Cricket: Cricket's black revolution

By RICHARD BOOCK

JOHANNESBURG - It was not too long ago that the only black men allowed inside the South African cricket team's dressing-room would not have been wearing whites and carrying a bat, but wearing blue overalls and carrying a bucket and mop.

So it stands to reason that whatever the Johannesburg weather did to ruin the third test against New Zealand as a spectacle, it could not overshadow the significance of the match in terms of world cricket history after South Africa selected two black players on merit for the first time.

Though it was hard to see your hand in front of your face on occasions, there was still a chance for a glimpse of what seems likely to be the future face of South African cricket when Xhosa fast bowlers Makhaya Ntini and Mfuneko Ngam lined up against New Zealand at the Wanderers Stadium last Friday.

In terms of importance, the selection of the pair ranks as the biggest breakthrough in South African cricket since readmission, when Clive Rice led his side on to Calcutta's Eden Gardens just over nine years ago.

The rain, which effectively allowed for only two days' play, ensured the test would be filed under the heading of a dull, boring draw, but there was just enough time to form the impression that Ntini and Ngam are set to have a big impact on the game over here, not only in terms of immediate success, but in terms of South Africa's development programme.

As far as New Zealand are concerned, Ntini proved the most difficult South African bowler to face in all three tests and thoroughly deserved his player-of-the-series award, while the 21-year-old Ngam pushed the speed-ball radar up into the high 140 km/h area, and for a rookie, showed remarkable control over his line and length.

If Ntini has elements of Malcolm Marshall in his approach and action, then Ngam's style leans more towards that of Michael Holding, his an effortless, gliding run-up ending in an enormous delivery stride and an explosive release.

Typically, when there is a new fast-bowler on the block, there have already been murmured comments about the "legality" of his action, but from the scrutiny of field-glasses and television slow-motion replays there seemed to be no snap or jerk at the point of release, suggesting no future problems.

Ngam, from the black township of Middledrift, looked appreciably quicker than Ntini when he took the new ball at the Wanderers.

He was denied what should have been a spectacular start to test cricket when he had Adam Parore dropped by first slip Daryll Cullinan twice in the first five overs.

If either catch had been taken, who knows what carnage might have followed, for Ngam had already comfortably broken the 140 km/h barrier, and with the adrenalin pumping, the new ball in his hand and a fairly noisy amount of support, looked capable of pushing the 150 km/h mark.

Ntini, however, was the major influence in South Africa's 2-0 series win, ending up with 13 wickets at 17.38, including a six-wicket bag at Bloemfontein.

South African captain Shaun Pollock said it was a healthy time for the development of cricket in the Republic, with the emergence of Ntini and Ngam, and batsman Neil McKenzie, rating among the highlights of the series.

"The exciting thing for us is that the progress of the less familiar players has overshadowed the performance of the old faces, and that's been seen in Makhaya winning the man-of-the-series award, in Mfuneko bowling so well in his first test, and in Neil's excellent efforts with the bat," Pollock said.

Ntini had several words of thanks to the United Cricket Board's managing director, Ali Bacher, who masterminded South African cricket's integration programme.

"I'd just like to say that I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for Dr Ali Bacher's development push," he said.

"Where I came from people didn't know anything about cricket, until the UCB arrived to help."