Gauteng name new chief executive

Thabo Moseki, a 41-year-old communications specialist, was named the new Chief Executive Officer of the Gauteng Cricket Board on Monday night.

Moseki fills a gap left by the resignation of former general manager, Ziggy Wadvalla, towards the end of last year.

Formerly the senior manager of corporate communications with the National Electricity Regulator, Moseki felt the three biggest challenges facing him in his new role would be hosting the 2003 World Cup final at the Wanderers, transformation in the sense of bringing through youngster from the previously disadvantaged areas and making use of programmes already in place and bringing spectators back to the Wanderers.

His greatest challenge, however, might be in restoring Gauteng cricket to its former pre-eminence on the field. Last season the Highveld Strikers, Gauteng's playing arm, finished bottom of the SuperSport Series log.

He will have Alan Kourie, the former South African spin bowler who was recently appointed director of cricket to rely on on the playing side, but one of Moseki's priorities will have to be to stop the drain of talent from the Wanderers.

In announcing Moseki's appointment, Gauteng chairman Gerald Ritchie stressed that Moseki was the best man for the job and was not an affirmative action appointment.

By his own admission, however, Moseki has little background in cricket and with the success or failure of sports invariably judged by results on the field, the new chief executive will have his hands full trying to pull Gauteng out of the mire.