CSA leads the charge on transformation issue

AS WITH all sport in the country, quotas play a major role in South African cricket... at senior and junior level.

Fast-tracking young black African and coloured players into the rank and file of the game locally is a process that will continue until there is true representivity in teams, be it at junior, senior, provincial or national level.

To date only six black Africans have represented the senior national team at Test level, the most recent being former Capetonian Temba Bavuma, of the Lions who made his debut against the West Indies in December.

The other five to play since SA’s reintroduction to international cricket in 1991, are Makhaya Ntini, who was the first and played 100 Tests, Mfuneko Ngam, Thami Tsolekile, Monde Zondeki and Lonwabo Tsotsobe.

A sad statistic indeed for the Rainbow Nation. But times are c hanging. Develop- ment of the game is taking place at grassroots level as a matter of urgency with Cricket South Africa ( CSA) leading the charge.

In the Western Cape, the Cape Cobras franchise sets a fine example of what can be achieved when all role players pull in the same direction. And the results in terms of on-field success speaks for itself, none of the other franchises can match the Cobras’ achievements. The rest of the country can learn a lot from the Cape franchise.

CSA youth boss

Niels Momberg points out that the drive to promote black African cricketers is coming along nicely. “We’ve identified many players through our scouts situated throughout the country and the talent unearthed is bountiful, standing the country in good stead heading forward. There are plenty of bowlers around set to stake a claim for higher honours, but the push to find batsmen is a bit more of a challenge.

“We’ve now got a trio of leading batsmen who have what it takes to reach the next level. They are Tony de Zorzi ( Lions), Kabelo Sekhanya ( Easterns) and Sibonelo Makhanya (Dolphins).”

Quota systems are in place at provincial junior level to speed up the process. Teams of 13 are expected to comprise more players of colour than white players. And at the recent CSA under- 19 Cubs week, franchises were instructed to play two players of colour in the top six of batting orders, with a black African player in the top three.

After the week a SA Under- 19 team was selected containing five black African players and three mixedrace players.