‘CSA not playing ball with Zimbabwe’
NEWLY appointed Zimbabwe coach Makhaya Ntini is accustomed to milestones. After all, he was the first black South African test cricketer, something he followed up with his interim position, making him the first black South African to coach an international team.
However, that “first black” tag is a source of irritation for the 38-year-old from Mdingi, just outside King William’s Town. He took charge of his first game yesterday when Zimbabwe played India at Harare Sports Club.
“If there’s something I don’t care about, it’s being the first whatever; being the first black African test cricketer and being the first black South African international coach. I don’t care about those things. It gives off the impression that you’re bigheaded because of that achievement and that’s all you’re going to be known for. I’m here to play my role in terms of helping to develop cricket in Zimbabwe, not to trade on some reputation that will wear off at some stage,” Ntini said.
“One thing we’re taught when we’re growing up is to be patient. If you’re not patient you’re not going to get anywhere and the patience part comes through the teachings of ubuntu.
“We’ve learnt to work hard, share and care as black people. That I think is one of the reasons why I was approached for this position. If you’re a caring person, you are able to work well with people and this is what Zimbabwe cricket has been needing.”
Zimbabwe has taken a leap of faith in Ntini, who has not coached at senior professional level. Mere mortals would have baulked at the task but Ntini is hewn from a different and resilient grain of wood.
With Ntini being the third Zimbabwean coach in two years after Stephen Mangongo and Dav Whatmore, he will need courage: the terminal instability within Zimbabwe Cricket is not for the faint-hearted.
With Lance Klusener at his side as batting coach, Ntini feels they are well equipped for the salvage job with a young but mentally fragile side.
There is also the significance of him getting a chance to coach at the highest level, which he feels will empower his black colleagues coaching at franchise level in South Africa.
“I haven’t coached at provincial level and within four months of being appointed bowling coach, I’m the head coach. That tells you about the faith in me here and the ability here to identify leadership potential.
“It works differently in South Africa where you roast in the system and find that other coaches leapfrog you. There are talented coaches in South Africa who need to get their international dues,” Ntini said.
“You also have to understand where we come from and we have to make people proud with what we do. It forces us to do what we think is right and coach from intuition rather than a set of instructions. I don’t come from a group of players who are privileged enough not to give back to the game. I guess it’s also about letting the players express themselves and that’s what Lance and I intend doing. After all, Lance knows about giving back to the game.”
Being schooled in ubuntu and good neighbourliness has allowed Ntini to view South African cricket from a Zimbabwean perspective.
While the game there is still trying to find its feet after the weird and wacky tenures of Peter Chingoka and Ozias Bvute, Ntini feels Cricket South Africa has turned a blind eye to their struggling neighbours.
“The first thing I asked when I got here was what is CSA doing to help and I picked up that South Africa is not keen on visiting here and they don’t want much to do with Zimbabwe. It was sad to hear that, along with the fact that I was told they nearly didn’t want to come to Zimbabwe for the tri-series they played with Zimbabwe and Australia two years ago,” Ntini said.
“I’d like to find out why they nearly pulled out of that series and also ask why they don’t want to support Zimbabwe. They’re the only other good cricketing nation we have on the continent.”