Friday 28 February 2014

Proteas First XI selection shaped by racism



Most Black South African cricket fans such as myself, are greatly concerned by the developments within the national team.

Going into the second Test against Australia, Quinton de Kock was selected when it was clear that Alviro Petersen wouldn’t recover in time. I have no qualms against the young man himself as he is a fine future prospect for the Proteas, but what is unsettling is that this came at Thami Tsolekile's expense.

Alviro is an opener but they went with Elgar in that role (understandable since he’s been a top order batsman most of his career), which meant Alviro's direct replacement de Kock batted instead at number six. The South African think-tank (Hudson, Domingo and Smith) must imagine that we are fools and could not see precisely  what was happening. They reasoned that by merely retaining AB de Villiers as keeper, we would not be able to see that Thami had once again been snubbed in a calculated move. After all, it’s not as if de Kock had performed better than Thami in their First Class match together before this Test, which pitted the Lions against the Cape Cobras in the Sunfoil Series Domestic Competition.

Cricket in South Africa will continue to be a sport that the majority frown upon due to these racist tendencies. Quinton de Kock is an opener. If it was a middle order batsman they wanted, why then did they not call up Temba Bavuma who is in red hot form in the Sunfoil Series for the Lions Franchise? Particularly considering that Thami was dropped from the central contracts list, then overlooked for the Test XI as well, therefore Bavuma as an outside selection on merit (just as de Kock wasn’t part of the original squad as well) would have been a principled move that satisfied the transformation objective, which supposedly a priority.

The pitch had in my view been deliberately prepared a flat surface, cowardly done to negate the threat of the unplayable Australian seamers, in particular Mitchell Johnson who had knocked the stuffing out of them. Of course Australian Michael Clarke’s humility through exaggerated praise of our attack in his comments – all designed to mask his own prolonged poor form, combined with the dramatic transformation of the pitch which yielded a totally unexpected outcome for all-comers- may argue otherwise, but the reality is there was a hint of foreknowledge that whatever Tsolekile’s (or any new batsman’s) deficiencies might have been, he would have had less difficulty in overcoming them in these conditions had he played. Proof of which he displayed in similar conditions, against a quality Australia A attack in July last year.  The selection of de Kock ahead of him, or Bavuma as my alternative suggestion, was thus unwarranted. That’s the background.

We have quietly observed all of this this, but it cannot be allowed to persist further. Lonwabo Tsotsobe has for a long time been our best new ball bowler in Limited Overs Internationals, (i.e. ODIs&T20s) to the point that he was ranked as the best bowler in the world for a decent amount of time. He may have had a difficult start to his Test career in what were challenging pitches for all our seamers years back, but he really should have got another Test cap on merit in the last 3 years. Instead he was inexplicably dropped when the Proteas toured Australia late in 2012. In any other Test playing nation, a bowler of Tsotsobe’s quality would have played again by now.

By contrast Morne Morkel has generally been a poor bowler for the Proteas in the last few seasons but his place in the team has never been in question. His successes with the ball have been isolated and very limited. Yet to compensate for his abject returns, the majority of local sports media as if by collusion, perpetuate the myth that his style is the perfect foil for Steyn & Philander, somehow softening the wickets for them to reap, and therefore effective in that sense. Reality dictates however, that he should have been deservedly dropped more than a few times, and carried drinks more often over this period.

Likewise the Proteas were comfortable with Mark Boucher as keeper, but suddenly upon his retirement AB de Villiers was chosen as keeper despite Tsolekile’s presence in the squad – the first sign that Blacks in the team are invariably either selected or contracted by CSA to carry drinks.

Why didn't Gary Kirsten drop Boucher long before then and excluded him from the touring squad if he felt that AB gave them an option to play an extra batsman? Why did that consideration only become an eventuality when Tsolekile was due to be included in the XI when the sole purpose for which he travelled arose – to serve as a reserve in case something happens to Boucher? I strongly doubt they would have overlooked any of Dane Vilas, Morne van Wyk, Heino Kuhn or Dave Jacobs if they were part of that squad as reserve keeper, purely because they are White. All the more reason why it’s not surprising that de Kock got the nod even though we all knew he would struggle in that Test, and did.

