Johannesburg, Apr 20 (IANS): Cricket South Africa's (CSA) Members' Council (MC) has hit out at the the board's Interim Board (IB) for not allowing it sufficient time to go through and deliberate on the final draft of Memorandum of Incorporation (MOI) and said that the adoption of it would have upset South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASOC).

The refusal of Members' Council to adopt the MOI has put Cricket South Africa in a soup. The differences could lead to government interference and therefore suspension of the national cricket board by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

"The refusal by the IB to afford Members' Council sufficient time to deliberate the final draft of the MOI with their respective affiliates was a catalyst to this impasse. The time span of less than 24 hours to consider such an important document is in our opinion unreasonable. In addition, the duress and political pressure displayed prior to the voting at the SGM was highly unorthodox, unfortunate, and unethical," said a statement from the Members' Council.

"An MOI is a document that must be designed to be fit for purpose while adhering to the prescripts of legislation. The Members Council does not believe the impasse is unresolvable, it merely implores the IB to respectfully and willingly come to the table and take into consideration what is in the best interests of the players and cricket as a whole," added the statement.

"The affiliates were cognisant of the fact that any amendment to the MOI needed to be endorsed by SASCOC prior to its adoption. In several meetings, the MC pleaded with the IB that as part of good governance, the amendments to the MOI ought to be sent to SASCOC for approval. The IB brashly disregarded this plea and indicated that the minister would manage SASCOC. The minister also said that the IB should disregard any governance document, legislation or provisions thereof that posed as a hindrance to their mandate," it said.