UCB form commission to monitor bribery and match-fixing (24 July 1999)

24 July 1999

UCB form commission to monitor bribery and match-fixing

Trevor Chesterfield

Johannesburg (South Africa) - While the International Cricket Council launch their own investigation into world-wide bribery and match-fixing charges South Africa are to monitor the situation in the country through a 'prevention is better than a cure' plan.

Ray White, re-elected president of the United Cricket Board at today's annual meeting, told delegates that the board is to set up their own commission whose members would investigate any charges 'of bribery and betting on games'. Although not a new phenomenon White said the board's concern was that the game had to retain its image of fair play. While no South African player had yet been involved in any claims of match fixing, the thought was that the commission would act swiftly to investigate any allegations should they arise. 'I know that our players have a good record and have not ruined their reputation by being involved in such practices,' White told the meeting. 'It is a matter of serious concern to all of us and is one of the reasons why the UCB have decided to form a commission to keep an eye on matters.'

White, challenged for the presidency by Western Province's Percy Sonn, was re-elected on a popular vote with the margin believed to be a lot wider than was first thought. In trouble with some UCB members over comments made at Newlands during the New Year over the transformation process White's re-election is seen as forcing the political elements with in the board into a shadowy background.

The message of the challenge for the presidency was one of a political manoeuvre as the pace of transformation picks up and starts running a little faster.

One new face at senior executive level is that of John Blair as the board's treasurer who beat incumbent Julian Thornton for the position. Thornton had been the UCB's treasurer since unity in 1991 and served in the same capacity with the old South African Cricket Union since 1984.

The three black representatives elected to the board were Gerald Majola, Solomon Makhosana and Tim Khumalo while the popular Ray Mali withdrew his nomination. As it is Mali is vice-president of the board's high-profile Transformation Monitoring Committee which presented their first report.

It was within the framework of the committee the UCB present's cricket's pledge to the nation at Newlands over the New Year in which the 10 main thrusts of transformation were outlined. No other major sport has come forward with a document clearly outlining aims and objectives as have the UCB. The success of the work of the committee, however, is unlikely to be seen until the new season.

An application by Kwa/Zulu Natal Inland, based in Pietermaritzburg, to form what would have been the 12th province was turned down by delegates. There was a view that the application had come too soon and might be more favourably considered in a year's time.

One interesting fact to emerge from the treasurer's report was there was an increase in the number of spectators attending the first-class Super Sport Series matches while fewer spectators attended the domestic limited-overs series. There was an impressive increase in the number of spectators, compared to previous seasons, attending the Tests between South Africa and the West Indies: the numbers moving up by more than 150 000 to more than 500 000 for the series.

Source :: Trevor Chesterfield, Pretoria News