SA cricket crisis deepens
Calls for Moroe’s resignation get louder while a second independent director quits the board
The crisis in South African cricket deepened on Thursday as former chief executive Ali Bacher called on incumbent Thabang Moroe to quit, while a second independent director resigned from the board of Cricket South Africa.
Bacher, a former Test captain, said Moroe was out of his depth, while independent board member Iqbal Khan, the chairman of CSA's finance committee, said he could no longer be party to an organisation that was "ruining the game".
Khan blamed Moroe for the majority of issues besetting CSA, including failing to adhere to the terms of an agreement with the SA Cricketers' Association, the banning of five journalists last weekend and "widespread credit card abuse".
In his letter to CSA president Chris Nenzani, Khan wrote: "Unfortunately, all fingers point at the CEO.
"But, having said that, I cannot believe that you are not aware of the many issues that have caused this malaise and to that extent you are also complicit and perhaps even the entire board." Khan's resignation came a day after that of Shirley Zinn, leaving CSA with only three of their five independent directors.
CSA will be holding an emergency board meeting in Johannesburg on Saturday at which it said "important decisions will be made".
Bacher said in an interview with the espncricinfo website that he had mediated talks between Moroe and former Test captain Graeme Smith on August 28, which could have led to Smith becoming CSA director of cricket.
Smith announced on November 15 that he had withdrawn his interest in taking the job - although he confirmed on Monday that new talks were under way.
According to Bacher, in more than two months since the original discussions, Smith had still not been presented with a contract for his consideration.
The first talks took place before South Africa toured India in September and October, where they were heavily beaten in all three Tests.
Bacher alleged that current Test captain Faf du Plessis had not been consulted about the appointment of the inexperienced Enoch Nkwe as interim team director.