CSA bringing in former cricketers like Smith, Boucher, Kallis and Langveldt into the fold

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SA Player statement:

The governance crisis that has engulfed cricket for over 18 months has now escalated to the point where the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture has formally noted his intent to intervene in the sport. We respect the fact that the Minister has shown great patience in dealing with the governance crisis, and the events as they unfolded at the Special General Meeting of 17 April 2021, were in bad faith and disrespectful not only to his office, but to all cricketers and the public.

Government intervention in the sport will have dire consequences, the full extent of which we do not yet know. The right to represent South Africa may be withdrawn and the ICC may suspend Cricket South Africa. These outcomes will in turn impact touring, broadcast rights and sponsorship deals. Ultimately the financial viability of the game will suffer and cricket at all levels will be severely prejudiced.

The Members’ Council has now acted contrary to the wishes of the Minister, the Nicholson Recommendations, King IV Governance principles, and international best practice – how can this be in the best interests of our game?

The Momentum Proteas Women’s team has enjoyed unparalleled success over the past 14 months, and the women’s game in South Africa is on the verge of significant expansion. The development of the game is now under serious threat, and at a time when we should be enthusiastic about the future, we have to be concerned about its future.

The Proteas Men’s team has an ICC World T20 Event in November. Preparation has already started for this event, and the current state of cricket administration undermines our work in this regard. It may even lead to our suspension from this event should the ICC decide to suspend South Africa.

As players, we wish to speak directly to the many sponsors of our beloved game – such as SAB, Betway, Momentum, KFC - we recognize and acknowledge that your involvement in the game supports our careers and provides funding for the development of the game throughout South Africa. We apologise for the actions of our Administrators who have undermined and betrayed your commitment to the sport. We are aware that many of you have engaged SACA directly over the past 12 months, confirming your support for us, the players, and for that we thank you.

And finally, to the most important stakeholder in the game – the public – we ask that you continue to support cricket. It is the most wonderful game, and we are immensely proud to represent you on the field. We implore the Members’ Council, Interim Board, Ministry and SASCOC to resolve this impasse so as to ensure that we can continue to do so.

 

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Proteas coach Mark Boucher hopes to have a full-strength squad for the yet-to-be confirmed tour to the West Indies.

With less than six months before the start of the T20 World Cup in India‚ SA does not have a settled squad in this format. They recently lost 3-1 to Pakistan.

The only confirmed engagement for the Proteas before the World Cup is the tour to Ireland in July where they are scheduled to play three ODIs and three T20Is against Malahide and Stormont.

In the T20 series loss to Pakistan‚ the Proteas were without injured Temba Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen‚ while Quinton de Kock‚ Kagiso Rabada‚ Anrich Nortjé‚ Lungi Ngidi and David Miller are playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Van der Dussen returned for the third T20 match against Pakistan in Centurion but his experience was not enough to help the team to at least level the series.

“We have always earmarked the West Indies trip that is coming up‚ that’s where our full squad needs to be together and learn different aspects of each other’s games‚” said Boucher‚ who is under increasing pressure from the public after a run of poor results.

“It would have been nice to have that at this tour [against Pakistan]‚ but it was not possible. Certainly going forward now we need to start looking at getting all our players fit‚ ready and getting them in a form that you want them to be.”

Against Pakistan‚ debuts were handed out to fast bowlers Lizaad Williams and Sisanda Magala with promising results‚ and openers Janneman Malan and Aiden Markram also proved their worth at the top of the order.

“This series has given us a view with regards to the depth pool and in the back of my mind I have a fair idea of the enlarged squad that we can look at.

“I am pretty sure that we will be able to match international standards. We have given a lot of opportunities over the last while because of Covid-19 complications and injuries. There were tours we were supposed to go on‚ but we couldn’t because of Covid-19.

“You can see that the next group of players are a little rough on the edges. They perform well under certain circumstances of the game and in international cricket you can’t perform in patches. You have to perform well all-round to win games but we were good in patches and not polished.”

https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/s...o-west-indies-could-ease-pressure-on-boucher/

 

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Former Proteas Test opener Alviro Petersen does not believe that Cricket South Africa (CSA) director of cricket Graeme Smith will get tough with national team coach Mark Boucher and fire him‚ despite the team's run of poor results.

