Where is SA's Player's Union

As a fresh faced 19 year old…….yeah yeah yeah….. I know that was a few decades ago, I will never forget a couple of startling introductions as I embarked on my first overseas trip to play professional cricket.

As I arrived in Leicestershire to join the L.C.C.C. playing staff, I was confronted by about a foot of snow and upon reporting for duty on a Monday was told to get ready for a pre-season training run. What an introduction to county cricket!

So there we were, a squad of some 20 players, trudging around the somewhat depressing streets of Leicestershire in balaclavas, gloves and numerous layers of clothing. The hallowed turf of the Filbert Street football ground, home of Leicester City, proved adequate respite as we got off the pavement and indulged in an exhausting sprinting session on the waterlogged, half frozen turf. Talk about cold. If I was a brass monkey I would have been in a great deal of trouble!!

That was my initial wake up call. The next was to come later in the week. On the first Thursday of my new endeavour, we were told to get our blazers on and be ready for a day trip to Edgbaston for a players’ union meeting. I had no idea what ‘the gaffer’ was talking about but duly presented myself on time and ‘in kit’. Before I knew it, we were all seated in a large conference centre listening to all the demands of the professional county cricketer and debating back and forth the pros and the cons of various suggestions. It was simply a very well organised forum to air various views, conducted by some of the then legends of the English game and importantly without an administrator in sight. It was all over in the equivalent of a day’s play with numerous recommendations being tabled, a few handshakes, some friendly banter with our adversaries and then on the bus we hopped for the journey back to Grace Road.

What struck me about the day was the organization and the no fuss attitude that so often complicates the game in England. About a week later our captain, England keeper Roger Tolchard called us to a meeting, handed out a couple of pages for us all to read and digest and announced we would reconvene the following day to air our views. That we did and after the obligatory mindless queries we unanimously passed the paper and sadly got back to pounding the pavements.

The structures were now solidly in place to ensure a successful season and to protect the rights of the professional players.

When I was playing in Australia we also had a platform to express our opinions.

I find it extraordinary that some 20 years after my initial sojourn as a professional cricketer, South African players both national and domestic have not yet formed a players association or union.

I am hearing rumours at the moment but will believe it when I see it.

The administrators of the game in this country have proven that they need a watchdog…..no not a lapdog, a watchdog……...get to it guys.