The “will he or won’t he” scenario around whether Russell Domingo will apply to continue as the Proteas coach will have to be decided soon as Cricket South Africa set the wheels in motion on Thursday.
The CSA Board of Directors have approved the process to appoint the next Proteas head coach at a meeting in Johannesburg, and hope to have the chosen candidate and his management team decided by September.
Domingo’s current contract expires at the end of the England tour. The Proteas left South Africa on Tuesday ahead of a three-game ODI series against the English, which is followed by the ICC Champions Trophy and a four-Test series against the hosts.
The CSA Board appointed a selection panel to make a recommendation – Norman Arendse SC, Rihan Richards, Oupa Nkagisang, Gary Kirsten and Eric Simons.
“There has been uninformed negativity in the media about the Board’s decision to start a process to recruit a coach for the men’s senior national team,” Board chairman and CSA president Chris Nenzani said.
“But the reasons for our doing this were obvious, and the committee we have appointed to oversee the process will make sure that we have all bases covered.”
Advocate Norman Arendse, a long-time SA cricket administrator and chief selector, will be part of the panel to appoint the next Proteas coach. Photo: Masi Losi
Among the administrative decisions made by the board, the national selectors have been given an extension to their term of office until the end of the 2019 World Cup.
Former Proteas left-arm spinner Robin Peterson was also added to the Cricket Committee as the eminent past player representative.
Peterson takes over from Ashwell Prince, who is the head coach at the Cape Cobras.
There will be a “comprehensive review” schools cricket as well, in an attempt to set up a new governance structure to ensure that the management of schools cricket is integrated into CSA and the provinces.