BREAKING POINT

Cricket South Africa part ways with Haroon Lorgat

by Tristan Holme & Luke Alfred • Last updated on

Haroon Lorgat's tenure was supposed to end in 2019 © Getty

Haroon Lorgat's tenure as Cricket South Africa's chief executive is over, casting the organisation's preparations for the Global T20 into further disarray. Lorgat parted ways with the organisation, handing in his laptop and mobile phone on Thursday morning (September 28) after his relationship with the CSA board reached breaking point.

Pressure has been building on Lorgat in recent months with regards to his handling of the Global T20 tournament, which is due to get underway in November. In July, questions arose over Lorgat's dealings with broadcast rights partners, the lack of transparency around franchise owners, as well as the side-lining of colleagues.

A series of acrimonious board meetings - and one hastily-convened teleconference - followed the board's July concerns, with the parties reluctantly agreeing that Lorgat remain. Cricbuzz understands those issues remain relevant in Lorgat's dismissal, and CSA confirmed as much in a statement that was released after the news broke.

"We recently tried on a few occasions to remedy the situation between Mr Lorgat and the Board, but we have not been successful in finding a satisfactory resolution," CSA president Chris Nenzani said. "The Board unanimously felt that it was in the best interest of the organization that we agreed to a mutual separation agreement with Mr Lorgat."

With just five weeks until the Global T20 gets underway, CSA are yet to secure a broadcast deal in either India or South Africa, throwing the feasibility of the entire tournament into doubt. However, the issue that alarmed the board most was the mounting costs associated with getting the tournament off the ground, with Lorgat racking up a large bill on first-class travel and corporate events.

CSA's most recent annual report, which covered the period between May 1, 2016 and April 30, 2017, stated that R 4.5 million had been spent on the Global T20 in the year under review. That figure would not have included the costs of a glitzy tournament launch in London in June, as well as significant expenditure since then.

CSA vice-president Thabang Moroe will take over as acting CEO following Lorgat's departure. It is understood that he will be supported by Nenzani as well as independent board member Louis Von Zeuner.

Lorgat's contract was only due to come to an end in 2019 following an extension in 2015. His premature departure is expected to cost CSA millions of Rands in a potential payout, but that appears to be a hit the board was willing to take as they attempt to get the Global T20 up and running and save the governing body from further ignominy.

"It was a tough call for us to make and we recognise that Mr Lorgat had made a big contribution to the success of the organization and together with the Board was instrumental in changing the fortunes of CSA when it had endured a troublesome period 5 years ago," said Nenzani.

"We are all saddened by this turn of events, but at the same time we need to look forward to ensure new leadership at CSA builds on the solid foundation laid by Mr Lorgat. On behalf of all of us at CSA, I would like to thank Haroon for his excellent leadership and sterling contribution and wish him well in his future endeavors."

In the same statement, Lorgat said: "I would like to thank the Board for their wholesome support during my time, especially in my early years at CSA. It is most unfortunate that we must part ways in this manner, but it is the best way forward for CSA.

"It was an honour to lead the organization and I am proud of what we have achieved over the past few years to make CSA widely recognised as the best run sports federation in South Africa."

Lorgat's tenure, which began in July 2013, was a mixed bag for South African cricket. Under his leadership CSA made greater efforts to transform the game. Although the organisation's methods, which included the imposition of official quotas at domestic and then international level, were not universally popular, it was widely acknowledged that not enough had been done for transformation under previous regimes.

Lorgat was also successful in curbing excess expenditure among the six domestic franchises, reducing the financial burden that they placed on CSA.

Yet his poor relationship with administrators in India - most notably N Srinivasan - cost CSA money in the form of shortened tours. In 2013, CSA lost more than R 200 million in potential revenue when India's 12-match tour of South Africa was slashed to just two Tests and three ODIs due to the acrimonious relationship between Lorgat and Srinivasan, which was left over from Lorgat's time as ICC chief executive. India's tour this summer has also been curtailed from four Tests to three.

Yet it was Lorgat's business dealings in setting up the Global T20 that ultimately cost him his job. In his absence, CSA face an urgent job to mop up the league's issues ahead of its scheduled November 3 start.

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