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Cricket South Africa's transformation policy
'We need to be reasonable' - Majola
Cricinfo staff
March 22, 2008
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Gerald Majola: "Our transformation policy has not changed. It's about targets, we aspire to reach certain targets. But we also believe we need to be reasonable and look at what we have"
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Gerald Majola, the chief executive of Cricket South Africa, has emphasised the board needs to be reasonable while trying to adhere to its transformation policy.
"Our transformation policy has not changed. It's about targets, we aspire to reach certain targets," Majola told Reuters. "But we also believe we need to be reasonable and look at what we have.
"We understand that there are specialist positions in cricket and if we need four or five black players and they are mostly bowlers, then we will have issues of balance within the team," he said. "That is why it is a target."
The selection of South Africa's national sides have been in the headlines of late, with the latest episode seeing Charl Langeveldt opt out of the tour to India, as he was upset by the controversy surrounding his selection ahead of Andre Nel, a decision many felt was taken by the selectors to fulfil the requirements of the transformation policy, which stipulates that a 15-man touring squad must have at least seven players of colour.
Prior to that, the selection of South Africa's national team for the recent tour of Bangladesh caused a public spat between coach Mickey Arthur and CSA president Norman Arendse, who was unhappy the 14-man squad didn't have enough players of colour. However, it's believed the team originally selected was finally sent for the tour.
Majola said that all selection matters, including the one-off decision of Monde Zondeki replacing Langeveldt, had to go through the CSA president. "The process is that the selectors sit down and choose a team and then take it to the president. Even if they are choosing just one player, they must always go back to the president
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"He has a right of veto, in terms of ensuring that CSA's policies are met."
Majola, though, admitted the recent incidents had overshadowed the performance of the team. "I think all this drama is a concern to all cricket lovers, cricket is making headlines for reasons other than the magnificent performance of the team.
"It must be very frustrating for the players when things like 400 partnerships are overshadowed by players withdrawing from teams because of other issues. That's not where we want to be."
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