DURBAN (South Africa), Feb 10: South Africa coach Mickey Arthur will remain on the national selection panel after the governing body said on Sunday its general council had no authority to remove him as a selector.

A Cricket South Africa (CSA) media statement released on Saturday after a teleconference of its general council named a three-man selection panel which did not include Arthur.

Arthur and CSA president Norman Arendse have disagreed over the composition of their squad to tour Bangladesh.

On Sunday, CSA chief executive Gerald Majola said in a statement that Arthur’s contracted duties included serving as a national selector.

“Only the board of directors of CSA (Pty) Ltd can change this, and therefore the resolution taken at general council’s teleconference on Saturday to remove Arthur from the selection process is unconstitutional,” he said.

“I have been in contact today with the convenor of selectors, Joubert Strydom, and have informed him that the same selection panel will finalise the team to tour Bangladesh.”

Arendse accepted Arthur’s continued presence on the selection panel.

“It goes without saying that we would have respected the terms of the contract had we realised that was the case,” Arendse said on Sunday. “If the contract says he’s a selector, then he’s a selector.

“When this was brought to my attention after the teleconference, which Gerald did not join, I contacted the other participants and told them we would have to revise our resolution.

“I also contacted the convenor of selectors and indicated to him that he should proceed with the same panel.”

CSA’s transformation policy sets a target of seven black players in a squad of 15. Media reports said that the squad presented to Arendse for his approval contained four black players.

Arendse wanted less experienced players to be given an opportunity against Bangladesh, while Arthur was anxious for his full-strength squad to adjust to sub-continental conditions ahead of South Africa’s tour of India that will follow their visit to Bangladesh.

The South African squad, which has yet to be announced, is scheduled to leave for Bangladesh on Wednesday.

—Reuters