Radio and cricket is an eternal partnership – Aslam Khota.

My earliest recollections of radio was my late dad tuning in at odd hours of the night to listen to cricket commentary and hear the dulcet tones of Allen McGillivray on Australia’s ABC, Chakrapani and Devaj Puni in Hindi on All India Radio (AIR) and in Urdu with Ifthikaar Ahmed and others from Pakistan Radio.

Dad would react loudly at the fall of a wicket or a missed chance. With a cup of tea in one hand and the dreaded cigarette in the other, he enjoyed a wise-crack or comment from the commentary box. This was much to our annoyance of course and we turned under the duvet, begging to get in a few more minutes of sleep! My father sat with his ears close to the radio because the coverage on short-wave would ‘wax and wane’. He would turn up the volume only for the sound to suddenly return and blast us out of our slumber – again!

Before television, cricket was transmitted around the world by the miracle of the wireless. It was an unhurried and romantic period when traditions and conventions were respected and sportsmanship, not gamesmanship was the byword in the middle.

My two brothers and I slept in the same room that had the old Pilot Radio that was bought in downtown Jo’burg. It was a huge radio, the size of today’s bigger Microwave oven and although powered by electricity, the half-a-dozen valves needed to warm-up enough so that we could then tune in to the world. The radio was bought specifically to listen to cricket, the Hindi movie songs and ‘Listeners choice’ and ‘Geet Mala’ on Tuesday nights on AIR with the inimitable Amin Sayani. For my parent’s and sisters, it was many hours of unbridled entertainment! All this via short-wave! BBC World Service for its news and Sports Roundup were preferred to the propaganda fuelled SABC radio.

When teams toured South Africa, it was the descriptive and timeless voice of Charles Fortune that kept us all enthralled and entertained. On BBC it was John Arlott that gave poetry to cricket and painted pictures with words! Brian Johnstone brought an air of joy and wit to his commentary.

Saturday afternoons was great fun on BBC, the superb and best sports host on radio was the irrepressible Paddy Feeny and he would take a listener to all corners of the globe to bring fans as close to sport as one could get. These voices brought joy and beauty to sport on radio. They fired my passion and imagination and my mind was set for broadcasting.

My late brother Mohamed Naseer (Nas) was a brilliant impersonator and he mimicked Charles Fortune to perfection. Team mates used to ask him to commentate during matches and soon I was doing the same. Radio was a great source of entertainment and I always desired to become a cricket commentator. It was a wishful dream until democracy dawned. I made various attempts to get on radio via a few auditions. It won’t surprise you to know that three demo tapes went missing over a period of 2 years! I was disillusioned but always knew that my time would come.

Radio was an elusive dream so I attended an audition for TV with the SABC. I beat seven candidates but with a few racist bosses still in control, they rejected to view the demo videotape even though the recommendation was made by their own production company! I was still disillusioned and felt that nothing had changed in the new South Africa.

Imtiaz Patel took up a position at Supersport and my request to commentate was accepted with open arms. Whilst doing commentary at the stadiums, I offered my services free of charge to Radio2000 and the producer having noted the manner in which I took to radio, soon offered me a contract. I enjoyed seven glorious years at Supersport and much of my grooming was due to that professional environment.  Some six years later many retirees from the international scene arrived at Supersport and I was getting fewer shifts. In 2005 Radio2000 sent me to the West Indies. I never looked back as radio offered me the opportunities to travel the world and visit countries and grounds that I only dreamed about. I have met and broadcasted with commentators I had admired over the years. I made my vocation my avocation! In the end my persistence and determination paved the way to live my dream.

I returned to the West Indies for the 2007 World Cup, been to India for Talk Radio702, covered the record breaking series in Australia in 2008/09 and continue to travel the length and breadth of South Africa with the Radio2000 team. I have shared the commentary box with, Clive Lloyd, Wasim Akram, Ian Chappell, Sunny Gavaskar, Kepler Wessels, all former captains as well as Simon Doull, Ian Bishop, Herschel Gibbs, Jonty Rhodes, Peter Kirsten, Barry Richards, Geoff Lawson, Justin Langer, Damien Fleming, Peter Roebuck, Roger Harper and Wayne Daniel among others.

