P Deeley: 'Fast track' to integration (17 Jun 1998)

17 June 1998

'Fast track' to integration

By Peter Deeley

SOUTH African cricket is taking extraordinary steps to speed up integration of the races in the game to win the interest of the non-white majority.

Revealing his "fast-track" approach yesterday, Dr Ali Bacher, managing director of the United Cricket Board, said three blacks would be appointed to the board's decision-making executive committee this month.

They will be the first black Africans to sit on the 15-man board, presently composed of a majority of whites, along with Asian and 'coloured' representatives.

Bacher, in London for the Lord's Test, which starts tomorrow, said the intention was to "make cricket the people's sport - the game supported by all South Africans. If we cannot achieve that, it could be the kiss of death". He added: "The board can't make it happen: we have to get the people on the ground to drive it."

A special conference later this year of 750 people from all levels of the sport will be asked to help shape cricket's future.

Cricket South Africa, Bacher added, were undergoing their own "truth and reconciliation process" - administrators, players, teachers and coaches in every province confessing their faults and prejudices during the apartheid years.

Bacher said sides at all levels "should be composed of teams of colour [different races]". But he stressed:""I am not saying they must be: we cannot compromise cricketing standards.

"We need to fast-track black clubs and players who have promise and potential. Opportunities must be provided on every possible occasion for blacks to improve their potential."

From these changes, Bacher forecasts that in 10 years a South African Test side will truly reflect the country's demographic make-up.

Three England invalids are expected to be fit for the Test. Michael Atherton has a heavy cold, Alec Stewart is feeling the effects of food poisoning and Mark Butcher is nursing a bruised thumb. South Africa are set to draft in Adam Bacher for opener Gerhardus Liebenberg.

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)