Cricket SA circus must stop now

“IN WAR, whichever side may call itself the victor, there are no winners, but all are losers.”

Those powerful words should be drummed into Cricket SA, Sascoc, Saca and Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa and the parliamentary portfolio committee.

There certainly are “no winners” in this on-going Cricket SA “war”. Every single day the sport, once referred to as “the gentleman’s game”, is being dragged through the mud.

This has long moved beyond the realms of right and wrong. There is no more moral high ground. Everyone seems to be operating in a self-serving manner which often tends to dissolve into an ego battle to see which party will relent first.

It has not only transcended into a media circus locally, but internationally as well. The damage done is huge with the debris set to linger long after the issue has eventually been settled.

The International Cricket Council may be reluctant to intervene in member countries’ affairs, particularly due to their contractual need for the Proteas to participate in major events, but even they may not be able to turn a blind eye for much longer.

And we ask: What about the players? They are the ones who are most vulnerable.

The Proteas Men’s and Women’s teams have not been in action since Covid-19 brought a halt to all cricket back in March. In contrast, Bafana Bafana have been back on the playing field, while the local version of Super Rugby is now in full swing.

The national cricket teams remain in limbo with major uncertainty over when they will indeed return to play. The Proteas Women’s side have already lost out on a major tour to the United Kingdom and with each passing day the Men’s side’s chances of facing England in a lucrative incoming tour in November and December diminish.

While the off-the-field drama goes on day after day, players such as Kagiso Rabada, Faf du Plessis and AB de Villiers are currently putting in wonderful performances in the Indian Premier League and our Women’s team are desperate to get out on the park again and display their wonderful skills.

This squabbling is a disgrace. And it must end.