The Proteas have lost eight out of eleven series since Boucher took over in 2019 and pressure is increasingly mounting on the coach with the T20 World Cup in India in October looming large.

The South Africans have suffered embarrassing ODI and T20 series defeats to Pakistan in recent few weeks‚ leading to persistent calls for Boucher‚ who has insisted that the team is on the right track‚ to step down.

“In terms of pressure on Boucher‚ I think there has been a lot on him‚ but we are not in a position to make changes‚” said Petersen‚ who played 36 Tests for the Proteas where he mostly opened the batting with Smith.

“We can make as much noise as we want as former players‚ media‚ fans or whatever but ultimately it depends on Graeme Smith.

“Unfortunately‚ Mark Boucher and Graeme Smith have a very good and friendly relationship since their playing days and it is highly unlikely that Smith will fire his friend. Unfortunately that is the position that we are in as a cricketing country and we have to deal with that.”

Petersen also pointed out that the Proteas have regressed since Smith became the director of cricket in April last year.

“There were a lot of people in the past who made a lot of noise that Graeme Smith must to come into our cricket because he will help us to get the national team back on track.

“Unfortunately‚ we haven’t seen the national team getting back on track or improving‚ and in fact‚ what happened is to the contrary because we have slipped further down the line in world cricket.”

Looking back at the recent series losses to Pakistan‚ Petersen said the Proteas’ performances were not good enough but the team management have an excuse because some of the senior players were not available.

“They (Proteas management) can say we didn’t have our full strength team and you can’t really judge us on that. We have to say that the way they have been playing is not good enough‚ but there were eye-catching performances from guys like Aiden Markram and Janneman Malan.

“This is an indictment on the cricketing system in South Africa because for many years people have said the system is not good enough. But at the same time you had others who argued that the system is working and players are coming through.

“The reality is our system is not producing players of high quality. If you look at a country like India‚ they are always producing and developing talented young players for the senior national team.”

During some of the ODI and T20 series against Pakistan‚ the Proteas missed injured captain Temba Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen and Quinton de Kock‚ Kagiso Rabada‚ Anrich Nortjé‚ Lungi Ngidi and David Miller to the IPL.

“Boucher is going to have a serious selection poser when senior players are available because what is he going to do with the players who played and impressed against Pakistan. In terms of the combinations‚ we must get them right because they can be very tricky.

“You might have someone who strikes at the rate of 120 and he scores at an average of 40‚ but he doesn’t really align with what the team wants. A lot of people have said that Rassie (van der Dussen) takes time to get going but at the end he looks okay in terms of strike rate and averages.

“I am just making an example with Rassie‚ you look at a guy like Quinton who takes pressure off other players because of his bravery.

“I am a South African and I always have hope that we will do well at the World Cup‚ but I always get disappointed. I think it is going to be the same but I do have hope.”

https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/c...hly-unlikely-that-smith-will-fire-his-friend/

 

[OMB]

The clock is ticking... Mark Boucher’s head is on the block

South Africa’s last outstanding series win was against Australia in 2018. Afterwards, Morne Morkel and AB de Villiers announced they were retiring from international cricket.

The Proteas lost a Test series at home to Sri Lanka the following year, then had the worst World Cup in its history and after that, JP Duminy, Hashim Amla and Dale Steyn retired.

Then came the administrative chaos. Former chief executive Thabang Moroe tried covering up his incompetence by putting in place a structure around the national men’s team that mirrors a football set-up – a manager at the top of the pyramid, with a bunch of coaches answering to him. Enoch Nkwe was put in that position in an acting capacity for South Africa’s tour to India. Nkwe was answerable to an acting Director of Cricket, Corrie van Zyl. Van Zyl had to answer to Moroe.

