IF YOU’VE seen postcards of Sri Lanka, you may think Russell Domingo’s first assignment as national coach will be all about sunshine and cocktails.
The island is idyllic but Domingo and his crew will not be on holiday.
They have been sent to the place where they have their worst ODI record – having beaten Sri Lanka only once in 11 matches – to begin the limited-overs’ rebirth.
Two years of neglect has left the Proteas’ ODI and Twenty20 teams in limbo. Never mind major silverware, they don’t even have the same boring consistency that used to characterise them in the past.
To get that back will take a complete overhaul. Domingo has to start the transformation at the top and find a suitable opening partner for Hashim Amla because the Colin Ingram experiment was unsuccessful.
Instead of giving the proven Henry Davids, who was third on domestic run-charts last season with an average of over 40, a chance, the choice is between Alviro Petersen and Quinton de Kock. Petersen’s one-day record does not justify his inclusion and De Kock needs to do his time before having a sustained run at the highest level.
But it’s obvious the selectors have plans for De Kock and perhaps they are taking him to solve the AB de Villiers debate, which is Domingo’s second big task. A decision must be made over whether De Villiers will captain, bat in the top four and keep wicket or if he will give up one of those responsibilities. But it’s obvious the selectors have plans for De Kock and perhaps they are taking him to solve the AB de Villiers debate, which is Domingo’s second big task. A decision must be made over whether De Villiers will captain, bat in the top four and keep wicket or if he will give up one of those responsibilities.
If he does, it won’t be the batting role and it’s likelier he will have to concentrate on his job there with much more care. Domingo will probably opt for a settled batting line-up rather than Gary Kirsten’s floating one which should add some certainty about individual roles. And while he worries about ensuring there are enough runs on the board, he also has to coax Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Rory Kleinveldt into some kind of regular form.
Should Domingo get all of those right, even if South Africa return empty handed, it will considered a job well done. If he does not . . .
Well, the suits may not even notice because they will be occupied with appointing a new CEO.
Interviews will be held this week with Haroon Lorgat up today. Word from the inside is if it were not for the Indian board’s objections, Lorgat would have the job already.
Whispers in the wind claim the BCCI heavyweights still harbour ill feeling towards Lorgat from his days at the ICC. Lorgat rubbed India up the wrong way with his stance towards decision reviews, the Test Championship and the independent governance review of the ICC.
Those issues should not give India the right to tell South Africa who to appoint as CEO but because of the power India wield through money, they do not need a right. They have made their discontent clear and even threatened to act on it. Those issues should not give India the right to tell South Africa who to appoint as CEO but because of the power India wield through money, they do not need a right. They have made their discontent clear and even threatened to act on it.
Since March, they have been warning of a possible pull out of the upcoming tour if Lorgat is appointed. Should they follow through with that, CSA will lose out on important revenue and Sachin Tendulkar will have to wait even longer to play his 200th Test.
The BCCI does not seem to care that it takes two teams to play ball and if that attitude does not change, the fortunes of South Africa’s limited squads may become irrelevant sooner than we think.
Plenty of work for Domingo to get ODI team on track
The island is idyllic but Domingo and his crew will not be on holiday.
They have been sent to the place where they have their worst ODI record – having beaten Sri Lanka only once in 11 matches – to begin the limited-overs’ rebirth.
Two years of neglect has left the Proteas’ ODI and Twenty20 teams in limbo. Never mind major silverware, they don’t even have the same boring consistency that used to characterise them in the past.
To get that back will take a complete overhaul. Domingo has to start the transformation at the top and find a suitable opening partner for Hashim Amla because the Colin Ingram experiment was unsuccessful.
Instead of giving the proven Henry Davids, who was third on domestic run-charts last season with an average of over 40, a chance, the choice is between Alviro Petersen and Quinton de Kock. Petersen’s one-day record does not justify his inclusion and De Kock needs to do his time before having a sustained run at the highest level.
But it’s obvious the selectors have plans for De Kock and perhaps they are taking him to solve the AB de Villiers debate, which is Domingo’s second big task. A decision must be made over whether De Villiers will captain, bat in the top four and keep wicket or if he will give up one of those responsibilities. But it’s obvious the selectors have plans for De Kock and perhaps they are taking him to solve the AB de Villiers debate, which is Domingo’s second big task. A decision must be made over whether De Villiers will captain, bat in the top four and keep wicket or if he will give up one of those responsibilities.
If he does, it won’t be the batting role and it’s likelier he will have to concentrate on his job there with much more care. Domingo will probably opt for a settled batting line-up rather than Gary Kirsten’s floating one which should add some certainty about individual roles. And while he worries about ensuring there are enough runs on the board, he also has to coax Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Rory Kleinveldt into some kind of regular form.
Should Domingo get all of those right, even if South Africa return empty handed, it will considered a job well done. If he does not . . .
Well, the suits may not even notice because they will be occupied with appointing a new CEO.
Interviews will be held this week with Haroon Lorgat up today. Word from the inside is if it were not for the Indian board’s objections, Lorgat would have the job already.
Whispers in the wind claim the BCCI heavyweights still harbour ill feeling towards Lorgat from his days at the ICC. Lorgat rubbed India up the wrong way with his stance towards decision reviews, the Test Championship and the independent governance review of the ICC.
Those issues should not give India the right to tell South Africa who to appoint as CEO but because of the power India wield through money, they do not need a right. They have made their discontent clear and even threatened to act on it. Those issues should not give India the right to tell South Africa who to appoint as CEO but because of the power India wield through money, they do not need a right. They have made their discontent clear and even threatened to act on it.
Since March, they have been warning of a possible pull out of the upcoming tour if Lorgat is appointed. Should they follow through with that, CSA will lose out on important revenue and Sachin Tendulkar will have to wait even longer to play his 200th Test.
The BCCI does not seem to care that it takes two teams to play ball and if that attitude does not change, the fortunes of South Africa’s limited squads may become irrelevant sooner than we think.
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