Cronje does not hold back the bouquets

Kempton Park (South Africa) - Hansie Cronje's long-term planning is starting to turn out a little the way he would shape one of his longer-term innings: methodical and eliminating the risky strokes. That's about the way it came across when he jetted in from Nairobi last night and said he would only decide about the Glamorgan job at the end of the South African summer, while doing some work on the home front in terms of a chat with Dr Ali Bacher, the UCB managing director and Rushdie Majiet, national panel coach convener.

Of course, just what constitutes as a chat may be more of an exchange of ideas and not quite tie in with what Cronje or Majiet has in mind, or Dr Bacher for that matter. With yet another trophy to line the refurbished UCB office's at the Wanderers, Cronje let it be known that captaining South Africa was his first priority. Frankly, I don't think anyone had any doubt about that part of his long-term plans. It was the Glamorgan job which had worked some people into a lather, including a couple of South African selectors who saw it as a threat, especially after Cronje leadership tenure was not secured for the full England series. This particular comment has led to conjecture, speculation and the thought that Cronje may be about to step aside for someone younger.

When it came to the Glamorgan job, though, Cronje gave the impression nothing had been signed, sealed or as delivered as some would have us believe. He repeated, yet again, that the Glamorgan job was a tentative agreement and little else. His future plans would, he indicated, become clearer once he has sat down with the UCB and talked the "matter over" with them. "What I do want to make clear is that any decision on my future, and this includes the Glamorgan post, will only be made at the end of the season," he said. "Right now I am really looking forward to this season. "For me it is really important to see South Africa become the number one Test nation in the rankings. We have the chance this summer with tests against Zimbabwe, England and India. "As yet I haven't talked to the UCB but I would, as soon as possible, like to get that out of the way. I have agreed to go to Glamorgan, but I haven't finalised anything because I haven't yet had an opportunity to chat to our (UCB) board."

Which is where it is going to rest until between now and the start of Free State's SuperSport Series programme; their first match is against Boland in Bloemfontein. Not surprisingly after the Nairobi success where South Africa won the LG Cup by beating India in the final on Sunday, Cronje was pleased at the team's response to the first match defeat by India by beating in the final. The victory was as much to do with the work achieved by the new coach Graham Ford as the current team management. "Obviously the guys were a bit rusty in that first match against India after a three-month lay-off. And the game was played on a surface designed for them. "Yet if you look at the figures during the rest of the tournament, Sunil Joshi didn't take any further wickets, but on the day it turned a lot: I think the spinners turned the ball a little too much in that match."

Cronje did not hold back either when it came to handing out the bouquets: the new coach Graham Ford and Herschelle Gibbs received one each. "He (Ford) had a fairly direct, yet simple message after the defeat by India. We had a two hour session and he was responsible for the way we turned things around. He took us to the nets and the message was clear enough: 'If you perform like that again, you are going to have to work very hard to get back on top.' "After that we improved against the spinners. It was important for us to come back the way we did as we are to play India in three Tests in India in February and March. "Winning the final was a way of reminding them of our ability to bounce back after a good hiding," he commented. As for Gibbs, playing with the injured foot in the final was a tribute to his own determination and mental strength as a player.