Cricket South Africa (CSA) says reports that there was high-level interference in the selection of the team that lost the World Cup semi-final were the work of the South African media who are only “grudgingly” positive about the team.

Addressing Parliament’s portfolio committee on Sports and Recreation on Tuesday‚ CSA CEO Haroon Lorgat said reporting that Vernon Philander had been selected to play over Kyle Abbott because of team quotas was “mischievous”.

“We’re actually happy when the media say nothing‚ because that’s just the way the media operates‚” he said.

A CSA team said they had completed an investigation‚ and being satisfied with the results — that there had been no interference — would not be commenting further.

Few of the committee members pushed for more detail on what exactly transpired on the eve of the World Cup semi-final match which South Africa lost to New Zealand.

Initial reports indicated that team captain AB de Villiers‚ upset with the choice‚ had threatened not to play the game.

Democratic Alliance MP Solly Malatsi‚ however‚ questioned the process of team selection and the application of transformation guidelines.

CSA does not impose quotas at the national level‚ but the team is expected to adhere to guidelines.

Lorgat said “Vernon Philander happens to be among the best players in the world‚ and yet we question his selection. That makes me very sad.”

He did however say that only in a case where there was a 50/50 split between the choice of a black player and the choice of a white player‚ the choice would go towards the black player.

CSA president Chris Nenzani said that because cricket was a “technical” game‚ conditions would dictate what type of player was needed‚ and therefore‚ who was played.

As such‚ he said‚ sometimes the selectors did not meet the transformation guidelines‚ but with sufficient explanation‚ would not be penalised.

African National Congress MP Samuel Mmusi said that transformation of the sport had been slow.

Speaking on the CSA’s denial of the interference‚ he said “even if it did happen‚ if it was made in the name of transformation then we would support it.”

He was also concerned about the well-being of Philander‚ because‚ he said‚ the pressure of not performing became worse “when the whole country blames you”.

Lorgat‚ however‚ said he was in contact with both Philander and Abbott‚ and both were “in a good place”.

“We’ve done everything we can to make sure those players are supported‚” he said.

Committee chairwoman Beauty Dlulane appeared to sympathise with CSA’s media woes saying “we have dark media in South Africa”

“Some of us‚ we know that we have that media in South Africa. Not everybody is constructive. There are some that are destructive. Let me tell you we are sharing the same pain that is done by media houses‚” she said.

Nenzani said: “If for whatever reason you want an explanation on an issue‚ feel free to contact me. Because sometimes what you read is not necessarily true and unfortunately sometimes the truth‚ at a certain time‚ should not be in the public domain until certain things have happened.”