Victor Mpitsang has been appointed as South African cricket’s new convenor of selectors.
He replaces Linda Zondi, and will take up his duties on 2 November.
Mpitsang is a former professional cricketer who played two ODIs for South Africa, aged 18, in 1999. He was the youngest person to play an ODI for the Proteas, a record he still holds.
Mpitsang, who played over 100 first-class and 100 limited-overs matches for the Free State and the Eagles, retired from professional cricket in 2012. He also worked as a commentator, and served as the convenor of selectors for the national U/19 cricket team.
His appointment brings some much needed stability to the sport in South Africa, which has been suffering from administrative chaos at Cricket South Africa, the game’s governing body.
His first assignment will be to pick a side to play against England in a white-ball series at home next month. The government gave the go-ahead for the tour, despite earlier concerns that it would not permit the England side to visit, given the resurgence of Covid-19 in the United Kingdom.
According to Cricinfo, Mpitsang said: ‘It’s an honour to be called up for this role. For the last eight years since my retirement, I have consciously looked to learn as much as I can about this game and I have put in many hours gaining that knowledge and experience. I’m really looking forward to this next chapter and all that it brings. The Proteas teams are a vital part of the cricket eco-system and there are areas that need our immediate attention, which I’m itching to get started on.’