Cricket South Africa won’t contest Western Province Cricket Association’s arbitration win

File image: Nic Kock.

Cricket South Africa have “no intention of subjecting this award to a judicial review”, after the Western Province Cricket Association board won an arbitration case earlier this week.

Mid-October 2019 saw the WPCA file an urgent application against CSA to have September’s suspension overturned, after step-in rights had been exercised.

CSA claimed the WPCA board were conducting business under distressed conditions in relation to, among others, administration, governance and financial affairs. CSA suspended the WPCA board and appointed professor Andre Odendaal administrator.

On Tuesday, though, WPCA president Nick Kock confirmed to TimesLIVE: “My lawyers have just called me and told me we have won the arbitration with costs.”

The entire WPCA board, headed by Kock, will soon be reinstated.

What Cricket South Africa said

“CSA received the arbitration award issued on Tuesday regarding CSA’s exercise of its step-in rights at WPCA. The arbitration award, in sum, sets aside the decision by CSA to exercise its step-in rights in terms of the CSA memorandum of incorporation. CSA have reviewed the arbitration award and respects the outcome and considering the award and abides by it,” read Wednesday’s statement from CSA.

CSA have no intention of subjecting this award to a judicial review. In his analysis, the arbitrator has identified certain shortcomings in the CSA memorandum of incorporation, which CSA will address immediately with a view to ensuring that the CSA governance framework remains robust, relevant and fit for purpose.

“CSA have advised the administrator appointed to the WPCA, professor Odendaal, of the outcome of the arbitration and its effect on his tenure as the administrator. CSA wish to thank professor Odendaal for the impressive work that he has done during his short tenure as the administrator of the WPCA.

“The operations of the WPCA and cricket in general in the Western Province will remain uninterrupted. CSA sends its best wishes to the WPCA.”