Campaigning for the election of Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) new board chairperson and president has officially opened.

Weeks of lobbying could leave blood on the pitch as the battle lines are drawn to assume power from outgoing CSA board chairperson and president Chris Nenzani‚ whose term expires at the annual general meeting (AGM) on September 5.

CSA opened the process on Tuesday and provincial affiliates have until August 21 to submit nominations for election to the available seats on the board.

The term of the board will not entirely come to an end as there will only be seven out of 12 seats up for grabs at the annual meeting.

Marius Schoeman and Professor Steve Cornelius‚ who were appointed independent board members in the 2018 and 2019 AGMs respectively‚ will continue in their roles for another term.

The independent board membership is complemented by Dr Eugenia Kula-Ameyaw‚ Dheven Dharmalingam and Vuyokazi Memani-Sedile‚ who were appointed as interim directors to fill vacancies in May.

The trio’s term also expires at the AGM but they have all been nominated for reappointment.

SowetanLIVE understands that the five independent board members met on Friday last week to discuss who is suitable for the role of lead independent director.

The five independent board members collectively agreed to nominate a candidate from amongst their ranks to be appointed as the lead independent director and fill a critical post that has been vacant since Norman Arendse resigned in 2018.

SowetanLIVE is told a round robin resolution will be circulated to the members in this regard.

Joining Nenzani at the CSA exit door will be Limpopo Cricket president John Mogodi‚ who joined the board as a non-independent member in May to fill a vacancy left by the resignation of former Central Gauteng Lions boss Jack Madiseng.

CSA has a rotation policy that allows all presidents of cricket unions an opportunity to serve as non-independent board members.

Free State Cricket queen Zola Thamae and Boland Cricket president Angelo Carolissen are expected to make way as they have served on the CSA board longer as compared to other non-independent members Donovan May (Eastern Province) and Tebogo Siko (Northerns Cricket Union).

Current CSA Board of Directors:

Non-independent Directors:

• Chris Nenzani (outgoing president)

• Beresford Williams

• Donovan May

• Tebogo Siko

• Zola Thamae

• John Mogodi

Independent Directors:

• Professor Steve Cornelius

• Dr Eugenia Kula-Ameyaw

• Marius Schoeman

• Vuyokazi Memani-Sedile