Cricket chaos off the field
REMEMBER when Cricket SA, then still under the leadership of Haroon Lorgat, felt so bold as to launch their new franchise T20 event – the T20 Global League – in London?
The launch eventually took place in a hotel, but that only happened because the English Cricket Board kicked up a fuss after CSA had originally arranged for the event to take place at Lord’s.
The cheek of it. That was just over a year ago, and look where Cricket SA finds itself now with the franchise T20 tournament.
There isn’t one. The T20GL has cost CSA over R200 million, without a ball being bowled.
Players who were picked in a draft made off with some handy cash rewards for doing nothing, while the owners of the eight franchises were told to please understand, take back half of their deposits and asked to remain silent. Some haven’t and have threatened to drag Cricket SA to court.
In the meanwhile, CSA’s board of directors, who “parted ways” with Lorgat last year while still agreeing to pay him his full month’s salary, reckoned CSA should establish a new tournament which CSA would run in conjunction with SuperSport. SuperSport pulled out of that arrangement this week, but CSA is ploughing ahead with its six-team competition.
Yes, that’s six teams, just like currently exists in the senior professional domestic structure. CSA still hopes to attract big name overseas signings, they still hope to sign a broadcast deal with SuperSport and they still hope to sign a headline sponsor. They still hope.
Meanwhile, Canada, Nepal and Afghanistan, to name a few have got their T20 Leagues up and running. Regardless of CSA’s optimism that a tournament will take place next season, this whole sorry saga is an incredibly poor reflection on the administration of the sport in this country. It’s been shambolic and amateurish.
On the field, we expect the Pro teas( women and men) to perform with professionalism and efficiency, and the same should be demanded of those that administer the sport. That has not happened. It’s a damning indictment of Cricket SA’s Board of Directors and other senior officials.