Telford Vice's Blog, page 5

Makhaya the man isn’t Ntini the notion

“Cricket in this country is not only loved by those who can afford to go to the stadium.” – Makhaya Ntini

Telford Vice / Cape Town

MAKHAYA Ntini’s hair is grey. His face is lined and leathery. His muscularity is not what it used to be when he was cricket’s most indefatigable fast bowler. He looks the opposite: fatigued. And older than his 48 years.

But he is still Ntini. Consequently, more than 14 years after he last played for South Africa, he is still being thanked.

“You did it f...

Focus finally on Paterson

Cricket has clearly improved Dane Paterson’s lot in life. But it can never be forgotten that he has improved South African cricket. 

Telford Vice / Johannesburg

THIRTY-SIX awards were handed out at CSA’s annual function in Johannesburg on Thursday night in the professional categories alone. In the morning session, 25 other winners were named in the “pathways” sections.

Of all the 61 who were garlanded — everyone from curators, scorers and umpires to coaches and players; girls and boys...

Bavuma believes mace’s shine will light South Africa’s way

“We’ve gone to global competitions with hope. But maybe we haven’t gone with enough belief. What we’ve done now will take that away.” – Temba Bavuma

Telford Vice / Cape Town

SOMETHING gleamed backstage at CSA’s awards in Johannesburg on Thursday night. It lay still and untouched in the darkness while, out front, the party was starting.

Around 500 people, many of them dressed to comply with the evening’s theme of “gloriously glittering”, were abuzz with the excitement of finally — afte...

Banyana’s heart, soul and brain fell short at Wafcon

“If she’s calm, we let her be calm. If she’s crazy, we let her be crazy.” – Refiloe Jane on Andile Dlamini.

Telford Vice in Marrakech

THE tenacious pixie we call Lebohang Ramalepe twirled through the late night air. She pranced past the pool at Banyana Banyana’s hotel and made for the bar, whooping as she went.

The bar?!

South Africa are famously disciplined during tournaments. What the hell was going on?

Rama placed her order, collected it, and twinkle-toed back to her teammate...

Conrad confident despite triseries troubles

“When it comes to the T20 World Cup, I think whoever wants to win the tournament is going to have to beat us.” – Shukri Conrad

Telford Vice / Marrakech

FOR a while at Harare Sports Club on Saturday, South Africa seemed reinvented. They were 92 without loss in the 10th needing another only 89 from 62 to win the men’s T20I triseries final against New Zealand.

Then the wickets started tumbling, two for 24 runs and two more with consecutive deliveries leaving the South Africans with 50 to...

Dugout duel decides triseries

“The final will give us a really good idea of where everybody’s at.” – Shukri Conrad

Telford Vice / Casablanca

MAYBE Rob Walter didn’t deserve all the criticism that came his way as South Africa’s white-ball coach. Maybe Shukri Conrad isn’t quite the coach from heaven.

Although Walter took South Africa to their only senior men’s World Cup final — of the 2024 T20I edition in Barbados — he copped flak for his teams’ shaky bilateral record, which was all but assured because key players w...

The beautiful game turns ugly

“Salgado! Salgado! Salgado!” – Nigeria’s notoriously one-eyed fans salute Gabriela Salgado

Telford Vice / Casablanca

THE beautiful game? Not at the Stade Larbi Zaouli in Casablanca on Tuesday, when South Africa’s dream of defending their 2022 women’s Africa Cup of Nations triumph was dashed. Indeed, Banyana Banyan’s 2-1 semifinal loss to Nigeria often veered towards the opposite: ugly.

“It’s sad, but I guess that’s God’s will,” a crushed Hildah Magaia, the striker who scored both goal...

Would a selection panel have chosen Bosch?

“That’s out of our control. As cricketers our goal is to play every time we get an opportunity.” – Corbin Bosch on CSA’s reimposition of a selection panel.

Telford Vice / Casablanca

THE name’s Bosch. Corbin Bosch. Not Eathan Bosch, and not Tertius Bosch. When your brother is, like you, out there in the SA20 and your father played Test cricket, it can be difficult to separate yourself from the bunch. The Bosch bunch.

But Corbin Bosch is managing just fine. Having taken a wicket with hi...

Ronnel Donnelly: 21, tall and amazing

“When I first got the call-up I was intimidated. I was thinking of saying no. I didn’t believe it. I kept messaging people asking, ‘Is this legit?’” – Ronnel Donnelly

Telford Vice / Oujda

“AMAZING!” Booming above the hubbub of a women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) mixed zone, with its clamour of reporters jostling for quotable lines from players fleeting past, isn’t easy. But Ronnel Donnelly managed effortlessly at the Stade d’Honneur on Monday.

Her loud, proud exclamation, made di...

Watch a triseries? Why …

“Maybe it’s boiled over from winning the WTC final. It’s almost like, because we won that match when it counted, you can experiment more.” – Rassie van der Dussen

Telford Vice / Oujda

IT’S not difficult to see why triseries are a rarity in the modern game. They don’t come freighted with the potential for drama inherent in a bilateral rubber, with its narrative of match-ups and the shadow of what happened in the last game. They also don’t have the allure of the unknown that is the magic o...