Africa's cricketing influence

African cricketers continue to influence the world game

With one African side currently in New Zealand trying to resurrect their flagging international fortunes and another, more powerful unit, soon to follow, it's timely to reflect on the influence Africa is having on world cricket. For the New Zealand summer, Zimbabwe is simply an entree to the South African main course, but their circle of influence is far wider than just the two playing sides.

We are regularly told the BCCI holds the balance of cricketing power courtesy of the game's largest fan base, swelling coffers and the prominence of the IPL. But do they? Africa's influence is deeper at a pure cricketing level - their players and coaches are making a heavy impression across a number of countries, not just at home.

African players plying their trade abroad are nothing new. Basil D’Oliveira was one of, if not the first. He was offered a contract in England league cricket when people believed his talent was wasted in South Africa where he was given no opportunities because of the colour of his skin. He went on to represent England and brought attention to the apartheid issues in his homeland. Similarly, Tony Greig emigrated and went on to captain his adopted country in the 1970s  - he was born in South Africa, played for England, now resides in Australia and has connections to the Sri Lankan tourism board – an eclectic gentleman.

A number of others left for greener pastures and an escape from the injustices of apartheid. Mike Procter, Garth le Roux, Barry Richards and Clive Rice all had a telling impact on the county scene where they had an opportunity to play against a number of the world’s best cricketers when their motherland was exiled from international cricket. Likewise, Peter Kirsten had a lengthy county career but was lucky enough to finish his playing days in South Africa after sporting sanctions were finally lifted. Kepler Wessels on the other hand has the distinction of playing test cricket for Australia early in his career before returning home to captain South Africa on their return to international cricket.

Robin Smith, Allan Lamb and Graeme Hick all left Africa for England before being promoted to the senior side. Hick’s change of allegiance (Zimbabwe did not yet have test status) is interesting in that he first ventured to England on a Zimbabwe Cricket Union sponsored scholarship.

In 2003, the Kolpak ruling opened the floodgates for more African (and Windies cricketers) to earn their keep in county cricket as it allowed players from countries with a European Union associate agreement to effectively play as EU residents; it’s far more involved than that, but this is quickly becoming a novel. A number of counties should be sending anonymous brown envelopes to Maros Kolpak as he won’t be in the riches playing second division handball whilst they are utilising the ruling to grow their stocks.

Kolpak has allowed a number of Africans to forego their national allegiances, prosper in county cricket and earn handy coin doing it. Players like Neil McKenzie, Andrew Hall, Murray Goodwin and Dale Benkenstein have brought their hard-nosed approach to the county game over long careers, though it is debateable if England would have been better served promoting home grown talent. Current England internationals Kevin Pietersen and Jonathan Trott (it’s worth noting he already held a British passport) are two of the younger generation switching allegiances who have developed formidable influence for their adopted nation and have been integral to its recent success. Would the same results have been realised without them?

For those not convinced of Africa’s influence on world cricket, take a further look at the current England set-up. The side is captained by South African born Andrew Strauss, and coached by an ex-Zimbabwean captain in Andy Flower. Flower’s ascension in the England set-up has aligned with them moving to number one in the test rankings – coincidence? South African born youngsters Jade Dernbach, Craig Kieswetter and Stuart Meaker are all forging limited overs careers in the national side and more of their ilk will likely follow.

But it’s not just England who have been blessed with the African influence. Gary Kirsten continued the good work of John Wright in India but moved on before the current issues affected an ageing side, and returned home for the South African job. Mickey Arthur was recently appointed the first foreign-born coach of the Australian side and with the recent 4-0 test drubbing of India is looking to restore the once champion side to its past glory. The coaching ranks of my own New Zealand were temporarily bolstered with the acquisition of Allan Donald to mould our young quicks before he too returned home – our loss.

Given the growing migration of Africans, both Zimbabwean and South African, to New Zealand’s shores the prevalence of Afrikaans names in our national and domestic sides is set to grow. Grant Elliott arrived in New Zealand a decade ago and was rushed straight into the national side once he had met the residency requirements – his tenure was short but he has shown a path for others.

