ICC World Twenty20, 2007-08

Bosman carpeted for 'lies' jibe

Cricinfo staff

September 5, 2007

Loots Bosman: frustrated with South Africa's coach Mickey Arthur © Getty Images

The opening batsman, Loots Bosman, has become the second South African cricketer in the space of a month to be called before a CSA disciplinary hearing, following his controversial criticism of the national coach, Mickey Arthur, in the Afrikaans newspaper, Beeld.

On Tuesday, Bosman was withdrawn from the South Africa squad for the ICC World Twenty20 with a back injury, to be replaced by the fast bowler, Andre Nel. The official reason for his omission, however, did not go down well with the player himself, who was quoted in Wednesday's edition of Beeld as accusing Arthur of lying.

Under the headline, "Loots slaan Mickey vir 'n ses", Bosman hit out at the decision, claiming that the CSA medical advice that he should rest his injured back for six weeks was suspect. "I am tired of the lying," Bosman was quoted as saying. "I am fine, ask my physiotherapist in Bloemfontein who treated me last week. I am very, very, disappointed. Mickey [Arthur] tells too many lies."

Arthur himself responded in the same paper that the comments were "shocking". "It is understandable that he would be disappointed," said Arthur, "but his reactions are very immature and I am disappointed how he has handled this."

Arthur is also confident that there is nothing wrong with the procedure that has been followed. "I have the findings of the leading neurosurgeon in the land. How can I argue against that?" he said. "Does Loots not realise that there is a possibility that he could be paralysed?"

South Africa's Twenty20 campaign gets underway against West Indies at Johannesburg on Tuesday, and Arthur claimed that he had envisaged a full role in the tournament for Bosman, had he been fit. "I wanted him to play in the warm-up game in Potchefstroom on Saturday," said Arthur, "but he could not attend a fitness test as it had been recommended that he should not be active for a six-week period."

As a consequence of his comments, Bosman has been charged with four breaches of the CSA code of conduct, including "detrimental conduct which could bring [himself], the board or the game of cricket into disrepute." As was the case with his team-mate, Mark Boucher, who was carpeted for speaking publicly about Jacques Kallis's omission from the Twenty20 squad, Bosman will appear before the CSA's Disciplinary Commissioner, Advocate Michael Kuper SC, on a date that has yet to be decided.

The case is yet another example of the very public rifts developing in South African cricket. At the weekend, the allrounder Andrew Hall announced that he would be turning his back on the national team when his contract expires at the end of the month, and instead has committed to the breakaway Indian Cricket League.

Unlike Boucher and Bosman, however, Hall has vowed to keep his council until his contract expires. "I don't want the same to happen to my husband than what happened to Mark Boucher," his wife, Leanie, told Beeld. "When Andrew's contract with CSA expires at the end of the month, he will state his side of the matter."

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