3 times Cricket South Africa found themselves embroiled in a controversy
Calling controversies and Cricket South Africa (CSA) synonyms should be an understatement.
Recently, South African women's team captain Sune Luus stepped down from her role ahead of the Pakistan tour, less than six months after leading the team to their first senior World Cup final, for women or men.
Resigning from captaincy is not something that is new in cricket. But confusion, or rather controversy, erupted when, in the press release issued by CSA, no reason was given regarding Luus' decision.
The official statement just read that Luus "will no longer continue her interim captaincy", even though Luus herself said she was "appointed official captain" prior to the T20 World Cup in February this year.
However, a CSA members admitted to ESPNcricinfo that Sune Luus was given the captaincy permanently, with Chloe Tryon as her understudy.
As far as Luus's resignation is concerned, the senior player does not want to lead under the existing management structure.
With present coach Hilton Moreeng now in his 11th year in the role, a group of players wrote to Cricket South Africa expressing their desire for change in the backroom staff for a different approach and fresh ideas after more than a decade of development under Moreeng.
This has ignited many speculations in the women's cricket fraternity.
It's not the first time that Cricket South Africa has been hit by controversy. In this article, we will discuss those instances when CSA found themselves in a muddle of embarrassment.
3 times Cricket South Africa found themselves embroiled in a controversy
#3. Vernon Philander's selection call
One of the major talking points in South African cricket has been racial quotas. It has given rise to a lot of controversy when a captain has had to choose a player of color against his wishes. As a captain, you would accept that reluctantly until and unless it's on cricketing logic.
However, when it allegedly happens in a World Cup semi-final, which the team goes on to lose, then it is a very hard pill to swallow for the rainbow nation.
With the team looking settled in the 2015 World Cup, it was a no-brainer to play the same team that decimated Sri Lanka in the quarterfinals.
But to everyone's surprise, Kyle Abott, who was one of the prominent members of the pace attack, was replaced by Vernon Philander in the semifinals against New Zealand.
Then-South Africa skipper AB de Villiers wrote in his autobiography that he got a call from Cricket South Africa officials on the evening of the eve of the game and was told to replace Abott with Philander.
De Villiers wrote:
"So what had happened? Had Vernon, who was officially classified as colored, been selected ahead of Kyle, who was officially white, to ensure there were four players of color in the semi-final? Or had the decision been made for purely cricketing reasons?"
#2. Charl Langeveldt's retirement due to CSA politics
Pace bowler Charl Langeveldt withdrew from the 2008 India tour due to political interference in selection.
Langeveldt, a mixed race, was controversially included by Cricket South Africa in the squad traveling to India instead of fellow fast bowler Andre Nel to satisfy a racial target of six players of color among the 14 players.
Then 33-year-old Langeveldt withdrew his name from the series and later quit international cricket due to so much political interference.
#1. Quinton de Kock vs CSA on taking a knee for BLM
Veteran wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock found himself in hot water in the 2021 T20 World Cup as he went against Cricket South Africa’s directives to take a knee ahead of every match of the tournament.
As the southpaw didn’t agree to do so, he didn’t feature in the team’s group-stage clash against the West Indies. Apparently, the Proteas players were asked to take a knee to show solidarity with the ‘Black Lives Matter’ campaign.
This move from CSA drew severe criticism from across the globe, as it was termed an individual decision to take the knee or support the movement.