What’s all that got to do with Mark Boucher? Well, when all that fell apart, and CSA’s administration imploded, and Moroe was suspended after he’d suspended Van Zyl, and Graeme Smith was appointed as acting Director of Cricket, it was what Boucher inherited as the new Proteas head coach.


South African cricket was in a state of utter chaos, with England about to touch down in the country.

Since then Vernon Philander and then Faf du Plessis retired too. In total, 592 Test caps’ worth of experience disappeared in two years.

So now, almost 16 months later, Boucher is under enormous pressure. The Proteas have gone nowhere as a team – except downwards. But it isn’t unfortunately as simple as saying it’s Boucher’s fault. That’s too easy. And nothing in South African cricket is easy. Winning a series isn’t easy, winning a World Cup isn’t easy and voting for a new administrative structure isn’t easy.

So in assessing Boucher’s period as head coach, that broader context is very important.

Boucher's overall record

The numbers aren't good – in fact, they’re dreadful. Out of 11 series across all three formats, Boucher’s teams have won only three times. The Proteas haven’t won a T20 series under Boucher’s watch, losing all five series’ in the shortest format, a very concerning statistic with just five months to go before the T20 World Cup. Five players made debuts in Boucher’s first series as head coach – the four Tests against England. In the second T20 against Pakistan this year, eight players were handed their first caps. Injuries, the IPL, form and experimenting, haven’t helped Boucher in terms of getting some consistency going.

The Captaincy

Quinton De Kock was made limited overs captain initially for the series’ against England in early 2020. Then he was made Test captain. That was a mistake and one Boucher can definitely be blamed for. De Kock was never suited to carrying all that responsibility and it wore him down, particularly given that it was all taking place in ‘bio bubbles,’ which De Kock publicly acknowledged he struggled adjusting to. At least the appointments of Temba Bavuma as limited overs captain and Dean Elgar for the Test team provides some clarity and vision. It didn’t help the team’s or Bavuma’s progress, that injury prevented his involvement in the T20s against Pakistan recently.

Proteas Style Tests

South Africa needs to sort out its batting urgently. The batting collapses are a habit – the last one saw them lose seven wickets for 33 runs in 11.4 overs against Pakistan in Rawalpindi to lose that series. It’s not just something that happens in the sub-continent either, there are plenty of examples of it right here in SA as well. Boucher wants Jacques Kallis back as batting coach, but CSA’s financial limitations prevent that from happening. It will have to be internally resolved with help from domestic coaches and ‘batting lead’ Neil McKenzie.

ODIs

The only format in which the Proteas have a winning record under Boucher, but it's still too early to tell how good a One-Day side the team is, especially since Bavuma has only led it in three matches. Certainly in terms of batting there is plenty of ability and explosiveness, but with the ball, there is too much inconsistency. The seam bowling all-rounder spot is a genuine problem as is the team’s fielding.

T20s

So the Proteas are locked into a new style, which from a batting perspective actually worked well against Pakistan. The batsmen showed greater intent. The key will be how that style of batting will work in the sub-continent, where the World Cup will be played later this year.

Getting the right balance to the starting team is vital. Boucher and the selectors are still experimenting – although the last game against Pakistan, with just four frontline batsmen starting is probably pushing the envelope a little too much. South Africa needs more than five bowling options in the starting team, making the seam bowling all-rounder berth crucial – again. The fielding is poor.

Players - Who's progressed

Aiden Markram

More to do with him than Boucher, he’s taken ownership of his batting and last season, across formats, he was the country’s best batsman.

Temba Bavuma

Graeme Smith made an interesting point about Bavuma, saying that in the change-room, despite the team struggling, Bavuma really stepped to the fore. It’s one of the reasons he was handed the captaincy. He needs to elevate his batting, but perhaps the responsibility of leadership will assist – it did at domestic level for the Lions.

Outstanding contributor in all three formats, and while only into his third year as an international, very much a senior player in that side.

Who's regressed

Andile Phehlukwayo

Is it just a consequence of Boucher, or has his career been in steady decline even before that? Phehlukwayo has played nearly 100 international matches. He’s no rookie. But he’s not as good a player now as he was when he started his international career five years ago.

