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Hunt is on for new Proteas coach

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Proteas coach Russell Domingo is doing well, but CSA is seeking a new coach. Picture: Deaan Vivier / PHOTO24
Proteas coach Russell Domingo is doing well, but CSA is seeking a new coach. Picture: Deaan Vivier / PHOTO24

Proteas coach Russell Domingo was consulted about the surprise decision by Cricket SA (CSA) to advertise his post when his extended contract expires at the conclusion of the team’s tour of England in August.

CSA president Chris Nenzani said the organisation’s chief executive officer (CEO), Haroon Lorgat, had spoken to Domingo: “The CEO has conducted a number of conversations with him. The contents of those conversations have been taken into account.”

Asked if the coach – whose team has been on an impressive run, which has seen them win test series against Australia (away) and Sri Lanka (at home), and improve their rankings since his contract was extended in October – had shown an interest in continuing, Nenzani clammed up.

“This is an employer-employee matter, but the coach is not precluded from (re-)applying,” said Nenzani yesterday.

CSA had sent ripples through cricket circles yesterday, when it released a statement suggesting that Domingo, whose team has looked unbeatable in the past six months, might not be the coach to take the Proteas to the 2019 World Cup.

The statement read: “The board of directors also resolved to commence the recruitment process for the appointment of the Proteas head coach to take charge after the tour to the UK until after the 2019 edition of the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup.”

Given the magnitude of its implications, it was curious that this sentence came at the end of a lengthy statement confirming CSA’s decision to leave the six-team franchise system unchanged.

However, Nenzani said the course of action taken by the organisation was always on the cards.

“When we extended the coach’s contract, which would have ended in April, we were already putting a process in place to advertise for a new coach. We did not want disruptions for the ICC Champions Trophy (taking place in England in June), where we could have had a situation where a new coach took the team to a tournament first up.”

Nenzani said the Proteas’ impressive results over the past six months – they also beat New Zealand 1-0 in a test series and whitewashed Australia 5-0 in one-day internationals (ODIs) – had not swayed the CSA’s thinking.

“The results happened in context. We had a plan in place and the coach has to be thanked, but we needed to put a process in place whereby the next person has time and a new mandate,” he said.

Nenzani added that the recently concluded review of national teams had not influenced the CSA’s decision.

“It has had no influence at all. That process was going its own route. We have received the report and noted the recommendations, but it had nothing to do with our decision.”

The new cloud – Domingo’s tenure was hanging by a thread, after his team lost five and won one of eight tests against India and England – over his job overshadowed the Proteas’ first win of a five-match ODI series against Sri Lanka and AB de Villiers’ return as captain to the limited-overs side.

Having shot out the visitors for 181 in Port Elizabeth, thanks to damaging spells by Wayne Parnell (3/48) and Imran Tahir (3/26) up front and the middle of the innings, respectively, the Proteas cruised to an eight-wicket win with Hashim Amla (57) and Faf du Plessis (55 not out) posting half centuries.

CSA’s decision means there is uncertainty over the posts of all three of the national team coaches of the so-called big three codes, with Bafana Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba having been sacked for misconduct and Springbok coach Allister Coetzee waiting to hear if SA Rugby will retain him as head coach this week.

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