JOHANNESBURG: Former Cricket South Africa (CSA) chief executive Haroon Lorgat was included Friday in a nine-man interim board tasked with restoring the image of the scandal-tainted organisation.
The 60-year-old ex-International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive led South African cricket for four years from 2013 before departing after a breakdown in his relationship with the national body.
Recent administrative crises led to the entire board resigning by Monday this week and the nine replacements headed by a judge, Zak Yaqoob, have been given a three-month tenure.
Former chief executive Thabang Moroe was blamed for much of the CSA mismanagement and, after being suspended last December, was sacked two months ago.
Before his suspension, Moroe alienated the national cricketers’ association and banned five journalists who had been critical of his decisions.
Later, one member of the former board splashed 520,000 rand ($32,000/27,000 euros) on a full-page newspaper advert without authority even though the CSA is heavily in debt.
CSA president Chris Nenzani, who was repeatedly criticised for poor leadership, quit soon after, amid reports of “gross credit card abuse” within the governing body.
Sponsors, including one of the big five South African banks, abandoned the organisation, saying involvement with cricket was affecting their reputation.
Sports minister Nathi Mthethwa, who announced the stand-in board, said the members were “men and women with a range of skills in law, governance, business and international relations”.
“We think that within three months they would have delivered, especially because this is a group of people who would know what to do.”
Jacques Faul, who temporarily replaced Moroe, said this week that cricket in South Africa had lost credibility and those in leadership positions were responsible.
“People do not trust us (cricket officials) to do the right thing and I do not think credibility will come back overnight.
“A lesson we have learnt from this mess is that officials must love the game and have an understanding of sport and cricket rather than be interested only in personal gain.
“Hopefully we now have people who are willing to serve cricket and help the sport get its credibility back.”
South Africa will host England for three one-day internationals and three Twenty20 matches during November and December behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Proteas will also host two Test matches against Sri Lanka and three against Australia during the 2020/2021 season and welcome Pakistan, who will play three one-day internationals and three T20 matches.
South Africa may also tour Pakistan next year for the first time since the 2007/2008 season if a CSA security assessment delegation gives positive feedback.
