South Africa coach Russell Domingo could be nearing the end of his tenure after Cricket South Africa announced on Saturday it was about to start the search for a coach to take charge after his contract ends in August.
Domingo, who was appointed in 2013 after the surprise decision of Gary Kirsten to step down, has had two extensions of his contract. He was initially appointed to take South Africa through to the 2015 World Cup but before the tournament this was extended to April 2016. The latest extension is until the end of a Test tour of England in August. But it seems no further extensions are contemplated. According to the last paragraph of a statement following a board meeting, “the board of directors resolved to commence the recruitment process for the appointment of a Proteas head coach to take charge after the tour to the UK until after the 2019 edition of the ICC World Cup”.
Asked for clarification, a CSA spokesman said Domingo could apply if he wanted to continue. In a recent press conference Domingo said he was planning his career “one series at a time”.
Domingo’s position looked shaky last year after South Africa lost successive Test series against India and England, then failed in the World Twenty20. But the team has achieved good results in both Tests and one-day matches since then.
Clarke hails Pakistan security improvements, urges caution
A top cricketing official urged caution on Saturday over efforts to revive international cricket in Pakistan, which has been suspended for nearly eight years due to security fears. Pakistan have not hosted any major cricket event — barring a limited over series against minnows Zimbabwe in 2015 — since a terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in March 2009.
Last week, the West Indies refused to tour Pakistan for two Twenty20 internationals in March, citing refusal from players over security fears. Giles Clarke, head of the Pakistan Task Team at the International Cricket Council (ICC), is currently making a two-day tour of Lahore to assess security arrangements for international teams.
Clarke met the chief minister of Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif, officials from the Pakistan Cricket Board and other security experts on Saturday. “We are looking to establish a solid and reliable base upon which international bilateral cricket at all levels can return on a regular basis to Pakistan,” Clarke said.
He said he was impressed with the arrangements put in place but cautioned against rushing things. “We know it’s important Pakistan play at home but we also know that we don’t want to get it wrong,” he said. Clarke praised Zimbabwe for sending a team to Pakistan. “Zimbabwe did a great job in coming to Pakistan and it was well organised and we wanted to build on that last year but a terrible incident happened in a Lahore park which derailed those efforts,” said Giles, referring to a bomb blast in March last year which killed 70 people.
Clarke stressed the ICC and the international cricket community “recognise the deep frustration of Pakistan cricket fans that they have been unable to host other international teams here.”
“This isn’t an easy road,” he said, adding that it was unfortunate that Pakistan had to play at neutral venues in the UAE. “But you have to remember that an international team was actually attacked,” he added.
Australia’s Big Bash
smashes records
Records have tumbled for the Twenty20 Big Bash League, with Cricket Australia saying yesterday the enormous crowds and viewership for the fast-paced format this season has surpassed expectations.
The Big Bash is in its sixth season and has used a blend of sport and entertainment to draw families and younger spectators to games. The high-octane format has proved popular, with more than one mn people attending this season’s games at an average of 30,114 per match, CA said. “Once again, fans have well and truly spoken and we couldn’t be happier with how this year’s competition has progressed on all levels,” Big Bash chief Anthony Everard said. “The season has well and truly exceeded our expectations”.
The league concluded on Saturday, with a sold-out crowd at the WACA Ground in Perth watching as the Perth Scorchers thrashed the Sydney Sixers by nine wickets to win the final. Twenty matches of the 35 BBL games this season sold out.
The highest turnout was the derby between Melbourne Stars and Melbourne Renegades at the MCG on January 1, that attracted 71,162 spectators. The host broadcaster, Network Ten, had an average viewership of 1,021,750 per match for the season.
The women’s BBL, in its second season, also drew an “unprecedented level” of crowds and television viewers and encouraged more women and girls to play cricket, CA said. More than 100,000 people watched the women’s games this season, with the highest attendance of 24,000 recorded for the Melbourne derby on New Year’s Day.
Cricket Australia has sought to capitalise on the league’s popularity by adding eight matches to the men’s competition next season. The venues have yet to be announced, although Cricket NSW chief has said holding the opening round in Hong Kong could be one option. There were no plans at this stage to increase the number of teams in the league, CA said on Friday.
Russell Domingo
