I was pleasantly surprised to see Faf Du Plessis who is the South African cricket captain doing an interview this morning. The new set up under Graeme Smith have had enough of political medaling and will select the team that they feel is the strongest possible team available. This is a unique problem that other countries don't have and everyone who loves sport is sick and tired of the race issue.
The question of the non selection of Temba Bavuma was raised which he didn't dodge and hit it head on. He said that the players need to be selected on merit and Temba has ridden his luck for too long. He then went on to say that the team doesn't see color and that the 6 players of color that is the governments target is not their target. Players are selected on merit and that is all that anyone can ask for.
The team has been under performing what is expected of them over the last few years and everyone is sick and tired of the shop window policy created by the South African Government. This is insulting to the players ,fans and opposition every time they play. The team that was selected to travel and tour India recently was the last straw as we all knew how bad it was going to be.
Bavuma is not a Test cricketer and truth be told the only reason he ever made it to this level was because of his skin color. This just sends the wrong message to any up and coming players as it tells them you can be mediocre and still be selected.Unfortunately we have had this problem for 24 years and the years before when Apartheid was happening. Errol Tobias was used as a shop window player for the Springbok rugby team and another who was used as a political pawn.
I just find it insulting to everyone who understands the situation and hopefully the Government will get the message. This is not a tit for tat situation as the rule doesn't apply to the South African Football team. Could you imagine if the team was diluted with other races who did not deserve their spot. The whole thing is just pathetic and it doesn't work.
Sanctions were imposed on South African sport under the Gleneagles agreement all those years ago and yet those hypocrites have turned a blind eye to the last 24 years. I think it is about time sportsmen had a voice and stood for what is right pointing out all the things that are just so wrong. Faf is the first Captain to do this as others have merely been puppets saying what they are told to say.
I think having the likes of Graeme Smith, Boucher and Kallis behind him he feels as though he has the support backing him which others wouldn't have had in the past. The new leadership under Smith will not back down and will make sure they fix the one sport that has been on the wane. They are there to fix the problems and not win a popularity contest which is the only way.
Reservation is hurdle for any kind of development moreover it increases gap between people.
I may not know much about cricket but i believe in sport, those who deserve to be in the selection should be selected with no partiality. If one deserve it, then it deserve to be there
Those who deserve to be there should be there. Those who does not deserve to be there should not be there