Cape Town - Cape Cobras coach Paul Adams continues to have the "full support" of the Western Cape Cricket board, the franchise confirmed in a statement on Monday.
Adams’s future had recently been deemed untenable after the majority of the Cobras squad lodged a "formal grievance" during the off-season. The WCC, though, “expressed a vote of confidence” in Adams with the extended contract signed with the former South African spin bowler remaining in place. No material break of Adams’s contract was established.
In the statement released by the WCC, the board also is said to have found material deficiencies in mediator Paddy Upton’s report as he did not fully discharge the mandate given to him to speak to all the contracted players.
“We studied the recommendations of the independent panel and the report submitted by Upton. We deeply respect the concerns raised by the players and want to state that they are priceless assets to Cape Cobras’ cricket. We will leave no stone unturned in developing the players to become international stars or retain their status as South African icons,” WCC chairperson Angelo Carolissen said.
“With the full support of the Board, the management team and a team focused on reclaiming a hat-trick of domestic titles on offer, the Cobras are committed to win the hearts and minds of our die-hard fans and make PPC Newlands a fortress of Cobras-domination again.”
The consequence of this decision may though have grave effects for the franchise in the long-term. The breakdown of relationships has now stretched further than just Adams and the players.
The WCC executive board has seemingly lost the respect of the majority of senior players due to the manner in which the negotiations have been conducted. This all came to a head on Monday morning when the WCC had hoped to meet the aggrieved players individually or in groups of three before the board meeting last night.
After consultation with the South African Players Association (Saca), the players refused to meet individually due to the belief that the WCC executive board were adopting a “divide and rule” tactic, according to an unnamed player.
"The WCC demanded to meet with the players in small groups and it was unacceptable for the players," Saca president Tony Irish told Independent Media. "It was never an individual issue but a collective grievance."
Independent Media