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Proteas change a revolution or an illusion?

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Dave Nosworthy, director of cricket at St Davids, says the new plan is difficult to analyse because of the lack of details
Dave Nosworthy, director of cricket at St Davids, says the new plan is difficult to analyse because of the lack of details

Cricket SA’s new coaching structure for the Proteas, where a more influential head coach, named the team director, would run the team in conjunction with a director of cricket – another new role – has come in for much debate this week. Former Lions, Titans and Canterbury coach Dave Nosworthy and former Proteas spinner Paul Harris give their two cents’ worth.

Dave Nosworthy (director of cricket, St Davids)

Is this new coaching structure revolutionary or reinventing the wheel?

My feeling is there’s not enough detail to really comment. I haven’t seen the details of how it’s going to work. For example, will the team director be the convener of selectors; will he have sole say in the team? That detail is crucial because, if they’re going the British football manager type route, that guy has the final say on his teams and who walks on to the park.

What are its pros and cons?

It’s hard to say if it’s good or bad right now because I don’t think any of us have seen the details.

How would it affect the day-to-day workings of the team?

Again, the devil’s in the detail. Does the head coach or team director have the final say on selection and contracting, or is it the responsibility of the director of cricket? I’m a big fan of having the players know where the buck stops because, if there are too many levels, it actually undermines the guy at the coalface. It’s no good micromanaging someone – you have to trust him. That doesn’t mean that things like transformation can’t be overseen through that person having parameters to work within. And if they don’t work within those parameters, they’re in breach of contract.

What is the formerly all-powerful captain’s role?

If you’ve got a team director or director of cricket with whom the buck stops, either of them would be very naive if they didn’t involve the captain in key decisions and the way the structure runs. That relationship, for me, is the most important.

Do you have any names in mind regarding who would be ideal for the director of cricket and the team director roles?

I’ve got a gut feel on who, when or what, but I’m not going to put any names out there.

Paul Harris, a former Proteas spinner, thinks it’s a big change, but feels more people should be involved.

Paul Harris (former Proteas player)

Is this new coaching structure revolutionary or reinventing the wheel?

I don’t think it’s revolutionary in terms of sport, but it is in terms of South African cricket. It’s certainly a big change in terms of what the structures were before.

What are its pros and cons?

I’m on the fence about whether it’s a good or a bad thing, but I am slightly worried that there are only two people deciding the future of South African cricket. I think there should be more than just the chief executive [Thabang Moroe] and [acting director of cricket] Corrie van Zyl deciding it. I think it’s a good move because certain individuals are responsible for the team’s performance and they’ll be judged on that.

What’s key for me is the person they hire in the director of cricket role – it’ll have to be someone who understands cricket and business, and someone with a pretty thick skin.

How would it affect the day-to-day workings of the team?

The thing is, you’ve got to understand the scope of the job. Is it purely a coaching structure or is there a commercial arm to it? Will he be in charge of contracting and budgets? It all depends on what they want, because that changes the identity of the person who would be suitable for the job.

What is the formerly all-powerful captain’s role?

I think that will be the big role change. Your captain will still have a senior management role. But, in the past, your captain was almost your chief executive – running the side and getting what he wanted. I think he should still be able to select the team he wants – within reason – but I do feel that the all-powerful, all-encompassing South African cricket captain we’ve had in the past might take more of a back-seat role.

Do you have any names in mind regarding who would be ideal for the director of cricket and team director roles?

The director of cricket job is probably a tricky one to fill. There’s a guy such as [former Sunshine Tour commissioner] Gareth Tindall, who’s always been sort of involved in sport and everything he touched turn to gold. You could go for a former player who’s been involved in business. But I think you need someone who has played the game for the team director job, and [former Proteas wicketkeeper and Titans coach] Mark Boucher is a no-brainer for me. He has the respect of the world and the dressing room, and he wouldn’t take sh*t from anyone.

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