AB de Villiers had expressed a lack of desire in the role permanently, but then he made an about-turn and was suddenly keen on it again. Thami, who was promised to play as keeper after that when New Zealand toured in January 2013, was then shamelessly betrayed by the shameless Andrew Hudson, and de Villiers continued to keep. His wish granted without a fuss! Just as they did when he constantly flip-flopped between keeping and not keeping, all through his substandard captaincy which severely affected the performance and results of the destabilised Limited Overs teams! How, like the spoilt son of noble parentage who gets whatever he wants whenever he wants it, he was ever given that right to being with is beyond belief. Promises to Thami should have been honoured unfailingly. Understandably Thami no longer trusts CSA and Hudson.

It's worth noting that Mark Boucher himself was a very average batsman throughout his career, and unbearably poor in his last few seasons, yet Smith and the selectors were quite happy to let him continue in the side unchallenged. One starts to think that this was a carefully planned and executed agenda, perhaps designed to keep Thami out, while preparing for another top White keeper-batsman to occupy the fixed role. When their hands were forced prematurely by Boucher’s strange injury and subsequent retirement, they turned to AB de Villiers, notwithstanding concerns about his frail back and the potential effect on his batting, which did suffer negatively for some time after that.

During Boucher’s last years with the side Thami Tsolekile had been averaging over 45 in FC Franchise cricket, despite the disadvantage of having returned from a break away from the game, so his inclusion on merit would never have been in question. Then, Ray Jennings (former national coach) said he should be selected, and that he was inarguably the best wicketkeeper in the country, a fact I strongly concur with.

A few days ago Daryll Cullinan, a former accomplished national team batsmen, also said Thami should play as keeper for the rest of the current series, while AB de Villiers should move up the order as he is a top batsman whose talents are better utilised where it is hardest to bat, and the void left by Jacques Kallis demands it not Faf du Plessis. My opinion on AB de Villiers’ habit of hiding lower down the order than where he should be batting, in pretty all formats is well known. As an member of the team who gets whatever he wants there was never any chance of anyone instructing him against his preference.

Jennings and Cullinan are only entitled to suggest, as they are neither selectors nor have positions of influence at CSA, like most of us, but they are respected cricket former cricketers at the highest levels, unlike most of us. Why is it then that Hudson and Graeme Smith continue to unashamedly disagree through their actions and decision-making when there are no clear arguments to back up their case? It lends further credence to my argument that (unlike their peers with no active involvement in the team) since Thami is Black and they wouldn't want a Black man occupying the wicketkeeper's position which renders him basically part of the furniture, since wicketkeepers are hardly dropped. Further to that, based on Boucher's poor batting record and contrariwise the patience he was shown, it would be even harder to justify dropping Thami - a vastly superior man behind the stumps - who was sure to meet the modest standards set by Boucher with the bat.

In 2013 some national sides' A teams (India and Australia) toured South Africa, as well as the usual tour matches for full national sides when they tour (Pakistan). Ayabulela Gqamane who was easily among the best 3 FC seamers at the time was regularly overlooked for a spot in the FC XI and relegated to appearing in the short formats alone. The tour game against Pakistan was particularly painful as Gqamane was left out of the starting XI for no apparent reason. It can be argued that such actions demoralised him and today this affects his performances and future prospects in the game as a result.

Surely if Black players are not being accommodated even in FC national 2nd XIs, it’s no wonder they stand no chance when it comes to international chances. Not because they lack quality and ability. Only the requisite skin colour certain teammates are comfortable around in the changing rooms.

Other cases of blatant favouritism (equally read racism) are there for all to see. When Jacques Rudolph was clearly struggling as an opener, he was demoted to the middle order by way of reprieve, before he was dropped for the umpteenth time for failing even there. The question is, are we going to see the same kind treatment for Alviro Petersen, perhaps with him also being allowed a second chance in the middle order? The same kindness extended to Rudolph affected Ashwell Prince - a career middle order batsman - who was forced to open so Rudolph could be accommodated in his position. Surely AB de Villiers likewise being forced to open, with Alviro batting at number would be a sign of consistency in the treatment of players would it not? But will it happen?

Along with that you are well aware that Quinton de Kock batted for 14 international innings without a single score above 40, and averaged an embarrassing 20 in that time. He came right in the end, but that example must surely serve as a reference point in the handling of all future players. Will we see the same type of patience being extended to Black batsmen in future? Evidence suggests not. Thami only got 5 innings, his last one being close to 10 years ago. Nothing since! Yet he has done everything required in order to be rewarded accordingly. His cries falling on either deaf or prejudiced ears.

