Cricket
Ntini to be SA selector?
2012-12-10 12:41
Rob Houwing, Sport24 chief writer
Cape Town –
Makhaya Ntini may soon find himself serving
South African cricket in a different way to his illustrious pace-bowling career
... as a national selector.
The cricket specialist website www.espncricinfo.com reported on Monday
that Cricket South Africa will appoint a black African selector, perhaps in the
new year, and that Ntini is considered a front-runner.
Their South African correspondent Firdose Moonda quoted
Jacques Faul, acting CSA chief executive, as saying: “We want to transform and
reflect the demographic of our country as best as possible.
“A black African selector is needed to help address
representation at all levels.”
The move would be in
line with the organisation’s transformation policy.
South Africa’s current national selection panel is headed up
by former Test opening batsman Andrew Hudson.
While likely to be welcomed in many circles, should iconic
former Proteas star Ntini crack the nod, it will ruffle some feathers
considering that during the recent tour of Australia he was outspoken in his
criticism of the current team management’s handling of reserve wicketkeeper
Thami Tsolekile.
The “Mdingi Express” maintained that if Tsolekile was white,
he would have had more opportunities to play Tests, although the player himself
came out publicly to pooh-pooh the theory.
Now 35, Ntini – who took 390 wickets in 101 Tests and also
played 183 limited-overs fixtures for South Africa – continues to turn out for the
Warriors in franchise cricket, which would strengthen his claims to be
knowledgeable about domestic talent.
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