Call for intervention in EP Cricket elections

DISGRUNTLED metro clubs have written to Cricket South Africa and appealed for them to take control of Eastern Province Cricket’s stalled election process.

By late last night, almost 20 clubs had endorsed the letter addressed to CSA from “Concerned Cricket Clubs Affiliated to EP Cricket” asking that the national body “appoint an independent commission to oversee the entire nomination and selection pro- cess”. They go on to request that “all nomination forms and CVs be submitted to CSA”.

The clubs are up in arms following a decision by EP Cricket’s board of directors, led by acting president Dr Malcolm Figg, to change the independent firm handling the nominations process, which then led to candidates nominated by them being eliminated from the voting process. They also want to know what the criteria were to disqualify certain nominees from standing for election.

EP Cricket’s AGM took place on Saturday but the election process was adjourned due to the fact that the board was not able to provide valid reasons for the above complaints.

The board was given the opportunity to establish and present the detail to the clubs on Tuesday night before the elections could proceed on Saturday. But the clubs were not satisfied with the board’s and the nomination committee’s explanations and complained that two additional items on Tuesday night’s agenda were “clearly done to discredit some nominees”.

“We believe the final list compiled by Pumezabona [nominations committee] does not reflect the true potential of Gary Paul, Dave Callaghan, Gary Dolley, Graeme Sauls and Richard Dolley as indicated in their CVs and that they should be reinstated on the nominations list,” the letter to CSA said. “We the undersigned clubs would urge CSA to intervene and stop the election process and adjourned AGM.”

Dr Figg said yesterday as far as the board was concerned the election would take place this weekend.

“The nominations committee explained to the clubs how the process was carried out and who the final candidates are. The election process will happen on Saturday at 9.30am.”

However, it is clear the protesting clubs are looking to have the elections postponed again. Whether or not the process goes ahead is dependent on whether or not CSA and chief executive Haroon Lorgat see the need to step in and take control of matters.