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Cronje does not hold back the bouquets
Trevor Chesterfield - 6 October 1999
Kempton Park (South Africa) - Hansie Cronje's long-term planning
is starting to turn out a little the way he would shape one of
his longer-term innings: methodical and eliminating the risky
strokes. That's about the way it came across when he jetted in
from Nairobi last night and said he would only decide about the
Glamorgan job at the end of the South African summer, while doing
some work on the home front in terms of a chat with Dr Ali
Bacher, the UCB managing director and Rushdie Majiet, national
panel coach convener.
Of course, just what constitutes as a chat may be more of an
exchange of ideas and not quite tie in with what Cronje or
Majiet has in mind, or Dr Bacher for that matter. With yet
another trophy to line the refurbished UCB office's at the
Wanderers, Cronje let it be known that captaining South
Africa was his first priority. Frankly, I don't think anyone had
any doubt about that part of his long-term plans. It was the
Glamorgan job which had worked some people into a lather,
including a couple of South African selectors who saw it as a
threat, especially after Cronje leadership tenure was not secured
for the full England series. This particular comment has led to
conjecture, speculation and the thought that Cronje may be about
to step aside for someone younger.
When it came to the Glamorgan job, though, Cronje gave the
impression nothing had been signed, sealed or as delivered
as some would have us believe. He repeated, yet again, that
the Glamorgan job was a tentative agreement and little else.
His future plans would, he indicated, become clearer once he
has sat down with the UCB and talked the "matter over" with
them. "What I do want to make clear is that any decision on
my future, and this includes the Glamorgan post, will only
be made at the end of the season," he said. "Right now I am
really looking forward to this season. "For me it is really
important to see South Africa become the number one Test nation
in the rankings. We have the chance this summer with tests
against Zimbabwe, England and India. "As yet I haven't talked to
the UCB but I would, as soon as possible, like to get that out of
the way. I have agreed to go to Glamorgan, but I haven't finalised
anything because I haven't yet had an opportunity to chat to our
(UCB) board."
Which is where it is going to rest until between now and the
start of Free State's SuperSport Series programme; their first
match is against Boland in Bloemfontein. Not surprisingly after
the Nairobi success where South Africa won the LG Cup by beating
India in the final on Sunday, Cronje was pleased at the team's
response to the first match defeat by India by beating in the
final. The victory was as much to do with the work achieved by
the new coach Graham Ford as the current team management.
"Obviously the guys were a bit rusty in that first match against
India after a three-month lay-off. And the game was played on a
surface designed for them. "Yet if you look at the figures during
the rest of the tournament, Sunil Joshi didn't take any further
wickets, but on the day it turned a lot: I think the spinners
turned the ball a little too much in that match."
Cronje did not hold back either when it came to handing out the
bouquets: the new coach Graham Ford and Herschelle Gibbs received
one each. "He (Ford) had a fairly direct, yet simple message
after the defeat by India. We had a two hour session and he was
responsible for the way we turned things around. He took us to
the nets and the message was clear enough: 'If you perform like
that again, you are going to have to work very hard to get back
on top.' "After that we improved against the spinners. It was
important for us to come back the way we did as we are to play
India in three Tests in India in February and March. "Winning the
final was a way of reminding them of our ability to bounce back
after a good hiding," he commented. As for Gibbs, playing with
the injured foot in the final was a tribute to his own
determination and mental strength as a player.
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