Patrick Moroney will take over as South Africa’s men’s convenor selector on 1 August, ending a six-year spell without a dedicated head selector for the senior side. His first assignment arrives quickly: picking squads for the white-ball trip to Australia that starts on 10 August.
Moroney’s selection career stretches back to 2001. He has worked with the National Academy, the South Africa A programme and, more recently, the under-19s. That stint included last year’s Under-19 World Cup, where he backed seamer Kwena Maphaka and wicketkeeper-batter Lhuan-dre Pretorius—both impressed scouts and coaches alike.
“His deep understanding of the game, combined with decades of experience in talent identification and selection across various levels, makes him the ideal person for the job,” Enoch Nkwe, director of national teams and High Performance, said in a brief statement.
The position has been vacant since 2023, when Nkwe scrapped the old four-person panel chaired by Victor Mpitsang. At the time, the responsibility for naming squads shifted solely to the head coaches—Shukri Conrad for Tests and Rob Walter for limited-overs cricket. Conrad’s selections have often been bold, pushing Wiaan Mulder up to No. 3, a move that eventually produced South Africa’s highest Test score. Walter, meanwhile, faced criticism for taking only one black African player to last year’s T20 World Cup, though the side reached the final.
CSA directors felt the workload, plus the political heat around selection, required a fresh voice. Interviews wrapped up in May, just after Conrad was confirmed as all-format coach. The board settled on a compromise: reinstate a convenor, but not the full panel of old. That set-up should, in theory, offer the coach freedom on tactics while granting broader oversight on pipeline talent and transformation targets.
Moroney is seen as a steady hand. People who have sat in meetings with him describe a selector who “listens first, talks later”, someone who keeps meticulous notes on players’ technical flaws and character. He will work closely with Conrad, Walter and the yet-to-be-named captains for the coming cycle.
The immediate tasks are straightforward yet demanding: finalise touring squads for Australia, monitor fitness reports on fast bowlers returning from county stints, and decide whether to rush promising quicks such as Maphaka into senior colours. Behind the scenes, Moroney must also map a succession plan for batters, with Dean Elgar already retired and Temba Bavuma’s future uncertain.
Errors will happen, of course. Even the best convenors mis-read form curves or over-estimate a youngster’s readiness. Moroney’s challenge is to balance gut feel and data, tradition and innovation, while navigating South Africa’s unique transformation landscape—no easy feat.
For now, players and coaches have welcomed the appointment. Several senior pros contacted privately said they “just want transparent conversations” about roles and opportunities. Moroney’s reputation suggests they may get exactly that, but the proof will come once the squad lists drop early in August.
