Board of Cricket SA must all go

It was Cricket South Africa (CSA) former president Mtutuzeli Nyoka who said last week “the house is on fire”.

But, to use Nyoka’s metaphor, current president Chris Nenzani, as the householder, stood around and did nothing – maybe even passed the cans of petrol tossed onto the blaze – and let someone else summon the fire brigade.

So, as the outgoing SA Cricketers’ Association chief executive, Tony Irish, correctly observed, it was appalling that Nenzani and the rest of the tainted and compromised board of directors of CSA did not resign.

Instead, they heaped all the blame on CSA’s suspended CEO, Thabang Moroe. And hoping to assure fans things were getting back to normal, Nenzani and the board appointed Titans head Jacques Faul as acting CEO.

Nenzani said the appointment of former Proteas captain Graeme Smith as national director of coaching would be announced this week.

Those moves are to be welcomed but, ultimately, the rot in cricket goes deep – so deep that long-time sponsor Standard Bank will not renew its R100 million four-year deal with CSA.

Cricket owes the country a fresh start and wiping the slate clean means the existing board must jointly take responsibility.

Do the honourable and sporting thing, people – walk.

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