Makhaya Ntini our legendary fast bowler said this outright. "Thami Tsolekile would have been selected to play by now if he was White." He went on to say that as a Black in the team he "felt he was never respected or treated as a senior player" and that despite his wealth of experience and successful years in the team he always felt that “when a new bowler came into the team, the impression was he was here to replace me.”

Shaun Pollock was carried by the team on his way to reaching the milestone of 400 wickets when he was visibly past his best. Makhaya Ntini was way past his best as well, but why was he also not similarly carried over that milestone? Most have argued “unlike Ntini, Polly could bat a bit”, but we all know they would’ve considered converting him into slow left-arm orthodox just to get him over the mark if that’s what it took. Sadly, history will reveal that Makhaya was forced to end on 390 wickets, within touching distance of that target which they must have believed did not befit him. Which is funny considering that a similar aged, but much inferior in class, Andre Nel was just over 12 months before Ntini’s last Test, deemed deserving and young enough for an SOS call up during a tour of England, while the likes of younger Mondi Zondeki, Victor Mpitsang and Lonwabo Tsotsobe banging on the door and had current FC stats to back them up.

Did we really have to “import” a foreign spinner Imran Tahir, and wait so long, as well as go through great lengths to secure his services, while we had the likes of Aaron Phangiso and Eddie Leie within our ranks? Why weren’t these energies exerted on them instead? They could have been selected and given time to improve in top level matches over that time. None of our spinners, including the much sought after toothless embarrassment Tahir, displayed anything to prove that they were indeed superior to what Phangiso and Leie could have given us – holding or attacking. How much worse could they have been I ask?

No matter how long it took and how many setbacks they had as a result, Australia were never afraid to try their own as spinners, and Fawad Alam the import is a last resort that seemingly won’t be required with Nathan Lyon, the result of their patient efforts, proving to be a young success as well as being an inspiration to a long line of potentially world class young spinners who will be challenging him soon.

The same problems affect our national rugby team. The coach would rather play a scrumhalf Francois Hougaard out of position at wing instead of Lwazi Mvovo - among the best wingers in world rugby at the time. Similar to the Tahir case, efforts were made to retain Tendai Mtawarira while we have several quality props. Flank Siya Kolisi will not be given a consistent run for the Springboks, but we’ve seen countless players inferior or comparable to him get more chances to play for the Boks and regularly start matches, something that can only be a pipedream for him. A reproduction of the story of Chiliboy Ralepelle. Meanwhile a 36 year old Victor Matfield - like a string of other retirees who returned and easily got the nod ahead of these Black rugby players toiling in the sidelines of the national team - has been welcomed by their former club the Bulls, and soon the Boks.

Chiliboy close to 10 years his junior was used regularly as a political pawn by Heyneke Meyer and those before him. Having belatedly got the message, he quit the Bulls and the Springboks and now turned to France where at 27 he has age behind his to build a career away from this racist setup. Even after a stellar Super Rgby season his national contract was cut in favour of an inactive player who had been injured for a period of close to a year. Such is the kind of madness which prevails in South African cricket and rugby.

For a long time Morne Steyn was horrible, yet they persisted with him until he was back in form, but not before a series of multiple damaging displays affecting the team's fortunes had passed. All the while we had a quality replacement in Elton Jantjies at the top of his game, but for reasons best known Heyneke Meyer alone he was ignored. Certainly not even the coloured community is spared.

I would not be surprised to see the magnificent Vernon Philander being dropped before Morkel (nor would it surprise me to see de Kock being retained ahead of Alviro). Bear in mind that even the magnificent Philander had to toil many seasons as the top FC seamer in the country before getting selected for the Test team. Once he was selected there was an outcry from that notorious section of fans who dominate various online news sites and dedicated forums. He has since shut them up through his record-breaking performances, but the likes of Kyle Abbott and Marchant de Lange didn’t have to break much sweat in comparison to gain selection, and the same will probably apply to the likes of Beuran Hendricks. Evidently the turnaround time from form to national appearance is much shorter for White players in comparison to non-Whites irrespective of the performances.

