Cricket South Africa addresses concerns, MSL to be played in December
JOBURG – Cricket South Africa have addressed issues in light of the Coronavirus through a tele-press conference with Graeme Smith and Jacque Faul.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) has put measures in place to keep cricket going in South Africa after the nationwide lockdown.
So said the sport body’s CEO, Jacques Faul, and interim director of cricket, Graeme Smith during a tele-press conference with the media on 31 March.
In a video session on the Zoom app, the pair addressed concerns the media and public have had since President Cyril Ramaphosa instituted the lockdown to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
Key points made during the tele-press conference were that the Mzansi Super League (MSL) would still be held this year in December, and with financial backlashes in various industries, the finances of Cricket South Africa were covered for the next season with only a small possibility of player income cuts from bonus winning earnings.
“Our biggest source of income is from broadcasting so if it will fall it will come from there,” Faul added, although he said the immediate future of CSA was secure.
Southern hemisphere’s international cricket is between seasons at the moment but the Proteas men’s team are scheduled to tour Sri Lanka in June. Smith said six weeks before the tour started, his team would assess the situation and whether the tour could go ahead.
Training camps for both the men’s and women’s national and academy teams have been cancelled but Smith said coaches’ expectations of players have been communicated to them and it is their responsibility to train and maintain their fitness at home.
Faul explained that CSA’s approach to the coronavirus was four-fold: Make sure all the players are safe, use the voice of cricket stars to fight the virus, stay in contact with stakeholders and plan for post Covid-19, which he said had all been implemented.
Smith’s own contract as interim-director of cricket was about to expire and Faul said they would make an announcement next week about whether the contract would be extended.
But the manner of the pair’s discussion pointed to an extension of the contract, with both discussing plans they had for months and years in the future, and Faul joking that the decision whether to renew Smith’s contract may be impacted on whether he shaves his stubble.
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