Ntini blasts ‘racism’ behind Proteas’ team selection

Sydney: South African fast bowler Makhaya Ntini has lashed out at his team over the alleged preference of ‘white’ bowlers in the Test squad as the Proteas squad consider a replacement for injured JP Duminy.

Duminy injured his achilles tendon while exercising on the Gabba after play on Friday night and the obvious like-for-like is Faf du Plessis, a frontline batsman whose part-time leg-spin would fill the gap left by Duminy`s off-spin in a team containing four fast bowlers. But his likely selection will mean a further snub for black wicketkeeper Thami Tsolekile, who could have been included had the team balance been changed, feels Ntini. Ntini thereafter launched a stinging protest last weekend against Tsolekile`s omission from the current team, saying the only reason he was not in the side was that he was not white. “Tsolekile would have been playing if he was white. People will say we are talking politics, but we need to say these things,” New.com.au quoted Ntini, as saying. “I don`t understand how we can only have one black cricketer in our (Test) squad. What`s going on? In the whole squad – one,” he added. Ntini said that he always feared of being dropped of the team as soon as a new bowler was brought into the prospect of being slotted in the squad. “I always felt as if I was on the verge of being dropped. Whenever a new bowler came into the side the question always was whether they were coming to take my position,” he added. ANI