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 at 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 in 2000 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. Although he is a little short of the genuine pace of a Brett Lee or a Shoaib Akhtar, he is steadily improving and became the first South African to take ten wickets at Lord's in 2003 before devestating the West Indies in Trinidad in 2005 with 13 for 132, the best-ever match figures by a South African bowler. Finished the series against Australia at the end of 2005 with nine wickets at 29.33, including a menacing 5 for 64 in the first innings at Perth. Was forced to miss the third Test with a knee injury that restricted his bowling in the second innings at Melbourne. In the return series at home, Ntini proved a constant threat both as a wicket-taker and potential bruiser. Probing lines and a never-say-die attitude reaped him 19 wickets at 22.36 - with 6 for 100 and 4 for 78 at Johannesburg being a stand-out showing - and gave Justin Langer a warm welcome, in his 100th Test, with a first-ball clanger to the head that left him concussed. Backed up this fine series with 20 wickets in three Tests against New Zealand, and was rightfully Man-of-the-Series. Finished the 2005-06 season with 48 Test victims. In June, Ntini was awarded a benefit by Border for his ten years' service to the game. He managed just five wickets in a two-Test series in Sri Lanka in July-August but was an automatic choice for South Africa's 14-man squad for the Champions Trophy in India. Took eight wickets in the tournament, including a fiery spell against Pakistan at Mohali. When India toured South Africa at the end of 2006, Ntini topped the wickets tally in the Tests with 15, and just after that, when it was Pakistan's turn to visit for three Tests, he passed 300 wickets in a 19-wicket series. Ntini was unable to carry his hot streak into the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies, where he managed just six wickets from seven games. Was dropped for South Africa's last two games, an indication of just how poorly he was performing, and was comprehensively outbowled by Dale Steyn in South Africa's series against West Indies, scraping 10 wickets at an unhealthy 38.50. He improved his average with another 10 wickets against India, and remains the side's engine room.
Peter Robinson June 2008

Education: Dale College, EL Technical College
Junior Representative Cricket: Bdr Nuff 1994-95, SA Schools 1995

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Apr 5, 2008 Makhaya Ntini is thrilled after nailing Virender Sehwag lbw © AFP

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Apr 3, 2008 Motera Marauders: Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini and Morne Morkel © AFP

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