When now-suspended Cricket South Africa (CSA) boss Thabang Moroe announced the plans for a new system at the union earlier this year, I was convinced it meant the end of cricket as we knew it.
I recall feeling cheated, sold out.
Yes, the Proteas just returned from what was a heartbreaking World Cup campaign and I could see why coach Ottis Gibson would be given the boot.
But up stepped Thabang Moroe and CSA to claim power of the Proteas.
I remember him saying that they want to bring the Proteas closer to the union.
Later, I studied the new coaching organogram and came to the conclusion that the new system was designed in such a way that the guys in the boardroom would basically have total control over the team.
And I wasn’t impressed.
Nor was I impressed with the cricket our national team was playing and even less impressed by the level of the game in our domestic tournaments.
GREATEST OF ALL TIME: Ali Bacher, in my opinion, has to be the greatest cricket administrator of all time. Picture: Dumisani Sibeko.
Here’s the thing: SA legend Ali Bacher is, in my books, the greatest cricket administrator of our time.
And I believe it is because he played the game at the highest level and have a love for the GAME. Not money, the sport we all enjoy and first play for the love of it.
Admittedly, I don’t know much about Moroe’s past as a cricketer.
I’ve tried to do a Google search on a possible playing career - nothing.
Now if business is his thing, then stick to that.
But if cricket is your business and you have qualifications to run it, by all means do so. But the game comes first.
And that’s why I feel a bit better about the changes at CSA.
Yes, it will take a long time to recover from the mess the ousted leaders have left us in, but at least there is a realisation that cricket guys must fix cricket issues.
In steps former International Cricket Council chief Dave Richardson who will help long-time Titans CEO Jacques Faul, who is now interim CEO, and ex-national skipper Graeme Smith.
Richardson first. He is not known to me as an ICC chief, I remember him as a wicketkeeper playing for Eastern Province and South Africa back in the day.
His first love is cricket - it’s what made Dave Richardson, Dave Richardson.
DID YOU EVEN PLAY: Thabang Moroe. Picture: Christiaan Kotze/BackpagePix.
Business is second to that and combining the two, you have someone that will put the interest of the sport first.
Faul, meanwhile, has done some great work at the Titans over the years and also did the clean-up job as acting CEO in 2011 after CSA’s Gerald Majola meltdown.
The Blue Bulls wanted him to head up the union recently, but cricket is his first love.
Then there is Smith, who is believed to be on the verge of signing on the dotted down line as the Proteas new Director of Cricket.
Personally, I would have liked someone more experienced in the coaching department.
Maybe a Gary Kirsten, who has been there and done it all.
I think Kirsten would have been the perfect Director of Cricket, seeing that he doesn’t want to travel the world as a coach.
Or is it he doesn’t want an office job, because he still loves coaching so much?
I can’t keep track of the excuses mentioned as reasons why he is not interested, so I’m beginning to wonder if it doesn’t have to do with the politics of the admin behind the Proteas.
CLOSING IN: Graeme Smith for DOC. Picture: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix.
Anyway, old Biff is not such a bad call really.
At least he is a former Test captain and not just a random player who couldn’t break through, but now wants to take charge of the team.
I am, however, unconvinced about his credentials as a manager/coach, so I reserve judgement.
Back to the boardroom, as soon as an administrator, or any CEO of any business, becomes a bigger story than the business, you know there is something wrong at the top.
And then it’s time to clean house, good luck to CSA’s new cleaning crew.