Waugh of the Worlds

My Christmas stocking included Steve Waugh’s autobiography, ‘Out of my comfort zone’ – a mammoth 700+ page read but one highly recommended. Perhaps some of our Boys (the Proteas) should read it – they may well learn a thing or two!

Sometime around 1996 the Aussie cricketers formed a players association to take on the ACB (The Australian Cricket Board). Up until that point in time the Board were autocratic and pretty much did as they pleased, banking the ever increasing profits cricket generated without passing on the benefits to the players – the primary reason for the profits in the first place. The Board weren’t consistent in how they negotiated the respective contracts, couldn’t be trusted to consider the players rights or responsibilities when signing deals with sponsors and suppliers and nor were they transparent in their dealings.

But here was the gem.

Waugh recounts how the Board’s head of marketing had stated that the Internet was a passing phase and that the Australian cricket team would never be able to secure a sponsor from outside of Australia. It was this lack of vision and foresight that concerned the cricketers. They were right to be concerned.

Cricket, education institutions and companies have no choice but to adapt to the changing realities. Often the first two (cricket and educational institutions) seem more intent on guarding the past / traditions than embracing the future. These are not mutually exclusive concepts and those tratidions that survive are the ones worth preserving. Those that don’t well…

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