England cricket tour to go ahead despite CSA in-fighting
The tourists are set to play three ODIs and three T20 internationals, all in the Western Cape, following a period of quarantine by the visitors.
Is Quinton de Kock being asked to do too much at national level, and is it something that is affecting his batting? Picture: Getty Images
England’s cricketers are expected to arrive in Cape Town on Tuesday to begin a 10-day quarantine period ahead of their limited over series against the Proteas.
Starting on November 27, the tourists will take on South Africa in three T20s and three ODIs – played at Newlands and Boland Park – until December 9.
There had been concerns that the tour might not go ahead given the events of last week when Cricket South Africa (CSA) descended deeper into administrative crisis. CSA’s members’ council is refusing to hand over power to an interim board that was set up by sports minister Nathi Mthethwa with the aim of cleaning up the game, which has not gone down well with Mthethwa, who has threatened to intervene further.
Mthethwa has the power to effectively strip the Proteas of their national colours, while there is also the concern of ICC intervention should there be extreme government interference in the running of the sport.
Sport24 had it confirmed on Monday, though, that CSA is expecting the tour to go ahead and that it has not heard anything out of England suggesting a delay of any form. The pressure from the sports minister will not relinquish, though.
In a letter sent to the members’ council last week, Mthethwa strongly urged they reconsider their collective stance on the interim board. The members’ council is also understood to have met on Friday night, where it was again decided that it would not sign in the interim board.
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