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Cape Town – Haroon Lorgat has been chief executive of Cricket South Africa only since late July ... but already a slightly bizarre period of “long leave” appears on the cards for him.
It will be a morally unsatisfactory but arguably necessary compromise, at the insistence – whether publicly acknowledged or not – of the all-powerful Board of Control for Cricket in India to save that country’s lucrative tour of South Africa this summer, albeit in a shortened format to that initially wished by CSA.
As reported on Sport24 earlier this week, a new announcement over the tour (possibly including an overdue, amended and mutually acceptable itinerary) is expected on Friday or Saturday.
On the authoritative www.espncricinfo.com on Thursday, writers Amol Karhadkar and Firdose Moonda suggested “headway” in the complicated impasse, with former International Cricket Council CEO Lorgat, who is deeply unpopular with high-ranking Indian bosses, likely to have to step aside from “affairs involving India”.
The website said it understood that CSA has offered to “send Lorgat on long leave” in order to ensure that the tour go ahead.
“It is also understood that CSA has informed the BCCI bosses that they would be working out a plan before the end of the tour to ensure Lorgat is not involved in future dealings with the BCCI.
“Should CSA's proposal to keep Lorgat out of any engagement with the BCCI come through, the itinerary for the tour of South Africa is being mulled by the BCCI.
“There is a possibility that the BCCI might even accede to CSA’s wish to play three Tests, instead of two, should discussions end in agreement.
“If the BCCI agrees to keep its team in South Africa for the New Year’s Test (traditionally staged before big crowds at Newlands – Sport24), that would help CSA reduce its projected loss in revenue.”
After CSA first revealed (prematurely and unilaterally, say the BCCI) a bumper itinerary featuring three Tests, seven one-day internationals and two Twenty20 internationals several weeks back, smoke signals from India suggest the BCCI has only freed up the national team to play in South Africa in the month of December and play only two Tests and three ODIs.
*Follow our chief writer on Twitter: @RobHouwing
It will be a morally unsatisfactory but arguably necessary compromise, at the insistence – whether publicly acknowledged or not – of the all-powerful Board of Control for Cricket in India to save that country’s lucrative tour of South Africa this summer, albeit in a shortened format to that initially wished by CSA.
As reported on Sport24 earlier this week, a new announcement over the tour (possibly including an overdue, amended and mutually acceptable itinerary) is expected on Friday or Saturday.
On the authoritative www.espncricinfo.com on Thursday, writers Amol Karhadkar and Firdose Moonda suggested “headway” in the complicated impasse, with former International Cricket Council CEO Lorgat, who is deeply unpopular with high-ranking Indian bosses, likely to have to step aside from “affairs involving India”.
The website said it understood that CSA has offered to “send Lorgat on long leave” in order to ensure that the tour go ahead.
“It is also understood that CSA has informed the BCCI bosses that they would be working out a plan before the end of the tour to ensure Lorgat is not involved in future dealings with the BCCI.
“Should CSA's proposal to keep Lorgat out of any engagement with the BCCI come through, the itinerary for the tour of South Africa is being mulled by the BCCI.
“There is a possibility that the BCCI might even accede to CSA’s wish to play three Tests, instead of two, should discussions end in agreement.
“If the BCCI agrees to keep its team in South Africa for the New Year’s Test (traditionally staged before big crowds at Newlands – Sport24), that would help CSA reduce its projected loss in revenue.”
After CSA first revealed (prematurely and unilaterally, say the BCCI) a bumper itinerary featuring three Tests, seven one-day internationals and two Twenty20 internationals several weeks back, smoke signals from India suggest the BCCI has only freed up the national team to play in South Africa in the month of December and play only two Tests and three ODIs.
*Follow our chief writer on Twitter: @RobHouwing
