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| | Monday, 10 June, 2002, 09:01 GMT 10:01 UK Simons lands SA job Ford: Poor results against Australia cost him his job Former all-rounder Eric Simons has been confirmed as the new coach of the South African cricket team. The 40-year-old replaces Graham Ford, who was sacked earlier this month following the team's poor performance against Australia. They lost five of the six Test matches and were also beaten 6-1 in the home one-day internationals. Although those results cost Ford his job, his assistant Corrie van Zyl and team manager Goolam Rajah are staying on to work with Simons, and Shaun Pollock has been re-appointed as captain.
Simons, who made 23 one-day appearances for South Africa in the early 1990s during his playing career, has a good record as a coach at domestic level with Western Province. He guided them to victory in the 2000-01 SuperSport Series, his first season in charge, and a place in the final of last season's one-day Standard Bank Series. "He has superb people management skills as well as international experience and the necessary technical abilities that we believe will give the national team the best possible preparation for the challenges that lie ahead," said United Cricket Board chief executive Gerald Majola. "The National Cricket Committee has emphasized that the coach must fill a major leadership role in the team and must take ultimate responsibility for the team's performance, work ethic and discipline." World Cup target
Simons is a prot�g� of current England coach Duncan Fletcher, who once worked as Director of Cricket for Western Province. He shares a similar work ethic and now has the task of restoring team morale and trying to win the 2003 World Cup, which South Africa will host. "I feel particularly honoured that the UCB has placed its confidence in me. I am really excited about the challenges that lie ahead and I fully understand the incredible responsibilities that go with this job," Simons commented. He will take up his new job at the beginning of next month. South Africa are due to take part in a triangular one-day competition in Morocco in August before moving on to Sri Lanka for the ICC Champions Trophy. The team will then return home for home series against Bangladeshm Pakistan and Sri Lanka, packing in six Tests and 13 one-day matches, before the start of the World Cup next February. Majola confirmed that the Board hoped Pollock and vice-captain Mark Boucher would retain their positions throughout that period. Pollock was criticised in the South African media for tactical inflexibility against Australia, but Majola said: "We believe that, with the right support, he can lead his team through their World Cup campaign." | | See also:  08 Jun 02 | Cricket 22 Jul 02 | Cricket 07 Jun 02 | Cricket 01 Jun 02 | Cricket 15 May 02 | Cricket 20 May 02 | Cricket 20 Apr 02 | Cricket Internet links: The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites Top Cricket stories now: Links to more Cricket stories are at the foot of the page. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Fletcher's pupil