Kruger van Wyk was in a two horse race for the New Zealand wicket keeping duties against Zimbabwe, and will get his chance in the future. Likewise, Neil Wagner, a sharp left-armer, looks set to get a run when he is eligible for New Zealand in April if his domestic feats are any indication. After representing the Zimbabwean U19s Colin de Grandhomme will make the step up to New Zealand’s T20 side against his former countrymen in the next fortnight. There is a sprinkling of others throughout the domestic scene, while former Zimbabwean leggie Paul Strang has held the coaching reigns of the all-conquering Auckland side for the past three seasons.

Different patriotic pundits around the globe could put forward persuasive arguments for the merits of their country being the most influential in world cricket, but even as a West Indian cricket loving Kiwi, it is hard for me to go past the two African nations. Zimbabwe is currently struggling to find their feet after a long test hiatus, but ask England if they would give up their coach for all of Mugabe’s stolen riches – not a chance. Likewise, many an Englishman secretly applauds Mr Kolpak and in years to come I’ll not care a jot where New Zealand talent was born.

Consider this: with England in the throes of defeat in Dubai there is the possibility they could lose the number one test ranking to the South Africans if they can sweep New Zealand 3-0. Before you fret, those in the MCC long room can mop their furrowed brows; New Zealand won’t let that happen, driven by a love of queen and country…..

T20 legends - that never were... (Part 2: bowlers)

With the top six selected and the base for huge totals built, it’s time to look at a quintet of bowlers who could defend any total or destroy the mojo of even the most confident of batting line-ups. Given the size of T20 squads, I’ve added a handful of other players  - the old boys might need a rest!

To recap, the top six batsmen: Roy Fredericks, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Dean Jones, Sir Viv Richards, Mark Waugh and Clive Lloyd (Captain).

7. Wasim Akram (Pakistan)
Matches: 356. Bowling - Wickets: 502, Average: 23.52, Economy Rate: 3.89, Strike Rate: 36.2
Batting - Runs: 3717, Average: 16.52, Strike Rate: 88.33 (all ODI statistics)
With Waqar, Wasim wrecked the confidence of batsmen the world over. One of the greatest left arm quicks of all time, Wasim could swing it both ways, change his pace before it was called a ‘change-up’ and bowl one of the most lethal yorkers in the game. With bat in hand, he wandered between disinterested and sublime, but on his day could change the outcome of any match.

8. Kapil Dev (India)
Matches: 255. Bowling - Wickets: 253, Average: 27.45, Economy Rate: 3.71, Strike Rate: 44.2
Batting - Runs: 3783, Average: 23.79, Strike Rate: 95.07
Kapil broke the mould as an Indian fast bowler - a career of nightmares. He had marvellous control, was as accurate as Scrooge counting his millions and could swing the ball in any conditions. He backed it up with unbridled batting power and a relentless confidence. Eddie Hemmings can vouch for that - Kapil smashed him for four consecutive sixes in a test at Lord’s to avoid the follow-on when India were nine down.

9. Curtly Ambrose (West Indies)
Matches: 176, Wickets: 225, Average: 24.12, Economy Rate: 3.48, Strike Rate: 41.5
A silent assassin, a rare trait in a true quick, Curtly was nothing short of lethal. At 6ft. 7in. and delivering the ball from almost 10ft., Ambrose could get the ball to rise freakishly off a length. He had express pace, was unerringly accurate and seemingly had the ball on a string. He let his bowling do the talking and it could really chatter – ask Dean Jones; he bore the full force after asking Ambrose to remove his trademark wristbands during a WSC match.

10. Dennis Lillee (Australia)
Matches: 63, Wickets: 103, Average: 20.82, Economy Rate: 3.58, Strike Rate: 34.8
The inspiration for another great bowler, Sir Richard Hadlee, Lillee could do it all. Even after remodelling his action, Lillee’s effectiveness was never questioned. When he returned from a back injury that would have ended most careers, he had added to his battery and was seen as the bowler aspiring cricketers should model themselves on. In today’s T20 where bowlers need the ability to bowl six different deliveries an over, he’d need to pick and choose which of his options he should bowl such was his arsenal.

