Ntini, Ngam break through as Cricketers of the Year Peter Robinson - 2 October 2001

Makhaya Ntini and Mfuneko Ngam became the first African players to receive one of South
African cricket's highest awards on Monday when they were named among five 2001
Cricketers of the Year.

Ntini and Ngam were joined by Shaun Pollock, Neil McKenzie and Nicky Boje as the personal
choices of Colin Bryden, editor of the Mutual and Federal South African Cricket Annual.

The significance of the honour bestowed upon Ntini and Ngam is unmistakable. Just 10 years
after South African cricket finally unified after more than a century during which it had been
split along racial lines, African players have begun to make an impact on the game on the
field. There is clearly no tokenism about their selections, despite the fact that Ngam has
played in just three Test matches and has still to recover from shoulder and leg injuries which
kept him out of South Africa's tour of the West Indies this year.

Simply put, Ngam is the most exciting fast bowling talent to emerge in South Africa since
Allan Donald and the sense of anticipation ahead of his Test debut against New Zealand at
the Wanderers last summer did not recognise the colour of his skin.

It was perhaps fitting that the guest speaker at the dinner on Monday at which the awards
were announced was Jimmy Adams, the former West Indian captain now playing for Free
State. Adams made the point that as a youngster growing up in Jamaica, he simply did not
believe it was possible to play cricket with and against South Africans. In a delicious twist of
irony, Adams made his Test debut against South Africa in Barbardos in 1992.

For Ntini, the award is recognition of the impressive role he played in last summer's Test
matches, bowling long spells at considerable pace to take 23 wickets in six Test matches
against New Zealand and Sri Lanka. His consistency provided an ideal foil behind striking
power of Donald, Pollock, Ngam and Jacques Kallis and his stamina was almost exhausting to
behold.

Boje is honoured for a remarkable year which started during South Africa's 2000 tour of India
where he established himself as the country's first choice Test and One-Day spinner as well
as an all-rounder of genuine quality. Ironically, injury opened the door for Claude Henderson
to stake a claim and Boje faces competition as he seeks to make his way back.

McKenzie, meanwhile, grew in stature after a nervous start to his Test career and he has
now pinned down a middle order place so firmly that that he has become an automatic
choice. Well-liked, McKenzie may well be a future South African captain.

Pollock, finally, is recognised for the extraordinary manner with which he led the side after
Hansie Cronje was forced to step down. He matured as a batsman last summer to confirm
himself as one of the game's leading all-rounders. This was his third award and probably his
most deserved.

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