South African Rugby World Cup winner Francois Pienaar has been included in a four-person panel to probe consistently poor performances by the national cricket teams. Labelled ‘chokers' because of repeated failures to win major competitions, the Proteas failed to reach the World Twenty20 tournament semifinals in India last month. Pienaar skippered the Springboks to an extra-time triumph over the Jonah Lomu-inspired New Zealand in the 1995 World Cup final at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. The match was watched by then-President Nelson Mandela, who wore a replica of the Pienaar shirt, and renowned director Clint Eastwood made a movie about the Springboks' success. Former national cricket team skipper Ali Bacher, sports physiologist Ross Tucker and Cricket South Africa (CSA) human resources official Dawn Mokhobo complete the panel. "After performing below expectation at the recent ICC World T20, it would be right for us to undertake an objective and thorough review of our national teams' set-up and performances," said CSA Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat. "While we plan to do this as soon as practically possible, we do not intend to place a deadline on this important piece of work as we presently have capable people and contracts in place. "We have time to do a thorough review before the board makes any decisions about the future," he added. Ronchi signs for Warwickshire New Zealand wicketkeeper-batsman Luke Ronchi has signed for the whole of Warwickshire's domestic Twenty20 campaign, the English county announced Friday. The 34-year-old will join the Birmingham Bears, Warwickshire's Twenty20 team, ahead of its first game against Nottinghamshire on May 20. Ronchi appeared for Somerset in last year's competition and has also played in the Indian Premier League and Australia's Big Bash League, while he plays domestic cricket in New Zealand for the same team as Warwickshire's regular overseas player Jeetan Patel. Warwickshire, English Twenty20 champion in 2014, reached the semifinals of last year's tournament. Ronchi, who played all five games in New Zealand's run to the semifinals of the recently-concluded World Twenty20 in India, said: "Birmingham Bears have been one of the top teams in T20 over the last two years and I'm very excited to join such a great club that boasts several internationals." — Agencies
