Friday will be a big day for Proteas fast-bowler Makhaya Ntini, recently voted the most popular sports hero in South Africa. His invitation team, consisting mainly international cricketers, take on the might of the West Indies touring team at Buffalo Park on Friday in a 25-overs benefit clash.
It’s a match that is sure to have the East London crowds on the edge of their seats, with sixes galore, boundary hits, flying stumps and amazing catches, not to mention numerous run-out attempts.
The shortened form of the game has exploded into an exciting spectacle and with Herschelle Gibbs and former Border wicketkeeper-batsman Mark Boucher set to open the innings for the Ntini XI, big hitting can be expected from ball one.
Jacques Kallis at number three is in sublime batting form at the moment and should make a good contribution to the team. His crisp driving on both sides of the wicket and willingness to hook or pull anything short always makes him a favourite with the Buffalo Park crowd.
Lower down the order, all-rounder Tyron Henderson can be expected to heave a few balls over the fence, while it will be interesting to see how retired batsmen Jonty Rhodes and Pieter Strydom fare with the bat against the Windies’ bowling attack.
Both have been out of first-class cricket for some time and the spectators will be keen to see the acrobatic Rhodes in the field in his accustomed position of backward point. Keep an eye on him as he rallies the fielders after virtually every ball.
Strydom, too, had an excellent reputation as a fielder and he will probably patrol the cover areas. The touring team under a new coach, former Australian batsman John Dyson, will be keen to make a good impression in the first match of the South African leg of their tour and thus the game will be played in the spirit of a proper one-day limited-overs international.
Proving this point is the appointment of two experienced international umpires to stand in the match — Ian Howell and Brian Jerling.
Ntini XI coach Greg Hayes was positive that the match would provide plenty of fun and entertainment for the big crowd expected. ”Although it’s a fun game, it will be played in the right spirit,” he said on Thursday. ”The current international players have their reputations to maintain and are unlikely to throw their wicket away when batting. But entertainment for the crowd will be the order of the day.”
For Ntini and as part of his benefit year, Friday kicks off with an early-morning breakfast function at Buffalo Park when former South African bowler Vincent van der Bijl will be the guest speaker. The big game starts at 6pm.
Match-winner
Over the past 10 years since his introduction to international cricket in the 1997/98 season, Ntini has proven himself to be a match-winner time and time again for the Proteas.
Who can forget his 13-wicket haul against the Windies in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad in 2005 — the best-yet return in a Test for South Africa? And what about his savage burst against the Australians at Newlands two seasons ago when he grabbed a spectacular six wickets for 22 runs in an inspired spell and the Aussies were dismissed for 93 — again the top performance by a South African bowler in one-day internationals?
With 319 Test wickets, Ntini is close to overhauling Allan Donald (330 wickets) but still some way behind Shaun Pollock’s 416-wicket haul, and he will most likely slot into second place on the all-time list later this summer.
Ntini is probably best known for his remarkable fitness and willingness to bowl all day if necessary — attributes of a great player.
”I feel honoured and feel respected to have been awarded a benefit,” he said on Thursday. He has also arranged to hold golf days during 2008 as a means of raising extra funds for his benefit. ”We’ll also have a banquet evening with an auction of some of my cricketing items.”
The sporting icon has rarely let South Africa down. In 2003, he bowled his heart out at the headquarters of cricket, Lord’s in London, to capture 10 wickets for 220 runs in a Test match against England, becoming the first South African bowler to accomplish that feat at Lord’s and bring glorious victory to the Proteas.
Ntini had noticed the list at Lord’s that records for posterity individual performances of every batsman who has made a century in a Test at Lord’s or bowler who has captured 10 wickets in a match, and he was determined to have his name on the roll of honour. He succeeded.
He is particularly popular with young cricketers from the Border country areas and never tires of signing autographs for his admiring fans.
The weatherman has forecast cloudy conditions after light morning rain with a steady north-easterly wind, ideal conditions for the match. — Sapa
Makhaya Ntini Invitation XI: Makhaya Ntini (captain), Paul Adams, Mark Boucher, Herschelle Gibbs, Tyron Henderson, Jacques Kallis, Mfuneko Ngam, Yanda Pangabantu, Shaun Pollock, Jonty Rhodes, Pieter Strydom. 12th man: Neville Botha
West Indies (from): Dwayne Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Pedro Collins, Fidel Edwards, Daren Ganga, Rawl Lewis, Runako Morton, Brenton Parchment, Daren Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Darren Sammy, Marlon Samuels, Devon Smith, Jerome Taylor
Umpires: Ian Howell and Brian Jerling. TV umpire: Laurance Willemse.