The United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) voted unanimously at their annual general meeting on Thursday afternoon to change their name to Cricket South Africa (CSA).
”This doesn’t mean that there will be less focus on unity in cricket,” said CSA chief executive Gerald Majola, who explained that market research had shown that the use of two names — the United Cricket Board of South Africa and Cricket South Africa — had caused some confusion.
”The research also showed a positive response to the Cricket South Africa logo,” he added. ”We believe the name change will give us the opportunity to capitalise on a fresh, innovative brand for South African cricket.”
”It will also mean doing away with costly duplication and confusion among the media and the public.”
The main body will be known as Cricket South Africa, and the professional wing will remain Cricket South Africa (Pty) Ltd.
Majola said the name change would take effect immediately.
Speaking at the same meeting, the UCBSA treasurer Prof Hentie van Wyk announced that the UCBSA and CSA (Pty) Ltd were both in good financial shape. He said both registered operating profits for the year ended April 30.
”The operating profits of CSA and UCBSA were R19,4-million and R6,7-million respectively, which represents a combined surplus of R26,1-million,” said Van Wyk.
”In view of the fact that a combined budget of R14,6-million was approved for the year under review, the actual results are evidence of the strict financial control over operating expenses,” he continued.
Van Wyk said the turn-around in cricket’s finances were largely because of strict financial discipline, cost-cutting and the repackaging of sponsorships.
”The sponsorships were repackaged in a way that the sum of the parts is greater than the whole,” he explained.
Van Wyk said that cricket revenue was like a roller coaster, with good years and lean years, but his aim was to ensure that cricket broke even over a four-year period, from World Cup to World Cup. He also wanted to ensure that money was spent on cricket rather than administration, and suggested that this could be achieved by a greater centralisation of administration.
The president of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and former president of the UCBSA, Percy Sonn, was made an honorary life member of Cricket South Africa in recognition of more than 30 years service to cricket.
”He was a pioneer of the struggle against apartheid, as well as a pioneer of the unification of South African cricket that led to its current membership of the ICC,” said CSA president Ray Mali. ”It’s a great feather in the cap of South Africa that he now holds the highest office in world cricket.” — Sapa