Ali Bacher: South African black cricketers should attend cricketing schools and get out of townships
Ali Bacher: South African black cricketers should attend cricketing schools and get out of townships
Johannesburg: Former South Africa skipper Ali Bacher believes that young black players cannot make it to the country’s cricket if they continue to stay in the township culture. The 73-year-old called on the black players to opt for one of the traditional cricketing schools in the country in order to reach at the highest level of the game, Sport24 reported. Bacher, who admitted that his schooling at King Edward School (KES) had helped in laying foundation for his future, asserted that all black players who had been successful in his country went to the traditional cricket schools. South Africa’s two black stars, fast bowler Kagiso Rabada and batsman Temba Bavuma had gone to traditional private cricket schools in the country. READ: AB de Villiers can become South Africa’s greatest captain, says Ali Bacher
According to Bacher, until a person is as gifted as former West Indies’ batting great Brian Lara, there is hardly any chance for them to become cricketer if they do not give up township culture. South Africa’s black cricketers like Temba Bavuma and Rabada did not follow the township culture but instead attended private cricket schools. They attended St. David’s college and St Stithians College respectively. Makhaya Ntini, South Africa’s finest black pace bowler attended Dale College.
“People often get angry with me when I say this, but for a black player to make it in South African cricket they have to go to one of the traditional cricketing schools in the country. It’s as simple as that. As a young kid I was lucky to get my schooling at King Edward School (KES) which had the best facilities imaginable. The cricket nets were excellent and the pitches we played on were of a high standard. We also had some of the best coaches. All that helped to lay the foundation for my future and after school I was ready to take the next step to club cricket. The black players who’ve been successful so far like Ntini, Aaron Phangiso and Bavuma all went from the townships to traditional cricket schools.” ALSO READ: Ali Bacher blames South Africa’s ‘madness’ tour of India for present debacle