CSA mull 'selling their souls' to BCCI

Times Media - February 3, 2014

TELFORD VICE, Johannesburg

Cricket SA (CSA) are considering backtracking from their strongly stated opposition to the proposal to restructure the world game in return for a repaired relationship with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

The price of the climbdown would be CSA’s vote in favour of the proposal, which the International Cricket Council (ICC) board is set to decide on at the weekend.

If approved, the new deal would put much of the control and profits of international cricket in the hands of India, England and Australia.

Those countries need the support of eight of the ICC’s 10 full member countries to push the measures through. CSA would be the eighth board to say aye.

On January 21, CSA said they wanted the proposal withdrawn. Their president, Chris Nenzani, damned it as “fundamentally flawed as regards the process and, therefore, in breach of the ICC constitution” in a letter to ICC president Alan Isaac.

Discussions about the document and horse-trading between boards dominated the ICC’s meeting in Dubai last week. Led by CSA, four boards ranged themselves against the plan. Currently, three remain opposed publicly.

On Saturday, CSA convened a joint session of their board and member forum to discuss their position ahead of this week’s ICC meeting. A cryptic statement issued afterwards suggested CSA were shifting their stance.

“... we have reached a position where we will need to engage further with the ICC leadership before we can reach a consensus position ahead of next Saturday’s ICC board meeting,” Nenzani was quoted as saying.

“I am confident that we can reach agreement based on the principles that we strongly adhere to.”

That is already a long way from CSA’s original position, and it seems their slide will not end there.

The BCCI, consummate wheeler dealers that they are, are apparently massaging CSA where they are confident of getting the result they want: in the pocket.

According to a source who declined to be named for fear of reprisal, “There is an offer on the table” that the BCCI will commit themselves to touring SA in return for CSA’s support for the proposal. India would also “forgive and forget” their issues with CSA chief executive Haroon Lorgat. A second source concurred with those assertions.

CSA know only too well what their relationship with the BCCI, who generate more than 70% of world cricket’s money, means to their own financial health. India’s shortening of their tour to SA this season cost CSA up to R200-million in lost revenue. That probably happened because of the BCCI’s stormy history with Lorgat when he was ICC chief executive.

The BCCI deal would translate into agreed schedules for Indian tours to SA. The Indians would also lean on the ICC to drop their investigation of Lorgat, who stands accused of attempting to delay publication of media reports he felt could have led to the BCCI cancelling this summer’s tour.

Last January, the BCCI wanted Lorgat investigated by the ICC’s ethics officer. Lorgat’s term had ended and the probe never took place. Now, the Indians are brandishing a threat to sink Lorgat as a bargaining chip.

“This is how the BCCI operates; do what they want or they won’t play against you,” the source said. “CSA would be selling their souls if they took up this offer, but it wouldn’t be the first time.”

CSA ignored requests for comment.