Bavuma has 'opened the door' for black batsmen

Cape Town - Former South African fast bowler Makhaya Ntini has heaped praise on Temba Bavuma for becoming the first black African to score a century for the Proteas.

Bavuma made an unbeaten 102 runs on day four of the drawn second Test against England at Newlands earlier this week.

Ntini was the first black African to play Test cricket for the Proteas and all the others since him - Mfuneko Ngam, Monde Zondeki, Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Kagiso Rabada - were all bowlers.

Bavuma is the first black African batsman to shine at the highest level and Ntini believes his century will do wonders for the younger generation.

“We have always been seen as black cricketers, that we can only be bowlers, not batters,” Ntini told the BBC.

“He has opened that door for the rest of them, to show we are able and capable of playing the game into the highest level, rather than being seen as black people who can only throw the ball...”