“Interference by the board and the convenor of selectors” led Alviro Petersen to resign as the captain of the Highveld Lions on Sunday. He has been replaced as skipper by Thami Tsolekile for the rest of the Ram Slam T20 fixtures.Greg Fredericks, the Lions CEO, is set to meet Petersen on Thursday in an attempt to clear the air and establish exactly what Petersen’s issues have been.
A Lions press release stated that “several events within the team scenario” led Archie Pretorius, the chairman, to ask Hussein Manack, the convenor of selectors, to meet with Peterson and coach, Geoffrey Toyana, to define their roles and responsibilties.
Peterson subsequently stood down due to this “interference” and informed his teammates ahead of their game against Warriors on 5 January that he would not be leading them beyond that game which the Lions lost by 26 runs. Petersen was run out for 9.
Tsolekile captained the side in a 9-wicket defeat to Knights in Bloemfontein a week later. The loss saw them drop to the bottom of the RAM SLAM T20 standings and Petersen, who opened the innings, dismissed for a golden duck.
Coach Geoff Toyana said Petersen’s presence as a senior in the team will still be invaluable. “I want to thank Alviro for his leadership and contribution as captain, on and off the field, over the past few years,” Toyana said. “Knowing Alviro as a professional, he will continue to be a great asset to the team as a senior player.”
Fredericks told ESPNcricinfo he is yet to “pinpoint exactly where the interference occurred,” which is why he had requested a meeting with Petersen. “This is the last thing we could afford at this stage,”
Fredericks said. “One thing I can say is that I don’t think there is widespread discontent or anything like that, it’s limited to certain issues.”
Rumours suggest that Petersen is not the only Lions player to be aggrieved by the role of Hussein Manack who they feel is overstepping his role as convenor of selectors by meddling in picking the onfield XI and team tactics.
James Buttler
As the editor of World Cricket Badger he is intent on building the website to give quality coverage of the domestic game around the world.
He is also the presenter of the Cricket Badger Radio Show on Radio Yorkshire every Tuesday evening between 7-9pm UK time.
James was the full-time Media Manager at Yorkshire County Cricket Club between 2007 and 2010.
James is a published author, a writer/video contributor to many cricket publications and a complete cricket badger!
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