Cricket

Cricket's greats' kids come into bloom in World Cup

17 December 2017 - 00:00 By KHANYISO TSHWAKU

The last time a Ntini and a Waugh locked horns was 15 years ago in Durban when South Africa pulled off their highest successful test run chase at home in a dead rubber.
With the International Cricket Council Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand just around the corner, there is a possibility of Masimphuthando (Makhaya Ntini's son) facing Austin (Steve Waugh's son) for South Africa and Australia, respectively, to proceed out of the group stages.
In 2002 they were toddlers when Steve played the last of his 16 tests against South Africa while Ntini took five of the 390 test scalps he was still accruing.
Before the 17-year-old Ntini junior, who is a bowling all-rounder, can focus on next month's age-group showpiece, he still has to navigate the Under-19 Khaya Majola Week that starts in Johannesburg today.
It's worth remembering that most talented 17-year-old cricketers are in East London taking part in the Under-17 week.
After all, there are 57 cricketers who will be turning or are 17, while there are 11 16-year-olds at the Under-19 week."I think at the end of the day we all develop at different speeds. I may have developed quicker than some of my peers but I'm not the only 17-year-old who will be at the Coke Week," Ntini said.
"Sometimes it is difficult to see some of my peers that I grew up playing with are still at the Under-17 week but they will progress to this level. I think it is what it is."
Ntini is not weighed down by his father's considerable international success and the fact he was South Africa's first black African international in 1998.
It's a hard act to follow but the young Ntini won't be the first and the last cricket player to follow in his father's footsteps.
Having skipped mini-cricket for the hard-ball game at the age of seven, it was clear Ntini was always going to go places...

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