CSA apologises to Herschelle Gibbs

Cricket South Africa has apologised to Herschelle Gibbs for prematurely announcing that his contract was terminated.

CSA had issued a release on Friday saying that they had cancelled Gibbs' contract "by mutual agreement." At the time, Gibbs' lawyer Peter Whelan was waiting for the board's legal representative to get in touch with him in order to discuss the matter. They have since met and Whelan confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that the contract has now been terminated. "Herschelle did a settlement with CSA, the terms of which are confidential. We can say that there was no bad faith from CSA. It was in everybody's interests."

Whelan rejected claims that Gibbs had breached his contract as "just rumours". A source on Friday said that Gibbs had fallen foul of the administration after violating the terms "on various grounds," in his tell-all autobiography, To the Point. The book, which sold out its first print run of 15,000 copies in five days, made damning claims against the national team, detailing how it was run by a clique of senior players comprising Graeme Smith, Mark Boucher, Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers. Gibbs had also said former coach Mickey Arthur had been a puppet and revealed details of sexual debauchery, particularly on the 1997-98 tour to Australia.

CSA asked its legal counsel to look into allegations made in the book shortly after its release but would not be drawn on whether the findings of their investigation led to Gibbs' contract being cancelled. "Because of the sensitivity of the matter as well as the confidentiality agreements signed between the parties, the matter is now closed and there will be no further comments from the parties concerned," Gerald Majola, the CSA chief executive, said in a statement.

Gibbs was one of 23 players contracted until the end of April 2011 but speculation in South Africa was rife that after the cancellation of his contract, Gibbs' international career was over. However, he "remains eligible for selection" according to the board statement. Gibbs has expressed his desire to play in next year's World Cup and recently quit first-class cricket to concentrate on the limited-overs format.

Gibbs has also obtained a no-objection certificate from CSA, allowing him to play in a Twenty20 competition in New Zealand later this month and sources say he is also interested in participating in the Australian Big Bash. He is also in discussion with his franchise, the Cobras, about signing a contract with them. According to Whelan, the possibility of an agreement with the Cobras "looks good."