Ex-cricket boss calls on CSA head to quit

The crisis in South African cricket deepened on Thursday as former CEO Ali Bacher, a former Test captain, called on incumbent Thabang Moroe to quit, a second independent director resigned from the board of Cricket SA and another sponsor added its voice to the growing concern.

Bacher said Moroe was out of his depth, while independent board member Iqbal Khan, the chair 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 (Saca), 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 its five independent directors.

CSA will hold an emergency board meeting in Johannesburg on Saturday at which it said “important decisions will be made”.

Bacher said 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Smith announced on November 15 that he had withdrawn his interest in taking the job, though he confirmed on Monday that new talks were under way.

Bacher said Smith had still not been presented with a contract for his consideration.

The first talks took place before SA 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.

Nkwe was in charge of the team that toured India and looks set to continue in the role in the home Test series against England, which starts on December 26.

However, no selectors have yet been appointed ahead of the England tour.

“The current CEO is out of his depth and I strongly suggest that he resigns imminently in the best interests of South African cricket,” Bacher said.

Support for Moroe came from Jack Madiseng, a CSA board member and Moroe’s successor as president of Gauteng cricket.

In an e-mail to Nenzani and CSA deputy president Beresford Williams, Madiseng accused the pair of a lack of leadership.

Madiseng said the board and not the CEO needed to be held accountable for “rubbishing the CSA’s brand”.

Meanwhile, the Willowton Group‚ manufacturers of Sunfoil cooking oil and former SA Test match and four-day franchise sponsors, have called for the removal of Moroe and Nenzani as the crisis in the organisation deepens.

In their statement‚ the Maritzburg company said the immediate resignation of the CEO should be effected in light of the issues that have afflicted cricket in SA.

“We the Willowton Group call for the following immediate actions to be taken:

● Immediate resignation of CSA’s CEO;

● Immediate resignation of CSA’s president;

● Immediate reinstatement of the three suspended officials;

● Immediate reappointment of the two board members who have resigned;

● Immediate appointment of a lead independent director;

● Immediate independent audit and review to be conducted on CSA.

The issues mentioned in the statement which the Willowton Group deems are serious enough to have the CEO removed include:

● The revoking of the accreditation of five journalists;

● The breakdown of the CSA/Saca relationship;

● The suspension of three CSA officials (COO Naasei Appiah‚ head of sales and sponsorship Clive Eksteen and acting director of cricket Corrie van Zyl);

● The mishandling of the director of cricket issue;

● Bringing CSA into disrepute;

● Poor corporate governance by CSA;

● The poor handling of the Western Province Cricket Association matter;

● The restructuring of the domestic competition;

● Failure to appoint a lead independent director to CSA’s board;

● The concentration of power in the CEO to make key appointments and decisions. —