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Cape Town - Twitter exploded in a combination of fury, dismay and disbelief over Cricket South Africa as critical, long-time Proteas team title sponsors Standard Bank signalled on Friday their intention to withdraw soon after completion of the 2019/20 summer.
They have been an integral partner to the national team for close on two decades, and the decision will have far-reaching consequence for CSA, as the crisis-torn organisation is already fighting an uphill battle for sponsorships - most of the major domestic competitions, for example, do not have title sponsors.
Widely-travelled coach and former first-class player Dave Nosworthy (@DONCRICKET), who was linked recently to the vacant director of cricket post, said: "MASSIVE BLOW … for so many good and hard-working people in cricket behind the scenes who’ve done nothing wrong other than to play, coach and administer this wonderful game. The knock-on effects will be huge."
Widely-followed, Australian-based satirical cricket Twitter forum "Dennis PSL Draft" (it has a revolving heading, but operates under the handle @DennisCricket_) simply wrote: "CSA are officially junk bonds."
Scribe Lungani Zama (@whamzam17) questioned the silence from the Sports Ministry over the ongoing flashpoints at CSA: "Once Standard Bank goes, there will be no headline sponsor in South African cricket. The people are voting with their feet. Another Board member gone this morning. Still no word from the Sports Ministry. If not now, then when?"
But veteran editor of the SA Cricket Annual Colin Bryden (@colinbryden1) wasn't so sure on that front: "Do we really want the Government involved? It seems to me that cricket people are finally finding their voice for the good of the game."
Political commentator and cricket lover Judith February (@judith_february) had a stark message for embattled CSA CEO Thabang Moroe - since suspended by the Board - in the immediate wake of the bank’s decision: "So will Moroe and his corrupt colleagues resign? Their position is untenable and there will be no sponsorship if they remain. This is an absolute disgrace and again shows the consequences of having the wrong people in important positions."
Sport24 journalists also had their say.
Chief writer Rob Houwing (@RobHouwing) said: "(Standard Bank pulling the plug) comes as another torpedo to CSA’s hull, and will only add to mounting clamour for purge of leadership, clean start!"
Colleague Lloyd Burnard (@LloydBurnard) added:"Standard Bank walk away from CSA in what is surely the killer blow to this administration. When sponsors and players start bailing, that’s when it becomes irretrievable."
There were some slightly tempering views on the situation - writer Darrel Bristow-Bovey (@dbbovey) observed: "This is a very South African situation. Cricket fans cheering the Standard Bank decision, crowing about how it serves CSA right, enjoying anything that hurts their enemy, totally ignoring thoughts of how it’s going to hurt them."
In not dissimilar vein, EWN sports editor Adrian Ephraim (@AdrianEphraim) said: "Despite our ill-feelings towards the current CSA bosses, it’s sad to see a major sponsor step away when cricket in SA needs it the most … players, staff and fans lose most."
ESPNcricinfo’s Firdose Moonda (@FirdoseM) - one of the journalists affected by the withdrawal of CSA accreditation last weekend - kept it short and sweet: "This is massively bad news for South African cricket."
- Compiled by Sport24 staff
