In times that are proving to be increasingly uncertain, the full-time appointment of former Proteas captain Graeme Smith is the step in the right direction at a time when South African cricket needs to remain calm, writes Alasdair Fraser.
What will the sport be like in 12 months time? Will we have a regular domestic programme and a summer of international cricket? Questions that need to be answered – at least by July.
When Smith was appointed as CSA’s interim Director of Cricket, there was a collective sigh of relief. His predecessor had passed his sell-by date, although there was a smattering of negativity based on Biff’s captaincy style and a team culture of cliques.
There has been steady progress under Mark Boucher, with the Proteas Test XI showing signs of rebuilding. Given that the Proteas’ woeful showing at the Cricket World Cup was cause for concern, there has been a “Marked” improvement in the team’s fortunes.
Youngblood has been slowly integrated into the side and we began to see positive results coming through after beating a decent Aussie outfit 3-0 in the ODIs. There is a question mark that remains – one that could have been answered in India, but COVID-19 ensured there was an abrupt end without a ball being bowled.
Smith, meanwhile, was waiting for his IPL duties to commence and left his director role hanging in the balance. Hindsight is a wonderful thing and perhaps he may have been appointed. Given COVID-19’s obliteration of the professional sporting world and major events, having Smith and Boucher working together will help heal our wounds.
Already, we have seen positive results behind the scenes. Technical and support teams that have been set up by Smith are in line, and often beyond, the representative goals set out by CSA.
Transformation is key and what came out from Smith during the Boxing Day Test against England was a desire to identify and invest in players that get lost through the cracks at a critical stage of their cricket development. For me, that is the most important factor.
This leads me into the masterstroke of bringing Ashwell Prince on board as the South Africa A coach. Prince is highly undervalued as an identifier of talent and harnessing the promising youth out there. We have seen several young Proteas under Prince’s watchful eyes doing well at international level – in a short space of time. The positives results are already there. Whether Prince will remain as coach, however, remains to be seen.
You are always as good as your last game, and the Proteas smashed Australia. I know it is early days but if you were an investor, you’d be happy with the early returns on your investment.
Talking of investments, Smith is well connected. He knows the right people in the corporate sector and that’s where sponsors come in. Right now, more than ever, we need sponsors. Funds are drying up fast due to COVID-19 and it will be fascinating to see how this all plays out in the coming months.
Which brings me to what we are all crying out for. Stability. Everyone is unsure and I wish there was a definitive answer. The only blessing right now is that winter is near, which means our cricket season has packed away its pads and gloves, although not in the boardroom.
The Test tour to the Caribbean is looking increasingly unlikely, which means Test cricket from a Proteas perspective won’t be in our periphery till December. Right now, it’s white-ball cricket.
I have no doubt Smith will be cooking up a few ideas and the agenda of the Mzansi Super League should be at the forefront of that. If anything, a solution needs to be made of whether CSA should have the entire event being played out behind closed doors during August up in the dry winter Highveld.
Yes, we want the fans, the atmosphere and all the trimmings that come with T20 smash and grab, but the product is mainly for TV. If Smith can tap into his connections with the IPL, we could have a world-class offering on our shores for a global audience screaming for any live sport, and should the T20 World Cup go ahead in Australia, the Proteas might be well primed to be genuine contenders and CSA might have some much-needed revenue in their coffers.
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