South African cricket coach Graham Ford and his management team may know their fate as early as Thursday.
Omar Henry’s newly formed selection panel met in Johannesburg on Wednesday and have forwarded their recommendations to the general council of the United Cricket Board (UCB).
The selectors’ meeting follows that of the National Cricket Council who met on Tuesday.
”The future of the management team was discussed,” said Henry, ”but it is a very sensitive and complex issue. We must follow the UCB guidelines in these matters.
”What we discussed is now on its way to general council. Tomorrow (Thursday) there might be a decision and I’m sure there will be a press release.”
Henry, who was appointed convener of selectors last Wednesday, added that his panel had also discussed which players should be contracted and who would be part of the next year’s World Cup training squad.
Although Henry said he was unable to comment on how many players had been contracted, it is believed that 21 players had been earmarked.
Asked specifically whether the position of skipper Shaun Pollock had come up for discussion, Henry merely reiterated that ”the management team as a whole had been discussed”.
For his own part, Ford was not even aware that both he and his team had been discussed.
”I’m completely in the dark,” said Ford. ”I didn’t even know they were meeting today (Wednesday). I haven’t heard anything from anyone.”
Henry said that until a decision is made, ”everyone is in the dark”.
Although it is unlikely that Ford will lose his job, there is a chance that his management team may face some changes and additions.
The review of the coaching staff and the replacement of Rushdi Magiet’s panel of selectors was prompted by South Africa’s appalling performance against the world champion Australians this past summer. – Sapa