Heinrich Klaasen

Battled with Covid during the season, and it may have had a bigger impact on his game than even he believes.

Captained the team more than he would have anticipated. He was inconsistent with the bat, and some of his leadership against Pakistan was poor.

Faf du Plessis

His Test career was on the decline for two years and his retirement in that format was understandable. Hopefully he can find some form in the IPL

Why the West Indies tour will be absolutely critical for Boucher's future.

All the big name players will be back from the IPL. As will Bavuma, and who knows maybe AB de Villiers. That tour – with two Tests and five T20 Internationals – will be critical and it will be a gauge for Boucher’s future as coach.

As he said, the Proteas need to start winning regularly, to build the players’ confidence, but his too.

Lose in the Caribbean – of course if the tour happens – and calls for Boucher’s removal may become too loud for his bosses at CSA to ignore much longer.

https://www.iol.co.za/sport/cricket/proteas/the-clock-is-ticking-mark-bouchers-head-is-on-the-block-f4a271b8-3ad0-456f-9007-f51e24574bed

 

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Mark Boucher and Enoch Nkwe might have to split up to help the Proteas juggle their assignments against Pakistan and Australia (Gallo Images)

CSA director of cricket Graeme Smith emphasised that the Proteas were entering a crucial period ahead of this year's T20 Cricket World Cup. Smith called the season an "exploration period" where various players were given international opportunities. The Proteas have won one series in their last six, including four back-to-back defeats to Pakistan, home and away.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) director of cricket Graeme Smith emphasised that the Proteas were entering a crucial period of their season in their quest to turn results around before the T20 Cricket World Cup. Head coach Mark Boucher's team have been on a rotten run for months since cricket resumed after Covid-19 struck last year, winning just one series, two Test against Sri Lanka in December, in six.

SA also lost four back-to-back series against Pakistan in 2021, in all three formats, including ODI and T20 series 2-1 at home. With an October T20 World Cup coming up, the results do not bode well for the Proteas men's team, who are looking to break their ICC tournament hoodoo in India.

"My perspective on this is that this is a crucial period for the men, the players and management," Smith said on Thursday. "When we started this season, if I think back to November, one of our main goals as a cricket department was to try and get as much cricket played as possible. "We've tapped into about 32 players that played for South Africa this season, 45 have been kitted out. We've really spread far and wide for various reasons. "One [reason is that] we've lost a number of players to the Covid situation. Cancellation of the 4-Day cricket in December meant loads were an issue. "We have travelled with different squads because of the schedule, the IPL and Australia (tour cancellation).

The results have heaped pressure on Boucher, whom Smith brought in to stem a similarly rotten run of poor results in 2019 on a four-year contract but has so far not delivered. On the flip side, the Proteas have been decimated by the loss of experienced players either retiring from various formats or opting to take up transient T20 competition contracts across the globe. Smith called the season an "exploration period" but also saw the need for the Proteas to settle into their best team soon if they mount a strong challenge in India later this year. "It was a bit of an exploration period for the national team in terms of trying to identify players to take forward," he said.

"But I do see this next period, from a results perspective, as crucial in the build-up to the T20 World Cup, getting our best team playing together as often as we can and really pushing hard. "It's a big six months for the men, with the end-of-year Indian tour, which is a marquee tour, the T20 World Cup in October and the West Indies in June."

https://www.news24.com/sport/Cricke...this-is-a-crucial-period-for-results-20210506

 

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JOHANNESBURG: Anrich Nortje and Shabnim Ismail received the highest accolade that Cricket South Africa (CSA) has to offer when they were named SA Men’s and SA Women’s Cricketer of the Year in their respective categories at CSA’s virtual awards which were held this evening.

The traditional gala ceremony was not possible because of the Coronavirus lockdown but it did not stop the CSA family celebrating the occasion in a suitable manner.

It was a truly memorable occasion for Ismail who won no fewer than three awards. She was also named Momentum Women’s T20 International Cricketer of the Year and SA Women’s Players’ Player of the Year. Nortje achieved similar success, being named Test Cricketer of the Year, SA Fans’ Cricketer of the Year and sharing in a tied vote with Aiden Markram the SA Men’s Players’ Player of the Year.

