Makhaya Ntini

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For a 23-year-old, Makhaya Ntini has had a fair bit to contend with during his young life. A product of the United Cricket Board's development programme, Ntini was discovered as a cattleherd in the Eastern Cape, given a pair of boots and packed off to Dale College, one of the country's best regarded cricketing nurseries. With an action consciously modelled on that of Malcolm Marshall, Ntini found himself touring Australia at the end of 1997 when Roger Telemachus failed a fitness test. He made his South African one-day debut at Perth in early 1998, bowling well in helpful conditions and his Test debut came against Sri Lanka in the same year. In 1999, however, Ntini was charged and initially convicted of rape. He steadfastly maintained his innocence and was subsequently acquitted on appeal. It was, though, a harrowing ordeal for the first black African cricketer to play for South Africa and it is to his credit that he has been able to rebuild his career. He was not chosen for South Africa again until the Sharjah tournament earlier this year where he both surprised and impressed observers with greater control than had been evident previously. He carried his Sharjah form over to the three one-dayers against Australia in April this year, again bowling impressively. Quite obviously, Ntini has bounced back from his troubles, but it is less clear what role he needs to play in the future. Slippery enough to make batsmen hop around on fast, grassy wickets, Ntini is a little short of the genuine pace of a Brett Lee or a Shoaib Akhtar. At the same time, his ability to bowl sustained line and length over long periods has also not yet been fully proven. Should he try to establish himself as a genuine fast bowler or a fast-medium seamer? He may need some guidance before he finally decides what he wants to be.