Government must deal with wimps of Cricket South Africa

Whereas South Africa has been enormously proud of the national cricket team's achievements, the same cannot be said of its sports administrators.

Graeme Smith has led the team with the self-assurance, panache and commitment of a true general, always shining the spotlight on the gems in his team.

His achievement is all the more impressive given the shambles and shenanigans of the past few years.

The empty suits at Cricket South Africa (CSA) have been an utter embarrassment. They continue to bring dishonour to this country. Their singular lack of courage, especially their duplicity, is not in keeping with people associated with the game of cricket.

It is often said that sportsmen and women should always be on their best behaviour, on and off the field, because they are ambassadors for their country. The same is true of sports administrators. They should at all times project the best image of their country to the world.

The cancer in cricket started with the hosting of the Indian Premier League in South Africa in 2009. At the time, it looked like manna from heaven. Gerald Majola, then CSA CEO, went overboard. He commandeered private suites and other facilities at cricket grounds and paid himself and his cronies huge bonuses. When the Gauteng Cricket Board protested, they were punished. The Wanderers Stadium was starved of international tours.

Majola was ultimately ejected. But some of the characters who supported him throughout that debauchery are still involved in the running of cricket - and they are still making a mess of it.

Haroon Lorgat, former chief executive of the International Cricket Council, was the obvious candidate to replace Majola. But the Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) in India immediately voiced their objection. They had some unspecified grievance against Lorgat while he was running the council.

Apparently they do not take kindly to anyone standing up to them.

The BCCI were further incensed when CSA released the itinerary of their cricket team's tour to South Africa. A CSA delegation was soon off to Mumbai to grovel. The BCCI extracted their pound of flesh. The tour was reduced to a mere two tests and three one-day internationals. And Lorgat was to have nothing to do with the tour.

Lorgat, a CSA employee, was also to be suspended from taking part in International Cricket Council activities pending an inquiry into some alleged misconduct. It was an outrageous demand by the Indians.

But even more sickening is the fact that CSA, and Lorgat himself, have meekly acquiesced. It is a disgraceful lack of backbone by those who run our cricket. They have allowed themselves to be the sycophants of another board.

So, for the past few months (and who knows how many more?), CSA have been paying a full salary to a CEO who cannot adequately carry out his duties. CSA seem to take their word from Mumbai. For a country that prides itself on being a significant player on the world stage, it is totally unacceptable.

If the cricket administrators are prepared to kowtow to the Indians, the government should step in and stop this madness. It is a matter of national interest. But it now seems that, by sidelining Lorgat, the Indians were in fact clearing the decks for a bigger purpose. They had something up their sleeves. They wanted to restructure the International Cricket Council for selfish interests. Lorgat had to be removed before their plan could be discussed.

The plan will give control of international cricket to India, England and Australia, the so-called Big Three. Everybody else, including South Africa, the number one team, will be shunted.

Initially, CSA said the plan was "fundamentally flawed", thus stiffening the resolve of Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The three countries would have stopped the plan had they stuck together. But CSA later did a volte-face, providing the crucial vote that allowed the plan to pass. Pakistan and Sri Lanka have been scathing in their criticism. CSA simply made a dash for the cash. Their word counts for nothing.

With Lorgat absent, the negotiations were left to CSA president Chris Nenzani, a complete unknown even at home, who simply capitulated. South Africa has now become a laughing stock.

CSA's powerlessness lies in the inadequacy of their commercial viability at home. They will have to sell the game to all and fill the stadiums. Then they won't have to be toadies of the BCCI's of this world.

The two countries have had much in common. Mahatma Gandhi, the iconic figure of the Indian independence movement, spent 21 years in South Africa. Nelson Mandela regarded Gandhi as his lodestar, and India was the first country to raise objection to apartheid at the UN 70-odd years ago.

Sadly, this rich history and that Gandhian tradition seem lost on those who choose to use a free South Africa as their lickspittle. It is sadder still that we allow it to happen.