Johannesburg – Cricket South Africa’s newly installed chief executive, Haroon Lorgat, remains optimistic that the blockbuster tour by India later this year will go ahead, though there could be some changes to the schedule.
The Indian tour was thought to be in jeopardy over Lorgat’s appointment as Cricket SA’s CEO, but the 53-year-old administrator, pointed to the presence of the Indian A team in the country as proof all was on track for the summer.
“I don’t believe so,” he said about the tour being in danger.
“The A team just came in (Monday) and I welcomed them at the High Performance Centre. If you look at that A team, there are a number of players in that line-up that will be here at the end of the year. So it may be an opportunity for them to get used to the conditions. (Cheteshwar) Pujara, (Suresh) Raina, Rohit Sharma … I think they were smart to get those guys into the A team with a view to getting them familiar with the pitches.”
However, Lorgat was less sure about whether the same schedule – currently comprising three Tests, seven ODIs and two T20 Inter-nationals – will still be in place come November.
“From my understanding that (schedule) was confirmed, but there is obviously a bit of doubt in that now, I’m hopeful (the current schedule) will (still) be (in place).”
The doubts about the tour and the schedule stems from the cooling of relations between CSA and the Board of Control for Cricket in India, due to Lorgat’s appointment as CEO. He maintains he still needs to understand why there is unhappiness in India about his appointment.
“I have spoken to some people in the BCCI that I know, but they’ve got their challenges right now. They have elections coming up, so hopefully it’s not long before they sort themselves out. I know of one individual that I have to resolve whatever differences with – I don’t know that they are. “
That individual is Narayana-swami Srinivasan, who stepped aside as the BCCI’s president in May in light of a match-fixing scandal which had enveloped the IPL team, the Chennai Super Kings, which he owns.
“When I left the ICC it was on a cordial basis (with Srinivasan), in fact I spoke to him on my last day there. I don’t know what the specific issues are and I wonder if I’ve gotten trapped into a kind of media amplification of what may not be there,” said Lorgat.
Lorgat reiterated that he wants to meet with the BCCI to resolve the issues and is looking forward to doing so when the International Cricket Council hosts a meeting of all the affiliate chief executives next month.
Meanwhile, Lorgat is already dealing with a jam-packed schedule that has included; a meeting with the players’ association, some sponsors, yesterday the Sports Minister, Fikile Mbalula, and a host of media interviews.
Cricket SA’s Annual General Meeting will also take place next month while there is plenty else on the agenda, not least getting to grips in more intimate detail with the various structures in South African cricket.
“I’ll be looking at the whole cricketing structure, from domestic through to international level, including the sustainability of the domestic set-up.”
Critical to all the analysis of the structures, is the board of directors that appointed him, a body Lorgat feels can assist him in restoring Cricket SA’s severely damaged public image.
“I haven’t had a full board meeting with them, but my perception is, looking at them, that there is a fair spread of disciplines. That in itself must give everybody the confidence that you’ve got all the relevant experts that a board would classically need.
“There are some high calibre individuals on that board and that in itself must provide the confidence, because any board that you put into place to lead an organisation must have the skill sets, the experience, the credibility to provide the confidence to the public. It’s fair to say this board has got it all.”
Public confidence in Lorgat and Cricket SA in general will only change if CSA shows itself to be more honest than was the case in the latter stages of Majola’s tenure. “I would look to do things right. I believe you do things properly and the reputation takes care of itself.” – The Star
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