The Eastern Province Amateur Cricket Board (EPACB) announced on Tuesday that it has cut all ties with Kepler Wessels and named Russell Domingo as the amateur team coach for the 2004/05 season.
The Jumbos Cricket board has reached an agreement with Wessels and will honour his contract, which was due to expire at the end of this coming season.
The decision comes as no surprise following the establishment of the Warriors franchise, which has Mickey Arthur as the head coach.
”We want to thank Kepler for his services to the game. We believe that Kepler has signed a three-year contract with Northamptonshire and we wish him all the best,” said EPACB chief executive Dave Emslie.
Domingo is no stranger to the coaching role. He oversaw the Eastern Province B side for a number of years and has also been involved with the national team, the South African A side and at the national academy.
”We aim to ensure that our amateur team is as professionally coached and managed as our professional teams have been in the past, and we are confident that Russell has all the skills to manage and coach the team,” said Emslie.
”He is someone who has a combination of excellent technical knowledge and that other very necessary ingredient, people skills,” added Emslie.
Although Domingo’s appointment was only confirmed on Tuesday, he has been working with available squad members during the winter months.
”It’s an honour and a privilege to be named as provincial coach and I’m looking forward to doing well with the side,” said Domingo.
”Our preparations for the season have been difficult because a number of the guys are still overseas. But we have had daily sessions for those who are in town and they have gone off well.”
His first assignment will be a three-day friendly against Border in East London from October 5 to 7.
On October 8, Eastern Province square up against Border again, but this time they will contest a limited-overs fixture for the Mercedes Benz Cup — which has become an annual fixture between the provinces. — Sapa