Colin Bryden: Cricket development not getting the expected runs (20 Apr 1997)

Cricket development not getting the expected runs

by Colin Bryden, 20 April 1997

Problems beset the United Cricket Board on all side of the pyramid. At the pinnacle, the national team is struggling. At the base, there are rumblings about affirmative action.

As reported in the Sunday Times early in the season, there is disquiet about the lack of progression from grass roots development to representation at senior level.

Norman Arendse, a member of the Western Province Cricket Association executive, last week called on the United Cricket Board to enforce a quota system at provincial level, with a minimum of four black players in each team.

Affirmative action is already implemented up to provincial B level, with provinces required to include to "affirmative" choices in each team.

The problem, though, is unfortunately not one that can be solved simply by forced selections.

Ali Bacher, managing director of the United Cricket Board, will call a "Vision for Cricket" conference in July to confront the issues. The way he sees it, attitudes remain a crucial factor.

"I attended a PG Bison under 15 tournaments this season," he said. "Affirmative action is very much part of the tournament, yet in one match both teams had left two black players out of their squads of 13 when they made their final selection. That sort of thinking by managers works against what we are trying to achieve."

Bacher believes the problem is so serious that he has hired a firm of consultants, credited with bringing about transformation in Kader Asmal's Water Affairs department, to work with cricket officials.

"We want everyone in cricket to share the same vision," said Bacher. "When we get together in July we want representatives from every level of the game. It is not even just about the playing of the game. It is about bringing on umpires, scorers, coaches, administrators, groundsmen and commentators."

Before the July indaba, the consultants will investigate different aspects of cricket. "They will talk for instance to the chairman of primary schools selectors so that when we get together in July we can talk openly and honestly about every area of the game," said Bacher.

A key area of concern is the lack of absorption at senior club level of black cricketers. It points to a major cultural problem given the significant numbers of black players who have performed well at under 19 and under 15 level.

Despite the problems, Bacher is able to quote some promising statistics. A total of 11 local "black" cricketers played senior Supersport Series cricket this season, with Boland and Western Province leading the way with four and three respectively.

Another 40 played Bowl cricket, 42 were involved in under 19 three-day games and there were 56 black youngsters in the national under 13 week. At all these levels, the figures were boosted by an affirmative action policy.

The next big step is to achieve comparable figures without having to crack a policy whip.

Source:: The Sunday Times