At 10.36am on Wednesday an e-mail dropped into my in-box from the Northerns Cricket Union. It was a statement declaring that the NCU, following an executive meeting on Tuesday night, had decided “not to support the proposed motion of no confidence in the incumbent President of Cricket South Africa, Dr M Nyoka”.
Though not unanimous – a majority of the NCU’s executive felt it was wrong to declare a vote of no confidence against Nyoka.
I immediately wondered if there’d be a response from Cricket South Africa, or if something similar to the e-mail I received two weeks ago from CSA in which they almost gleefully declared how the Free State Cricket Union supported the motion of a vote of no confidence vote, would be released.
Where was CSA’s statement about the NCU? Would there be some kind of rebuke? Surely if you can release a statement from an affiliate in support of a no confidence vote then there’d be one about the Union which is against the motion? The NCU, after all, have been praised from all and sundry for the manner in which they run their administration. They were the major beneficiaries after CSA took matches away from the Wanderers two years ago (when troubles first bubbled to the surface), with SuperSport Park – probably the most fan-friendly ground in the country – hosting the final of the Champions Trophy in 2009 and also getting an Indian Test match last summer.
Nyoka faces a vote of no confidence at a special general meeting on October 15. , the day before the second T20 International between South Africa and Australia at the Wanderers (talk about airing your dirty linen in front of the guests).
Northerns weren’t willing to outline the reasons for their decision, but the Union’s president, Vincent Sinovich, described Tuesday’s meeting as a “long discussion” and that the NCU’s executive would “look at drafting something for our own records”.
Two unions declaring differing intentions is no indication of a wider divide among the board. In fact, the majority may still vote against Nyoka, but it shows there are concerns within CSA structures about the bonus scandal that has rocked the organisation over the last two years and that at least some members of CSA’s executive believe Nyoka has valid concerns.
The reasons for the vote of no confidence – that he flouted directives concerning Media protocol, brought the organisation into disrepute and transgressed the Companies Act – seem flimsy compared to what accounting firm KPMG found about CSA’s chief executive.
The NCU executive seem concerned about the damage this scandal is doing to their mother body’s image. But don’t expect to see CSA produce a statement about their stance.