Former cricketer, explosive batsman and top fielder Herschelle Gibbs in his book “To the Point”, pointed to the presence of a mafia or clique within the team comprising of Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher and AB de Villiers, and that they had a huge influence, strong enough to undermine even the coaches and selectors' decisions. Which explains why underperforming White players (Smith, Boucher, Morne Morkel etc) were/are never really dropped, but we do hear persistent noises (even from likeminded fans who raise an outcry at every Black name mentioned for international selection) questioning the continued presence of the likes of Robin Peterson, JP Duminy, Alviro Petersen and Lonwabo Tsotsobe, every time they underperform.

That mafia must be viewed as responsible for resisting the progress of Blacks in the team and consciously working against the transformation of the cricket team instead of having the hero status bestowed upon them by the circumstantially ignorant, and those well informed albeit in denial (certainly that’s how they fare in my index and I’m entitled to that right as you do too).

Gibbs is a mature man who played all over the world interacting with fellow professionals during his over 14 year association with the national team, so his first-hand accounts, particularly mirroring those of Ntini, cannot be taken lightly despite his former indiscretions common among most sportspeople and probably a number in the current Proteas squad.

Via strong widely reported rumours, it is said that Smith threatened to resign ahead of the India tour last year in December, if the selectors went ahead and selected Thami Tsolekile as keeper, and Faf du Plessis was dropped for him. Generally du Plessis was in poor form and had not scored a half-century in 8 innings. I’m sure the Sports Minister is well aware of those rumours because reports say he commented that if the rumours were true then that was regrettable, but CSA denied all of this and apparently the Minister accepted the explanation. However, what cannot be denied is that there is no smoke without fire.

Fans throughout the world laugh at the division of the side, which is easy to see in how they interact with each other as was the case during their tour of Australia in late 2012. It’s no wonder because harmony can never be cultivated under such an environment and the toxic leadership of Captain Graeme Smith. Those in charge couldn’t be bothered with fostering a united front, and would much rather let it grow as evidence by Gary Kirsten going away from it to visit his family in the middle of a job, as opposed to rectifying such things as a priority. But of course he himself is probably a former core member of that mafia so that should be expected.

For years Cricket South Africa had, as transformation boss, a former scientist of the Apartheid regime who developed biological weapons which were explicitly designed to wipe out Blacks – Mr Willie Basson. Unsurprisingly like most scientists involved in such vile projects for their respective countries’ science teams, he claims he was used and had no idea the intentions his efforts were malicious. Indeed a section of our naturalised brothers do tend to suffer from the consistent affliction of denial and cowardice when it comes to acknowledging who they are and what they are about, something seen by contrasting the examples of cricket’s Basson and Pakistan’s Abdul Qadeer Khan (Weapons Programs), as well as FW de Klerk and JM Coetzee (being an African).

Nonetheless is it not surprising therefore that in 22 years as a continuous Test playing nation of a population of over 40+ million Blacks, we have no single Black player in the Test XI right now or in the recent past?

I am an African, lover of Africans and our sportspeople in Africa, and I strongly advocate for their participation at the highest levels. Blacks are Africa’s identity. Their systematic marginalisation and exclusion in their own backyard is something that I, as a Black man, am totally disgusted with, and it must be put to an end as a matter of urgency.

Recently Zimbabwean cricket dominated the Pakistan Test team over 2 matches, famously winning the second one. That victory along with many others they’ve had along the way, are signs that their policies have been vindicated. Apart from White youngsters who abuse and frustrate the system as a stepping stone to playing cricket in English, Australian, New Zealand cricket leagues; they have been a riveting success for the nation’s Black cricket community. Economic and financial challenges may frustrate things and cause friction between administrators and players, but the fact remains - tangible progress is discernible and the foundation for even more success stands resolute.

The laughable quotas introduced by Cricket South Africa of 1 or 2 Blacks in a Franchise XI team while we should be speaking of 5 or more at this eleventh hour, are signs that there are elements of spinelessness among those taking the lead in sports in our country.

This is further evidenced by CSA being bullied, treated as a second class citizen and powerless Full Member, when it has the numbers within the population, who can consume the sport and make it profitable and relatively self-sufficient like the Australians have done.

CSA (practically still the exclusive UCB which transformed only in name as did the NP into the DA) is reaping the rewards for ignoring that constituency of Black cricket followers which promise huge potential. It is virtually untapped, simply because they have consistently and effectively killed the growth of that constituency's current and future heroes who are crucial to many Black people being attracted and remaining interested in the game, which will boost the coffers in multiple ways.

