Bangalore, Feb. 29 :     Percy Sonn, acting president of the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA), is likely to take over as full-time president at the UCBSA's annual general meeting in July. However, Sonn, a non-White from Cape Town, may not hold office for a full three years. He could, instead, complete half that term and make way for somebody who will be 'groomed' over the next 18 months or so. According to The Telegraph's sources, Sonn, a top-bracket criminal lawyer, is already busy helping the government flush out organised crime and, in the near future, could get even busier. So, he himself may not be keen on being tied down for three years. The question then is: Why should those with influence be looking to install him in the first place? Simple: No other non-White, at the moment, may be acceptable. Also, somebody with experience will be required as the UCBSA's high-profile managing director, Dr Ali Bacher, will himself step down by the beginning of October to wholly concentrate on the 2003 World Cup. Sonn took over as acting president earlier this month after Raymond White's resignation. White quit after a leading non-White UCBSA official, Gerald Majola (he is also a selector), blasted him for 'retarding racial transformation.' White's predecessor was Krish Mackerdhuj, currently South Africa's ambassador in Tokyo. While some do feel Majola probably went overboard, just about everybody agrees White wasn't quite the right guy at an extremely critical juncture in South Africa, not just South African cricket. Incidentally, South Africa already has a non-White chairman of the selection committee (Rushdie Magiet). The other selectors are: Mike Procter, Clive Rice, Kepler Wessels, Maurice Garda and Majola. Magiet, on tour with the team, is known to have a fiercely independent mind. Besides, of course, what some believe to be a hardline approach vis-a-vis captain Hansie Cronje. It was under Magiet's chairmanship, earlier this season, that Cronje was put on 'trial' by initially being appointed captain for only the first two (home) Tests versus England. Later, Cronje did get a unanimous vote of confidence - his term extended till April - but that initial two-Test appointment didn't exactly send the right signals. Magiet is expected to push for the inclusion of more Blacks, at least in the A sides, but even he probably won't go beyond a point. In time to come, though, it will be the Blacks' involvement that will influence just how big an impact cricket will have. With good reasons, the UCBSA wants to capitalise on a recent market survey conducted by a leading agency which listed cricket as the third fastest growing sport (after basketball and aerobics). Significantly, this growth cuts across the racial 'divide'.