Cricket legend Ray Mali is elated with having received the Steve Tshwete Lifetime Achievement Award recently but is heartbroken by the regression in the transformation of cricket in South African domestic and national set-ups.
The failure started at grassroots level, he said.
Mali, 87, was handed the prestigious award at the 17th South African Sports Awards on Sunday for his long service and contribution to cricket and sports administration both locally and internationally.
The teacher-turned-administrator in the 1960s, proudly forged a reputation as a skilled moderniser in South African cricket, leaving a mark as both an adept administrator and a visionary.
During his lengthy career as an administrator, he served as chair of Border Cricket, Cricket SA and the International Cricket Council (ICC).
He was also an interim chair of Athletics SA.
Included in his vision was to see more black cricket players in South Africa's domestic and national set-ups.
However, from the 1990s until now, he said, only Makhaya Ntini, Mfuneko Ngam, Monde Zondeki, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Temba Bavuma, Kagiso Rabada and a handful of other black players had played in domestic and Proteas colours regularly.
A recent controversy arose in the cricket world when Proteas white ball coach Rob Walter disclosed that only one black player, fast bowler Rabada, had made it into his 15-man Proteas squad for the T20 World Cup in the US and the West Indies in June.
Though there were six other players of colour in the team, the selection did not reflect the country’s demographics, with more than 80% of the population black Africans.
The number is the lowest in the Proteas in half a decade in global showpieces.
Mali, who disrupted the traditional provincial system, was a strong supporter of Twenty20 cricket when the format came on board, and dismantled outdated obstacles to promote equality in the sport.
“The team they have is the face of the new South Africa, that is how I see it.
“We have to be inclusive of everybody,” Mali said in an exclusive interview with the Dispatch and TimesLIVE Premium.
“We need to start planning and prepare early for World Cups and have a vision of what we want our teams to be in terms of demographics.
“To achieve that, we have to keep the same group of players together in-between World Cups.
Our domestic cricket from school level to provincial is played along racial lines. You find out there a [predominantly white team] coming from a particular area, an almost full black team coming from a particular area, and that is not how it is supposed to be
— Ray Mali
“Coaches need to stop chopping and changing teams.
“They need to start backing their players, like what has been done by rugby for many years now.”
To achieve a demographically balanced national team required effort at every level, from school to club, to provincial cricket, he said.
“Our domestic cricket from school level till provincial is played along racial lines. You find out there is a [predominantly white team] coming from a particular area, an almost full black team coming from a particular area, and that is not how it is supposed to be,” Mali said.
“We need to start making our school and provincial teams more representative in our regions.
“Those in charge at those levels have to make sure that those coming from disadvantaged areas often play those from privileged backgrounds, to create balance.
“Remember, cricket is an expensive sport, most players from disadvantaged areas don’t have the means to get equipment.
“But if you create an environment where everyone is together and everyone shares their different experiences, then you will get a good product.
“Then if everything is fixed at grassroots, it will be easy to get quality black players coming to the provincial and national set-ups.”
Daily Dispatch
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