Johannesburg - Cricket South Africa chief executive Haroon Lorgat said on Saturday that national coach Russell Domingo's contract has been extended for another year because they were considering the negative impact that uncertainty could have on World Cup preparations.
Lorgat announced that Domingo and national team manager Mohammed Moosajee had both had their contracts extended to April 2016 by the CSA board, which had met on Friday night.
“We're very satisfied with the performance of the head coach and manager, in particular during this time of transition with great players retiring over the last couple of years.
“It has been seamless and the board was very impressed by the way the team grew back to number one in Tests and has migrated up the rankings in ODIs as well,” Lorgat said.
“Our focus is now on the World Cup and the team has progressed very well. We knew their prowess in Test cricket, but Russell is building a very competitive team in ODIs as well.
“His contract was due to expire at the end of the World Cup in April 2015, but we wanted to take away that uncertainty.”
Lorgat said negotiations over the contracts of Domingo's eight management members - Adrian Birrell (assistant), Allan Donald (bowling), Claude Henderson (spin bowling), Paddy Upton (performance), Greg King (conditioning), Riaan Muller (logistics), Brandon Jackson (physiotherapist) and Prasanna Agoram (video analysis) - would now commence.
Domingo's good fortune in terms of his contract was slightly marred by a shock announcement at Saturday's AGM by Advocate Vusi Pikoli, chairman of the ethics sub-committee and a former head of the National Prosecuting Authority, that his committee was deeply concerned by the allegations of ball-tampering surrounding the national team.
“The committee wishes to raise its deep concern [at] the recent reports and allegations of ball-tampering.
“The committee takes a very dim view of these reports and wishes to send out a strong message that such behaviour cannot be tolerated. Such conduct damages our fragile reputation.
“It's not about what others do, it's about our reputation, and we urge our lads to take this matter very seriously,” Pikoli said in his report to the AGM.
Sapa