Having previously won the women’s premier award in 2015, Ismail joins Marizanne Kapp (2013/14) and Dane van Niekerk (2016/18/19) as multiple winners in the professional era.

Nortje becomes the 12th player to win the premier men’s award and created his own piece of history by being named International Newcomer of the Year and Men’s Cricketer of the Year in successive years.

In a continuation of the trend that started last year when the Momentum Proteas competed successfully for awards that had no gender limitation, Lizelle Lee won the KFC Streetwise Award for her brilliant century in the ODI series against India. With Nortje winning the SA Fans’ Player of the Year, which was decided by an online poll, the third award available to all, the CSA Delivery of the Year, went to Wiaan Mulder for dismissing Kusal Mendis with the aid of a catch by Rassie van der Dussen in the second Test match against Sri Lanka.

Lee was also named Momentum One-Day International Cricketer of the Year.

Van der Dussen was honoured with the One-Day International Cricketer of the Year award while Tabraiz Shamsi was named T20 Cricketer of the Year and George Linde the Men’s International Newcomer of the Year.

CSA Acting Chief Executive Pholetsi Moseki congratulated all the winners. “Anrich and Shabnim have set the highest standards that we expect from our icon Proteas players. Anrich’s international career to date has been remarkable. In the space of a year he has gone from being named our International Newcomer of the Year to our overall Player of the Year – an incredible achievement. The pandemic has restricted him to just 10 Test matches to date in which he has taken 39 wickets, including three five-wicket hauls.

“His strike rate of 48.50 is comfortably within the benchmark number that defines the world’s leading bowlers; he has also delivered the fastest delivery ever of the Indian Premier League in which the cream of the world’s talent goes head to head.

“Shabnim is the fastest bowler on the women’s international circuit, and she has been the leader of our Momentum Proteas attack for a long time now. She is the only South African to have taken 100 wickets in the T20 International format and she recently passed the significant landmark of 150 wickets in ODI cricket.

“She has played a huge role in enabling our Momentum Proteas to break into the top group of countries with a world ranking of No. 2 in the ODI format.

“Genuine fast bowling remains one of the great and thrilling sights of our game and we are indeed blessed to continue to produce world leaders in this demanding skill.

“I warmly congratulate all our winners, both at international and domestic level, and I also wish to take this opportunity to acknowledge our umpires, grounds staff and scorers, too.

“I would like to pay a special tribute to our medical team who have done wonders in making the playing of cricket possible. They have set standards in providing bio-secure facilities that compare with the best in the world. The fact that we have been able to play a full season of home international and franchise cricket speaks for itself.”

“In conclusion, I would also like to thank our sponsors and partners. Economic times are extremely tough, and we are grateful to you all for standing by us to keep as much of our cricket and pipeline programmes going as possible.”

In the Professional Awards: Domestic category, it was a big night for the Hollywoodbets Dolphins franchise who won five of the eight awards on offer. Keshav Maharaj was the biggest winner being named SACA Most Valuable Player (MVP) as well as Domestic Players’ Player of the Season. Robbie Frylinck was named Momentum One-Day Cup Cricketer of the Season and Imraan Khan PitchVision Coach of the Season.

Ottniel Baartman was named as inaugural winner of the Makhaya Ntini Power of Cricket Award.

The Momentum Multiply Titans had two winners in this category Aiden Markram (CSA 4-Day Domestic Series Cricketer of the Season) and Neil Brand (Domestic Newcomer of the Season). Sisanda Magala of the Imperial Lions was named Betway T20 Challenge Cricketer of the Season.

In the Professional Awards: Operations category, the Warriors retained the CSA Fairplay Award as did Adrian Holdstock the CSA Umpire of the Year award while Lubabalo Gcuma was named CSA Umpires’ Umpire of the Year.

