Pollock, Ackerman join selection panel

Graeme Pollock and Hylton Ackerman were confirmed as South African selectors on Monday, coming onto the six-man panel as replacements for Clive Rice and Kepler Wessels.

Pollock, named South Africa's Cricketer of the Century in January, and Ackerman join Rushdie Magiet, Mike Procter, Gerald Majola and Morris Garda on the panel. Magiet was again named convener.

The two newcomers and their colleagues, however, will now have to adhere to a new set of regulations that will apply to the selectors. In essence, the regulations are designed to prevent the clashes of interest that have arisen in the past when selectors have mixed their duties with media work.

In particular, Wessels has been a stringent critic at times of both the national team and United Cricket Board policies. It was these criticisms, it is believed, which led to him not being nominated as a selector again this year. Neither was Rice, who is coaching at Nottinghamshire and also somehow involved in trying to the disgraced former captain Hansie Cronje a book publisher, renominated.

The absence of Wessels and Rice, however, does leave the panel without a single member who has played post-isolation international or first-class cricket. Although Pollock and Ackerman are both well-regarded as judges of a player, the panel as a whole may be seen in some quarters as lacking in first-hand knowledge of the modern game.

Managing director Ali Bacher said that Craig Matthews, the former South African fast bowler and Western Province captain, had been a late nomination for the panel. Matthews had failed to win election by one vote.

In another important development decided on at the UCB's annual meeting last weekend, a quota system will come into operation in provincial cricket for the first time. In terms of the UCB transformation policy provinces will be required to select at least two black players in the Supersport Series, the Standard Bank Cup and matches against international teams.

If provinces, for whatever reason, find themselves unable to meet this quota in any particular match, they will be able to appeal to a UCB committee to be set up for this purpose.

Bacher said that last season's policy was formulated around having 22 black players involved in provincial cricket, a figure that is to be increased to 33 this season. He said that in all 39 black players played provincial cricket last season, of which about two-thirds could be regarded as regular players.

Other decisions taken at the AGM include:

 The itinerary for Sri Lanka's has been revised to enable Sri Lanka to return home by the end of January. The tour will now end with the third Test match at Centurion;

 Kenya have been invited to take part in a triangular one-day series with South Africa and India in South Africa in October and November next year;

 Maurice Wilson of Eastern Province has been named as an ICC match referee. He will join Denis Lindsay on the panel;

 The terms of reference for the 2003 World Cup policy committee, to be chaired by Prof. Jakes Gerwel, have been drawn up;

 Three professional umpires are to be employed on a full-time basis, together with a fourth as a consultant;

 Bacher hopes to have a new general manager of the UCB in place at the beginning of the coming season in order to be able to devote himself full-time to the 2003 World Cup by no later than the end of the season. Bacher says he needs at least two years to organise the World Cup.

1. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

President: P Sonn Vice President: R Harrison Treasurer: J Blair Council Members: R Kurz, G Majola, C Robinson, Dr M Nyoka

2. FINANCE COMMITTEE

J Blair (treasurer), H Lorgat, R Harrison, R Mali, R Kurz, M Gordon

3. NATIONAL SELECTION COMMITTEE

R Magiet (convener), M Procter, G Pollock, G Majola, H Ackerman, M Garda

4. NATIONAL UNDER 19 SELECTION COMMITTEE

H Page (convener) , Dr L Naidoo, A Ferreira, K Majola, plus 3 nominations from USSASA Cricket Board

5. 2003 WORLD CUP POLICY COMMITTEE

Prof J Gerwel (convener), Dr A Bacher (director), P Sonn, R Harrison, J Blair, Dr M Nyoka, C Hall, K Ngqula, Prof M Katz, D Hendricks (Government). One additional UCB Executive Member to be appointed by UCB General Council

6. APPOINTMENT OF CONVENORS OF UCB SUB-COMMITTEES

a) Legal, Constitutional and Boundaries: R Kurz

b) Disciplinary: B Foot

c) Sponsorship: Dr A Bacher

d) Marketing: R Harrison

e) Development: R Mali

f) Coaching: J Blair

g) Country Districts; Club Cricket; Womens Cricket: C Robinson

h) Cricket Committee: Dr A Bacher

7. GENERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS

President: P Sonn Vice President: R Harrison Treasurer: J Blair

Dr M Nyoka T Khumalo G Majola G Ritchie B Foot M Gordon C Suliman C Robinson M Doherty H Paulse A Bloch F Potgieter R Mali R Kurz

8. COMMITTEE TO MEET WITH 3 OF NATIONAL PLAYERS - FOUR TIMES PER YEAR

P Sonn Dr A Bacher R Harrison

9. REMUNERATION COMMITTEE

Convenor: M King J Pamensky J Blair