Big week for women's cricket clouded by Proteas coaching saga: Moreeng denies rift

When Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced earlier this week – in somewhat awkward fashion at times – that it was launching a professional women's league, it was supposed to be met with unbridled optimism.

Instead, the fanfare has been muted because the team that proved the catalyst for the venture – the Proteas, who in March became the first national cricket team to reach the final of an ICC event – are stuck in a strange limbo because of reported unhappiness with the retention of head coach Hilton Moreeng.

His position had come under the spotlight due to his contract expiring on June 30, only for CSA to renew it until December 31. The move prompted several senior players in the squad to express their reservations on paper.

It is understood Moreeng's ideas have become stale to some of them, who crave fresh input in the wake of being exposed to some top T20 leagues worldwide.

However, CSA argued bringing in a new head coach merely a month before the new international season – starting with Pakistan's inbound tour from next week – was unfair to that potential incumbent.

Naturally, whispers of a split between team management and the players became louder.

Yet Moreeng insists such reports are greatly exaggerated.

READ | Cricket SA launches professional domestic women's league

"There are challenges here and there, and these internal things we discuss," he said.

"The landscape has changed. The country has become professional, but regarding the changeroom being divided, it's not something that has happened.

"We are building as a team. Whatever challenges we encounter, which are in every changeroom, is one of those you discuss as you go along."

A few of those forums took place at the team's training camp earlier this month, which