Ram backs ‘great brand’ again
JOHANNESBURG: Courier company RAM delivered for Cricket South Africa at the last minute, helping the organisation to restore some face in the midst of a difficult period for the sporting body.
That it should be RAM coming to CSA’s rescue is hugely ironic given that the company’s name was attached to the local T20 franchise competition when the event was immersed in a match-fixing scandal in 2015-16, which led to bannings and suspensions for seven players including a few prominent former Proteas.
However the company has seen past that drama and also chosen to ignore the current controversy enveloping the game in the wake of the 11th hour postponement of the T20 Global League, to throw its name behind the domestic T20 Challenge, thereby reigniting the RamSlam.
“They (CSA) came to us and we thought, ‘why not?’ it was a great brand,” said RAM managing director Graeme Lazarus.
RAM’s deal with CSA is just for the 2017-18 competition, although the federation’s acting chief executive Thabang Moroe is hopeful of extending that deal.
The tournament kicks off on Friday night in Port Elizabeth with last season’s runners-up the Warriors facing the Knights. On Sunday, SuperSport Park will host a doubleheader starting with the Cape Cobras playing against the Dolphins, and the defending champions the Titans taking on the Highveld Lions.
As it stands all the contracted Proteas – barring those who are injured – are available for their franchises.
Meanwhile, Moroe is hopeful that the two internal audits currently taking place following the failure to deliver the T20GL will be completed by mid-November.
“We’ve got two independent companies looking into our affairs, from a governance and operations point of view.
“As far as the inquiry is concerned, once all the reports, which are independent, are put in front of the Board, the Board will then have a look at what they are saying, and if the reports point out to the Board having to go the independent inquiry route, the Board will surely make that decision,” said Moroe.