Simons tipped to become South African coach

Eric Simons is almost certain to be appointed South Africa's new coach on Monday at a press conference due to be addressed by United Cricket Board chief executive Gerald Majola in Cape Town.

The 40-year-old Simons, who played 23 one-day internationals for South Africa and toured New Zealand in 1995, will take over the job from Graham Ford who was sacked last weekend after South Africa lost two Test series and an ODI series against Australia last summer. The Test series defeats were the only two suffered under Ford's stewardship.

The fact that Majola is to hold his press conference in Cape Town is the clearest indication yet that Simons will take over the side ahead of a season which includes the World Cup.

Simons spread his first class career, mostly with Western Province, over 17 seasons as a right-arm medium pacer and a handy lower middle-order batsman. He has spent the past two season jointly coaching Western Province with Vincent Barnes.

If, as expected, Simons is named coach on Monday, this will probably be the last major change to the management structure of the South African team with manager Goolam Rajah and captain Shaun Pollock likely to retain their positions.

The sacking of Ford was preceded by a major overhaul of the selection panel with Omar Henry now convening an almost entirely new panel.