By Revatha S. Silva

[caption id="attachment_157815" align="alignleft" width="220"] Former CSA President Ray Mali[/caption]

Pressure has mounted on Mark Boucher to leave his position as South Africa Head Coach. Boucher is now in Sri Lanka with their national white-ball cricket team for a six-match series in Colombo.

There is growing outcry for Boucher’s ouster after his former team-mate Paul Adams had revealed during Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) Social Justice and Nation-building (SJN) hearing that Boucher had referred to him as “brown sh*t” during their playing days.

The protest is also aimed at current CSA Director of Cricket and their former Captain Graeme Smith.

On how they were appointed

Last week, former CSA President Ray Mali claimed that “since the CSA board that recruited Smith and Boucher was dubious, their own nominations should be questioned as well.”

“In order for there to be peace, it is required for those two men in Smith and Boucher to vacate their positions. There is little clarity in how they were appointed to their positions,” Mali had been quoted as saying last week in the South African media.

Submissions from various parties

[caption id="attachment_157816" align="alignleft" width="275"] South Africa Head Coach now in Colombo, Mark Boucher[/caption]

SJN’s hearings on racial discrimination in the game began on 5 July this year with a view to hearing over fifty submissions under its ombudsman, Advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza.

The submissions were expected from past and present players, administrators and officials, and cricket unions in the country.

Ntsebeza is expected to submit a report to CSA before 30 September with recommendations to prevent future instances of prejudices within their cricket.

SJN’s historic objective

The SJN Project was initiated by CSA’s former board headed by Beresford Williams which resigned in October last year, but has been picked up by the new board under Lawson Naidoo which was appointed only last month.

“CSA fully supports the SJN initiative. We regard it as one of the most important and significant projects to be undertaken in the 30 years of our existence as a unified cricket body,” CSA’s new Chair Naidoo had said in his address at the opening of the hearings on 5 July.

He had added: “The start of these hearing provides a key reset moment for CSA and cricket in general, an opportunity to address the past failures.”

Contemporaries

[caption id="attachment_157817" align="alignleft" width="244"] Paul Adams[/caption]

Several former administrators too had also called before the SJN hearings for Smith’s and Boucher’s current positions at CSA to be reconsidered.

Adams and Boucher played for the same South Africa team for over six years since 1997. Smith played for South Africa from 2002-14 while captaining the country almost entirety of his career.

Meanwhile Ray Mali headed CSA, formerly United Cricket Board of South Africa, on a couple of occasions in the decade of 2000-10.

Boucher’s assistant Nkwe steps down

Meanwhile Boucher’s Assistant Coach Enoch Nkwe resigned last weekend from his position, days before their departure to Sri Lanka.

While part of the reason for Nkwe’s stepping down was put down to personal ambitions, CSA had also cited “concerns about the functioning and culture of the team environment.”

“The Board will be taking the necessary steps to investigate and address the issues raised by Enoch. We will not be commenting further on this until the process has been completed,” CSA said.

Support staff here

[caption id="attachment_157819" align="alignright" width="294"] Current CSA Chair Lawson Naidoo[/caption]

South Africa cricket team arrived in Colombo on Thursday (26) under Skipper Temba Bavuma. The first of the three-match ODI series will be on Thursday (2).

Their support staff includes Coach Mandla Mashimbyi, who will accompany Boucher, Justin Ontong, Fielding Coach, and Justin Sammons, new batting consultant. Their regular Bowling Coach Charl Langeveldt did not make the trip owing to Covid-19 protocols.

The Protea ODI side will be without key players Quinton de Kock (who has been rested), David Miller (injured) and Lungi Ngidi (personal reasons). The three are expected to travel here for the T20I leg of the series starting on 10 September.

All six matches will be played at the R. Premadasa Stadium under lights.

South Africa ODI squad:

Temba Bavuma (Captain), Junior Dala, Beuran Hendricks, Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, George Linde, Janneman Malan, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne, and Lizaad Williams

South Africa T20I squad:

Temba Bavuma (Captain), Quinton de Kock, Bjorn Fortuin, Beuran Hendricks, Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, George Linde, Keshav Maharaj, Sisanda Magala, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen, and Lizaad Williams