Thaindian News

Johannesburg, Jan 28 (IANS) A day after Cricket South Africa (CSA) sacked its entire selection panel, there was speculation whether assistant coach Vincent Barnes would also resign after returning from the tour of India.
The entire national selection panel, headed by Mike Procter, was sacked Thursday after the resignation of coach Mickey Arthur.

Corrie van Zyl has been handed the responsibility of heading the management team to India, along with Barnes and new batting coach Kepler Wessels.

Van Zyl and Wessels will also assume the role of selectors, along with chief executive Gerald Majola, who will be the acting convener.

“Top-level sources indicated that Barnes, the former South African Cricket Board fast bowler, was approached before Van Zyl to oversee the tour of India as interim coach ahead, but turned down the offer,” the Independent Online reported Friday.

“It is understood Barnes was willing to accept the job only if Cricket South Africa (CSA) met certain criteria, as he would be taking over the job under extreme circumstances.”

“Barnes, who has been the Proteas’ No 2 since 2003, has agreed to tour India only at the request of a selection of senior Proteas players because of his experience of previous tours of the subcontinent. But he is to resign after the tour,” the report said.

In confirming his resignation, Arthur cited differences with the board over how to take the national team forward.

CSA chief executive officer Gerald Majola said the major stumbling block was that the coach wanted to be in charge of appointing his support staff.

“In the past few years, the coach has been able to appoint his own staff but, after speaking to the players, the board felt changes were necessary,” he said.

“Mickey did not believe that if these changes were made, he’d be able to choose his own people, so he moved on.”