Former Proteas fast bowler Makhaya Ntini has revealed how he was blamed for South Africa’s disappointing performance in the first Test against the West Indies in 2005, only to bounce back with a remarkable 13-wicket haul in the next match.
The first Test, played in Guyana, saw the West Indies post a mammoth 543/5. South Africa struggled in their first innings, managing just 188 runs before being forced to follow on. The Proteas then scored 269 in their second innings to secure a draw.
Speaking to Sen Cricket, Ntini recalled how he was singled out for criticism after South Africa managed to take only three wickets in the match.
Makhaya Ntini says he was made the scapegoat
The former fast bowler said he was even told that he did not belong in the team and should be sent home, despite the other bowlers also struggling to make an impact.
“I was called the weakest link. My question was, what do you mean I was the weakest link? It seems like I was the only one who was supposed to bowl here, but you selected six bowlers,” Ntini said.
“None of us took more than one wicket, but I was made the weakest link.”
Ntini revealed that he accepted the criticism but remained in the team for the second Test, which was played in Trinidad.
Rather than being sent home, the bowler delivered one of the finest performances of his career, claiming 13 wickets to help South Africa beat the West Indies in the next Test match.
It was one of Makhaya Ntini’s best bowling figures in Test cricket.
“They said, ‘No, no, no, you don’t belong here, you need to go home.’ Okay, fair enough, I took it, but I didn’t go home. They made a mistake of selecting me for the next game that was played in Trinidad. I picked up 13 wickets in that game,” he recalled.
“I was like, what’s the story here? Am I still getting sent home?” Ntini added with a laugh.
Asked whether the performance ranked among the best he had ever produced, alongside his memorable display at Lord’s, Ntini agreed.
“Yes, it was, besides Lord’s,” he said.
Makhaya Ntini’s account highlights the remarkable turnaround between the two Tests, as the bowler responded to being labelled the team’s weakest link by producing a match-winning performance for the Proteas. South Africa went on to win the four-Test series 2-0