Hashim Amla's move to Cobras clouded in mystery

23 April 2013 - 02:47 By TELFORD VICE
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Batsman Hashim Amla
Batsman Hashim Amla

The hottest batting property in world cricket changed hands yesterday when Hashim Amla confirmed his move from the Dolphins to the Cobras.

But what promptedAmla's decision has not been made known and, considering his commitments to the national team, what the KZN franchise will lose is as negligible as what the Capetonians will gain.

Press releases yesterday from Amla and the Kwa-Zulu-Natal Cricket Union steered clear of the reasons for Amla's decision.

KZNCU chief executive Jesse Chellan said he "cannot answer" why Amla was leaving the Dolphins.

"We've got no hold over him," Chellan said. "He's a Cricket SA-contracted player and he chooses whichever franchise he wants to. The players make choices based on a variety of factors and only they understand why."

Amla's agent, Ismail Kajee, would say only that his client had made "a personal decision driven by business reasons".

That left the door open to speculation about whether the differences that, according to media reports in recent weeks, have arisen between Amla and the Dolphins prompted his switch of allegiance.

Among the issues Amla is said to have with the KZNCU is that Roger Telemachus has been appointed coach of the province's amateur team despite Amla's brother, Ahmed, being led to believe the job was his.

The KZNCU has denied that Ahmed Amla was promised the position but his retirement as a player last week added fuel to the fire.

Kajee rubbished the reports as "blatant lies" and said: "We have never mentioned those concerns to anyone."

In what he admitted was "a difficult decision for me", Hashim Amla said he had "always considered myself a Durban boy".

The Cobras have no difficulty welcoming their new signing.

Chief executive Andre Odendaal said: "I do not think we fully appreciate yet how highly history will measure Hashim's value to South African cricket and, besides his brilliance on the field and humility off it, he will add to a diversity that the Cobras prize and believe to be a precondition for excellence and success."

But the Cobras won't see much of Amla, who has been available for less than half - 42 of a possible 93 - of the first-class matches the Dolphins have played since the franchise era started in 2004-2005.

He last played a four-day match for the Dolphins in February 2012 and has played only three one-day games for the team since January 2010. He was last in action in a franchise T20 game on February 18 2009.

Despite that, Cobras coach Paul Adams is looking forward to having Amla on board.

"We understand that Hashim will not play a lot for us but he adds depth and aura to a brand that we want to make the best," Adams said. "He is the perfect guy to have in any team."

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