Monday big read | CSA’s interim board puts transformation plans on hold

Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) affirmative action policy with regards to the hiring of consultants has been suspended by the interim board, which also suspended new transformation targets last month.

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That means the Proteas can now make use of white consultants should they wish too, although it may be too late to convince Jacques Kallis to rejoin the camp after the former SA all-rounder recently signed a short-term deal with England.

“The entire document adopted by the previous board has been put on hold. We are taking legal advice regarding the document and whatever obligations CSA had in terms of it,” Judith February, interim board member, told ESPNcricinfo.

The document February referred to was presented by the old board to parliament in August and also detailed tougher transformation targets that would have required the national team to field seven players of colour including at least three black Africans.

INTERIM BOARD HAS REVERTED TO 2015/16 TARGETS

The interim board, which is due to remain in place until the end of January 2021, has reverted the transformation targets to what they were in the 2015/16 season (six players of colour of which at least two must be black African on average over the course of a season).

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In addition, the interim board may offer guidance on how the Proteas can contract consultants, which could reopen the door for Kallis and Paul Harris, who were used as batting and spin-bowling consultants in the 2019/20 season, respectively.

Kallis has joined England as batting consultant for their series against Sri Lanka, but as this stage it’s unclear whether he will remain with them for the India series that follows.

Following the conclusion of their ongoing series against Sri Lanka, the Proteas are due to travel to Pakistan for a series that begins at the end of January and thereafter are scheduled to host Australia for three Tests in February-March.

NO ONE IS MORE QUALIFIED THAN KALLIS

According to a Rapport report, there is at least one Proteas batsman who had requested Kallis assist him in his preparations this season.

No one is more qualified to help the Proteas than Kallis.

Kallis remains South Africa’s leading Test run scorer with 13 289 runs. He also took 292 Test wickets in the 166 Tests he played.

In the ODI arena, Kallis scored 11 579 runs and took 273 wickets in 328 matches.

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