Racial turmoil rocks UCBSA

BLOEMFONTEIN, JANUARY 24: South African cricket will get a black managing director in the wake of the shake-up that resulted in United Cri...

BLOEMFONTEIN, JANUARY 24: South African cricket will get a black managing director in the wake of the shake-up that resulted in United Cricket Board UCB president Raymond White resigning on Saturday.

Ali Bacher, the current managing director, said in Bloemfontein on Sunday he will step aside by October 1. But he will remain in charge of the sport8217;s administration as executive director, a position which will be created for him.

In that capacity, Bacher aims to help the new managing director settle in over a two-year period. Bacher will also be in charge of planning for the 2003 World Cup in South Africa.

Bacher said his successor as MD would definitely be black. 8220;We have to be realistic on that issue, but the key factor will be the ability of the person, whether he is head hunted or appointed from inside cricket,8221; he said.

8220;He does not necessarily have to have a cricket background, but it is important that it must not be a political appointment.8221;

South African cricket appeared to be in turmoil following the resignation of White, who was accused by UCB council member Gerald Majola of retarding racial transformation.

Majola, a National selector, also called for the appointment of a black chief executive.

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8220;It is important that during the World Cup and the period leading to it, blacks start playing a big role in the running of the game,8221; Majola said in a letter that led to White8217;s resignation at a UCB council meeting in Johannesburg on Saturday.

Explaining the latest developments, Bacher, a former Test captain, said he was not being pushed out of administrative control of the sport. Bacher spoke to journalists during a One-day International between South Africa and England in Bloemfontein. He said he would switch full-time to planning the World Cup only in April 2002.

Bacher announced he would resign as chairman of the International Cricket Council8217;s Development Committee.

The weekend8217;s developments have rocked a sport long hailed as one of the success stories of the new South Africa since democratic elections in 1994. Majola8217;s letter to White followed several incidents in which white cricket officials were accused of dragging their feet on the transformation issue.

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White8217;s resignation will be effective from February 11, after he has attended a meeting of the International Cricket Council in Singapore on February 9 to discuss commercial arrangements for the World Cup.

He will be succeeded by vice-president Percy Sonn, who will be acting president until the annual meeting in July.