AWARD WINNERS

PROFESSIONAL AWARDS: NATIONAL

SA Men’s Cricketer of the Year:
Anrich Nortje

SA Women’s Cricketer of the Year:
Shabnim Ismail

Test Cricketer of the Year:
Anrich Nortje

One-Day International Cricketer of the Year:
Rassie van der Dussen

T20 International Cricketer of the Year:
Tabraiz Shamsi

Momentum Proteas One-Day International Cricketer of the Year:
Lizelle Lee

Momentum Proteas T20 International Cricketer of the Year:
Shabnim Ismail

SA Men Players’ Player of the Year:
Anrich Nortje and Aiden Markram

SA Women’s Players’ Player of the Year:
Shabnim Ismail

SA Fans’ Player of the Year:
Anrich Nortje

KFC Streetwise Award:
Lizelle Lee (innings of 132* vs India)

CSA Delivery of the Year:
Wiaan Mulder (dismissal of Kusal Mendis, SA v SL, 2nd Test)

International Newcomer of the Year:
George Linde

Women’s International Newcomer of the Year:
Black Day Kit

PROFESSIONAL AWARDS: DOMESTIC

4-Day Domestic Series Cricketer of the Season:
Aiden Markram (Momentum Multiply Titans)

Momentum One-Day Cup Cricketer of the Season:
Robbie Frylinck (Hollywoodbets Dolphins)

Betway T20 Challenge Cricketer of the Season:
Sisanda Magala (Imperial Lions)

PitchVision Coach of the Season:
Imraan Khan (Hollywoodbets Dolphins)

Domestic Players’ Player of the Season:
Keshav Maharaj (Hollywoodbets Dolphins)

Domestic Newcomer of the Season:
Neil Brand (Momentum Multiply Titans)

SACA Most Valuable Player Award:
Keshav Maharaj (Hollywoodbets Dolphins)

Makhaya Ntini Power of Cricket Award:
Ottniel Baartman (Hollywoodbets Dolphins)

PROFESSIONAL AWARDS: OPERATIONS

CSA Umpires’ Umpire of the Year:
Lubabalo Gcuma

CSA Umpire of the Year:
Adrian Holdstock

CSA Fairplay Award:
Warriors

AMATEUR AWARDS

SA Forces Administrator Recognition Award:
Lieutenant Colonel Randall M Williams

Kemach JCB Groundsman of the Year:
No winner as not all venues hosted matches.

 

[MenInG]

A narrow win over England was not enough to see South Africa through to the semi-finals of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021.

The Proteas claimed victory by only ten runs when a winning margin of 60 was needed as England confirmed theirs and Australia’s involvements in the knockout stages despite suffering their first defeat in Group 1.

For South African coach Mark Boucher the win was no consolation as they missed out on qualification through net run-rate.

He said: “It is not successful because you're knocked out of a World Cup, so it is a better pill to swallow.

“I think we played some very good cricket throughout the campaign cricket under a lot of pressure as well after having lost our first game.

“We put in a lot of hard work in training, our chats were good. I think we beat the in-form side in white-ball cricket for a while now.

“It's a tough one for the guys in the changing room. We knew what we had to do today, the equation was very difficult for us to have to get through.

“I just said to the guys just try control what we can control. Unfortunately, we can't control what other results are out there.

"We did the job today but it’s quite bitter.”

For England, their first defeat of the tournament did not stop them from topping Group 1 and confirming their place in the semi-finals next week.

However, they may be without Jason Roy who was forced off with a calf injury having made 20 off 16 balls as England looked to chase down 189.

Eoin Morgan confirmed that he will have a scan tomorrow to assess the possibility of Roy having any further involvement in the tournament.

Reflecting on the loss, Morgan said: “We're not going to be at our best every game, but we do need to find ways to win.

“I think in the field, actually, we weren't as intense as we have been previous game. Just small things that we didn't do as neatly or as cleanly as we would have liked.

“But with the ball, we probably kept them to a reasonable score, in and around par. Obviously, when your premium batsman goes down, that does hurt you, particularly given the form that he's in.

“And also, on the other hand, the other guys that haven't batted a lot in the tournament came in, struck the ball really well which is a great sign obviously for the semi-final.”