Omar Henry, who was named as South Africa’s new convenor of selectors on Wednesday, said that one of his prime objectives would be to restore the pride to the national cricket team.
Only Haroon Lorgat survived the clean out which saw Henry’s five-man panel replace Rushdie Magiet’s six-man panel.
Magiet’s panel was criticised from virtually every quarter, especially from former Test players who felt that his panel had lost touch with the modern game.
The new panel, which also comprises Hugh Page, Douglas Maku and Pat Symcox, includes two players – Symcox and Henry – who have played international cricket since readmission in 1992.
In the past, national coach Graham Ford also expressed his unhappiness at the way the side was selected and stressed that he would like to be consulted more.
Henry, who will resign as Boland’s coach on Thursday, said he would consult Ford, but stressed that it was the selectors’ role to actually pick the side.
”I want the selectors and management to be on the same wavelength,” he explained. ”You need to consult and everyone must be informed but they must also understand that selectors are there to select the team.”
Henry added that he had ”every confidence” in the new panel and that they complemented each other very well. ”I also want to restore the pride in playing for South Africa.”
With that in mind, Henry was asked about the position of Ford and skipper Shaun Pollock.
”We will sit down and address all these issues, but it would be unfair to comment now,” he responded.
Henry added that the management team would be discussed at a National Cricket Committee (NCC) meeting next Tuesday.
The NCC came into being following the hammering dished out by the Australians this past summer. Henry, Lorgat and Symcox, who were on the NCC, will step down from the committee.
Those selectors involved in media work will, within certain parameters, be able to continue. As convenor, however, Henry may not continue to work as a television commentator. – Sapa