

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Miller and De Kock awarded National Contracts

THE Board of Directors of Cricket South Africa (CSA) approved the names of the 17 players proposed by the selection panel for national contracts for the 2014-2015 year. New contracts have been awarded to Quinton de Kock of the bizhub Highveld Lions and David Miller of the Sunfoil Dolphins.

 

The number of contracted players has been reduced from 22 to 17 in terms of the agreement reached between CSA and the South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) for the period May 2014 to 2018.

 

“I am delighted that we recently signed a new Heads of Agreement with SACA,” commented CSA Chief Executive, Haroon Lorgat. “As expected, negotiating player terms that include earnings will always be challenging, but I was really pleased with the positive and mature way in which the negotiations were conducted.

 

“In addition to the 17 nationally contracted players CSA will also offer 12 top-up contracts for aspiring Franchise players who could be regarded as potential Proteas in the future. This group will only be selected once the Franchises have completed the contracting of their players.”

 

The Board also approved a request from the Chief Executive to consider multi-year contracts.

 

“I am pleased to announce a new development with eight of our top players being awarded two-year contracts as we try to reward and secure our major players. They deserve it!”, commented Mr. Lorgat.

 

The Board of CSA also announced a final one-year contract for Jacques Kallis to recognise his immense contribution to South African cricket over a long period of time and to secure his availability for the ODI squad. This contract does not form part of the 17-man national list as it is a special contract with specific terms.

 

“We are well aware of the incredible stature of Jacques and his personal desire to play in next year’s ICC World Cup. We want to help him as best as we can,” added Mr Lorgat.

 

CSA contracted players: Hashim Amla (Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras), Quinton de Kock (bizhub Highveld Lions), AB de Villiers (The Unlimited Titans), JP Duminy (Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras), Faf du Plessis (The Unlimited Titans), Imran Tahir (bizhub Highveld Lions), Rory Kleinveldt (Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras), Ryan McLaren (Chevrolet Knights), David Miller (Sunfoil Dolphins), Morne Morkel (The Unlimited Titans), Wayne Parnell (Chevrolet Warriors), Alviro Petersen (bizhub Highveld Lions), Robin Peterson (Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras), Vernon Philander (Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras), Graeme Smith (Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras), Dale Steyn (Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras), Lonwabo Tsotsobe (bizhub Highveld Lions)

 

The Board meeting also considered a number of other topics at its scheduled meeting. Mr Lorgat reported on the successful ending and the highly positive outcomes achieved during the RAM SLAM T20 Challenge.

 

“I want to take this opportunity to congratulate Ram Hand-to-Hand Couriers for their creativity and support which resulted in them winning the Best New Sponsorship award at last week’s Sports Industry Awards 2014.

 

“Spectator attendance was up by 43 percent and we had a sold-out crowd for the Final.

 

“The domestic TV audience for the Final match exceeded 400 000 and the total domestic audience over the 21 televised matches was 1.7million. For the first time we had global TV coverage and I believe this must be the reason why Beuran Hendricks – the record wicket-taker for the tournament – landed a lucrative IPL contract.”

 

The Board was also provided with updated financial reports for the current financial year which ends on 30 April. The Board thanked management for its efforts to reduce the impact of the curtailed India tour by sourcing new revenues and curbing costs.

 

“Although we will still achieve a surplus for the year, we are estimating this to be around R54m short against what we had budgeted for the year.” said Mr. Lorgat.

 

The Board also noted completion of the new High Performance Centre in Pretoria, within budget.

 

“We are really excited and we are naturally looking forward to the opening of this world class facility next month.” concluded Mr. Lorgat.

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McLaren Among Five To Get New CSA Contracts

Ryan McLaren has been earmarked as the next South Africa Test allrounder after he was re-awarded a national contract. McLaren has been a regular across the ODI and Twenty20 formats this summer and will come into consideration for the Test team as Jacques Kallis reaches the twilight years of his decorated career.

Although McLaren cannot be a direct replacement for Kallis, because he will not bat as high up the order, the national selectors have indicated he may slot in lower down.

“We know that Jacques Kallis will not be around indefinitely and we have to look at finding another allrounder for the Test side,” Andrew Hudson, convener of selectors told ESPNcricinfo. “That No. 7 spot means we could play someone like Ryan there instead of the extra batsmen.”

Kallis was injured in every one of the last five series he has played in, a sign that 18 years of international cricket are taking their toll. His niggles have ranged from back spasms to a hamstring strain and he is being carefully managed as he enters the final stretch.

Kallis will no longer play bilateral T20 or one-day series, saving himself for major tournaments. That opened the door for McLaren, who has yo-yoed in and out of the national side for four years, to establish a more permanent place for himself in the shorter formats.

He notched up a career best 4 for 46 against New Zealand in the first ODI in January and then hit a six off the last ball in the third match to win South Africa that fixture. “His short-form game has been fantastic and we are really impressed with his skill levels. We knows his game very well now,” Hudson said.

Like Robin Peterson, McLaren has benefited from a longer run in the team, aided by the fact that he had few competitors for the all-rounders’ spot. His only real challenger, Albie Morkel, has been a victim of indifferent form and injuries and has fallen behind.

As a sign of how far, Morkel was not re-contracted. “We never like to say it’s the end of the road for players and if Albie has a good season, there is no reason why we can’t use him but in the shorter format we need to look forward. For now we have one or two other options,” Hudson said. Chris Morris, who was not awarded a contract is one of those and remains in the plans for the future.

Hudson and his panel also seem to have put an end to the international careers of Jacques Rudolph and Ashwell Prince. Rudolph was dropped after the Adelaide Test against Australia in November last year but remained a reserve batsman in the squad. His second-coming began with him as an opener before he was dropped down to No. 6 but his lack of runs under pressure saw him make way for Dean Elgar. Prince has not played for South Africa since the Boxing Day Test of 2011.

The selectors have, however, given Imran Tahir and Thami Tsolekile some rope as both were retained. “Robbie is in position as the Test spinner but we go to some places in the next year where we may need two spinners and Imran is still very much in the plans,” Hudson said. South Africa play Pakistan in October in the United Arab Emirates where Tahir is likely to feature. Tsolekile remains the reserve wicketkeeper who Hudson said is “not far off,” playing for South Africa.

New faces on the list include young tearaway Marchant de Lange. The 22-year-old spent most of the past season recovering from a stress fracture but made his comeback earlier this year. Rusty Theron, who was not contracted, had the same injury and has also just returned to the game.

De Lange has played two first-class and six T20 matches and is reaching speeds in the late 140 kphs and occasionally 150 kph plus. “We’ve watched him in a few of the T20s and we see he has got his pace back and can get quicker. We will definitely be able to use a bowler like him,” Hudson said.

After becoming the most successful bowling debutant of 2011 with 7 for 84 against Sri Lanka, he was South Africa’s first-choice reserve bowler. He will now compete with Rory Kleinveldt, also newly contracted, and Kyle Abbott who took 7 for 29 against Pakistan in Centurion but was not contracted for a place.

Dean Elgar, who took over from Rudolph, and Aaron Phangiso are the other rookies. Phangiso is the third spinner on the contract list, a reward, Hudson said, for his fine domestic form. “He has been consistent for the Lions and that is what we base contracts on – not just one or two performances,” Hudson said.

The rest of the group are made up of familiar players with Colin Ingram and Wayne Parnell retaining their places. JP Duminy is also on the list and is expected to recover from his ruptured Achilles’ tendon in time for the Champions Trophy in June and will contest for a place next season. Johan Botha, who was released from his contract in September last year when he relocated to Australia, was not considered.

 

 

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