11. Derek Underwood (England)
Matches: 26, Wickets: 32, Average: 22.93, Economy Rate: 3.44, Strike Rate: 39.9
All I know of ‘Deadly’ is what I’ve read and been told. I once questioned England’s ability to produce truly world-class spinners and was told in no uncertain terms I should do my research! Underwood was deadly accurate, as miserly as a pensioner living on an estate, and bowled at a sharp pace for a spinner. In today’s game his ability to change his pace with such well-honed control would make him a handful on any surface.

12th man: Wasim Raja (Pakistan)
Matches: 54. Batting - Runs: 782, Average: 22.34, Strike Rate: 66.95
Bowling - Wickets: 21, Average: 32.71, Economy Rate: 3.97, Strike Rate: 49.3
Wasim was one of the most natural cricketers I have seen, and from all I have read he would have been a mainstay in the Pakistan side had it not been for politics. As it was, he was a batsman who could destroy any attack with nonchalance and was equally proficient against Windies pace or Indian spin. Legend has it that in his late teens he would face his contemporary, Imran Khan, in the nets without batting pads. His underrated leg spin often broke partnerships and he patrolled the covers like a tiger stalking his prey. Only the good die young – in Wasim’s case, truer words were never spoken.

Wider squad:
Lance Klusener (South Africa)
‘Zulu’ possessed unrivalled, if unorthodox, batting power – good runs at a very quick clip. As a fast-medium bowler he was handy through the middle with the ability to surprise batsmen with unexpected bursts of genuine pace.

Sir Ian Botham (England)
Sir Ian would have got a lot of wickets with his slow bouncer and his ability to produce a breakthrough when it was most needed. With bat in hand, and when in the mood, no boundary rope would have been a journey too far.

Malcolm Marshall (West Indies)
The thinking man’s fast bowler, Marshall’s arsenal was extensive – all delivered at break neck speed and without an obvious change in his action. He would have run riot in the modern game. His premature passing robbed future generations of a fantastic fast bowling mentor.

Carl Hooper (West Indies)
As laid back as the King of T20, Chris Gayle, Hooper’s footwork to the spinners and ability to play every shot in the book was only rivalled by Mark Waugh. His gentle off spinners would provide captains with another option, rounded out by his immense ability in the field.

Imran Khan (Pakistan)
One of the few all-rounders in world cricket who could have played as either a batsman or a bowler, Khan sits near of the top of the game’s greats. He took Pakistan, a side languishing as an also-ran, all the way to 1992 World Cup victory before signing off as a national hero.

Andy Flower (Zimbabwe)
A world-class batsman who often bore the weight of a nation on his shoulders, the diminutive Zimbabwean ran Kaluwitharana close for the gloves in my starting eleven. He lacked brute strength as a batsman but more than compensated with precision and pure natural talent.

Lance Cairns (New Zealand)
Lance was a legendary figure in New Zealand for his enormous hits with a shoulderless bat, Excalibur. He struck at over 100 and in one memorable innings at the MCG smashed six huge sixes, some with one hand, against a barrage of Aussie quicks. His wrong-footed bowling action and large inswingers would have made him a handful in T20.

Joel Garner (West Indies)
The 6ft. 8in. Barbadian could seemingly bowl yorkers at will, and at a fierce pace. Coupled with an ability to make the ball rare up at a batsman’s throat off a good length, Big Bird would have been an asset to his captain in any era. 

Coach: Martin Crowe (New Zealand)
A close run thing to make the playing squad, Crowe was a hands down choice for the coaching role. Cast your mind back to the 1992 World Cup when he lead an aging NZ side, ironically tagged ‘The Young Guns’, to the brink of a semi-final win before a young Inzamam ul-Haq stole the game away. He innovated with an off spinner opening the bowling and an opening batsman walking at the bowlers and crashing it from ball one. If you need more evidence, Google – Cricket Max; the T20 format owes a lot to a Kiwi visionary.

Besides having the opportunity to research some fantastic players, the best part of developing this side? I’m in the enviable position that my team will never take to the field, and hence I’ll never be thrown under the roller as a convenient scapegoat!