Lawson Naidoo, head of the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (Casac), has been elected as the new chair of the board of Cricket South Africa (CSA).
Naidoo’s recent appointment to the board follows years of maladministration at CSA which saw the body come close to being disbanded by sports minister Nathi Mthethwa. The new board is the result of a shake-up of the administration of CSA and will, it is hoped, see the problems that have bedevilled the organisation and the sport in general being firmly put in the past.
Steven Budlender, a well-known advocate who was also elected to the new board, will be the lead independent director.
Said Naidoo of his appointment: ‘I thank my fellow Board members for the confidence they have shown in electing me as chairperson. We are all well aware of the challenges facing us in making CSA a world-class sporting organization, both on and off the field of play.’
Things have also been going well on the field for the national side, with the Proteas recently wrapping up a 2-0 series whitewash over the West Indies in the Caribbean. The series included a hat-trick by left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj, only the second by a South African, the first one being taken by Geoff Griffin at Lord’s in 1960.
The next assignment for the Proteas is a five-match T20 series against the West Indies, with the first match at 8pm tonight (South African time).