Mr Fikile Mbabula as our Sports Minister you must press forward, as did your Zimbabwean counterparts, and lead the spread of the game forcefully and radically. Recently you lashed out at the Bafana Bafana players for their underwhelming performances without mincing your words the least bit. That kind of energy is what we expect. Except of course we have not heard that same kind of ire directed at those figure in charge of Cricket and Rugby who are working against our people. That kind of selective action is a symptom of the notoriously one-eyed approach of Public Protector Thuli Madonsela by the way. This cannot continue under your watch, and should never have been tolerated to begin with.

I urge you to use the Thami Tsolekile saga, long unfolding before us, as a catalyst for action. A statement demanding the explanations of the selectors, captain and others involved is the minimum expectation, with heads rolling as a consequence. When Makhaya Ntini uttered his sentiments, he said he felt “those things needed to be said”. What he neglected to add was that “those are things we need the Minister to act on”. I trust that he didn’t have to say that to make you realise your duty to rectify this.

Your tenure so far hasn’t yielded the kind of dividends which your much older predecessors, comrades Ngconde Balfour and Makhenkesi Stofile, laid the foundation for. As a younger leader, much more would’ve been expected of you, with an upward projection into the future which your youth in comparison allowed, but absolutely nothing can be singled out as standout achievement by yourself in terms of transformation in these two sports. The success of these disciplines in the field of play does not remove the responsibility to advance greater participation regardless of the shortcomings in the interim.

Who doesn’t know Baby Jake Matlala, Makhaya Ntini or Caster Semenya? Of what benefit is it for Jacques Kallis - a man who over a career spanning 18 years at the highest level established himself as the greatest allrounder and among the best ever batsmen - if tens of millions of South Africans have no idea and couldn’t be bothered who he is just a few months after his triumphant retirement from Tests? He is proportionally no more popular than a new janitor at Vatican City. One would agree that his legacy deserves more than just appearances in the Wisden Almanacs which no one buys, but that greater audience was shut out from understanding let alone developing an appreciation of his achievements.

In the four years since Ntini’s retirement, he probably inspired and continues to inspire more cricketers in this country than have Smith, de Villiers, Kallis and Dale Steyn in spite of all their record-breaking achievements together.

No matter how much Ali Bacher and his incidental media lackeys may sensationalise his association with the late Nelson Mandela, and falsely claim that there was ever a cricket future for South Africa born out of that association, cricket at the highest levels remains a preserve of a few whites, and there isn’t and will never be a future in it for the majority unless drastic measures are taken.

Thami Tsolekile must without fail play in the next series, and continue to do so until he is either injured, rested, or perhaps dropped if there is satisfactory evidence - over a decent number of matches and series - that he is not cut out for this level. In which case no one can have any arguments, and we can all happily expect to announce his retirement from international cricket. Tumelo Bodibe, Lefa Mosena and Mangaliso Mosehle are all waiting in the wings.

I on the other hand have full confidence that he will not sink but swim, and swim well for long, and retire on his own terms. His central contract must be reinstated and Bavuma must be added to the squad and contracted as well.

A young Black cricketer, Siphe Mzaidume, like some of his peers, has had to migrate to the land of the colonisers’ origin in order to stand a greater chance of progress with them than the settlers back in his home South Africa. This is damning! Kagiso Rabada is the latest young sensation, our star seamer of this year’s u19 World Cup. Remember that name brothers and sister, because while it may be hot right now, it won’t be long before Hudson and his gang extinguish it completely.

The only place you’ll see it if fortunate is behind the desk as a sidekick panellist or commentator on Supersport, or SABC if they are offered the screening at cut price, assuming of course they haven’t imported another Mpumelelo Mbangwa from another African country just like they did with Tendai Beast Mutawaria in rugby, as if to say there aren’t thousands of Black South Africans involved the game while they are actually being systematically and effectively sidelined.

Unless Mbalula is prepared to honour his responsibility, or his successor assuming he will not be returning to the portfolio soon, the parents of these children would do well to taper their beloved children’s expectations, however talented and promising they might be. Chiliboy Ralepelle has had to resort to taking his younger brother Ngoako with him to France after the Bulls ignored him.

We wait with anticipation for your action Minister.