I started as a writer way back in 1979 to report on non-racial provincial matches in the Howa and Booley Bowl. I learnt the rudiments under the late Yusuf Nazeer at the Lenasia Times and later with Ameen Akhalwaya at The Indicator. My articles have been published in the Sunday Times, The Star, The Weekly Mail, The Cricketer in Pakistan, India Today, a magazine published in India and the South African edition of The Wisden and in Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) official cricket tour brochures.

In 2002 the Gauteng Cricket Board commissioned me to write the history of non-racial cricket in the Transvaal before democracy. ‘Across the great divide – Transvaal crickets joys, struggles and triumphs’ was published on the eve of the 2003 World Cup in South Africa.

 I have indeed been blessed and privileged to have worked with many great commentators. Many have been there for over 30 and even 40 years I have shared the mike with Jonathan Agnew of the  BBC, Fazeer Mahomed and Simon Crosskill on the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC), with Jim Maxwell the famed voice on Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Prakash Wakankar of India. They are all masterful on radio!

My work on Radio and television prompted former Proteas coach Mickey Arthur to recruit me to join a panel of ex-cricketers to help plot a path for the team’s campaign at the 2007 World Cup. That came to an abrupt halt in the semi-finals. I have also served on CSA’s panel of judges for the annual cricket awards for the past ten years.

It is no doubt that radio is the only medium that allows the commentator to give full description to the event, to elaborate on the subtle sideshows to bring that special touch to the game, such as what made Fortune loved by so many.

Finally, that Pilot Radio has been refurbished and still has a special place in my sister’s house! She refuses to part with it!! It is 60 years old and still works!

World T20 failure forces scrutiny of CSA’s structures.

This was definitely the summer of our discontent. For South African cricket followers expectancy was high. In Test matches the Proteas were on the verge of history, defending their number one position in the world, much was expected even after a tight semi-final exit in New Zealand in the 50 overs World Cup last year and a World Twenty20 world cup campaign looming.

The plan was straight forward, or so it seemed.  First it was about consolidating a Test match winning formula and building on the reputation in one-day competitions as a prelude to peaking in India for the WorldTwenty20. But all the best laid plans went sour when India resorted to old tricks in preparing dry lifeless spin-friendly pitches.

That three nil Test series defeat was possibly South Africa’s worst since –re-introduction. If ever a team were battle scarred in recent memory, it was the South Africans after that loss. The repercussions and scarring was more devastating and evident when they lost the Test series to England at home. It wasn’t helped by Hashim Amlas drop in form and leadership credentials coming into question and the subsequent relinquishing of the captaincy. The early exit from the World Twenty20 by the men and women’s teams as well as the national under-19 team’s failure to defend their World Cup title encapsulated a dismal season.

To analyse the failure of the men’s senior team in India in the recent T2 World Cup would boil down to a few selection conundrums and decisions in team selection and discipline.

Most teams selected two front-line spinners with a few more options yet South Africa didn’t. The team instead banked on lower-order all-rounders because the lack of form in the batting remained their main concern. They plumbed for an extra all-rounder by Including David Wiese at the expense of Morne Morkel. Morkel has six seasons of experience in the IPL where he has performed very well. 

Selecting Dale Steyn without any games under his belt and on the basis of his class and experience was a huge gamble. So it proved to be. The selectors reverted to the rigid South African style of selection by stacking the team with seaming all-rounders. It needed specialist and horses for courses selection. The omission of left-arm spinner Aaron Phangiso from most of the games was most perplexing especially given how other teams were so cunning in using their spinners.

The Proteas fell short when A B De Villiers and a few others lacked application and the lower-orders failure to accelerate in the closing overs. The bowling unit inexplicably delivered very few yorkers and slower deliveries. They invariably ended conceding more than average extras which in the final analysis were crucial. But do we focus on the failures or look to remedy the malaise?

So is there a quick fix? No. Quick fixes are short term solutions. Having said that; CSA have the ingredients in place for a long time. The academy structures are second to none. The high performance centre is a trendsetter for innovation. The international team travel and consult with leading psychologists. Players have the benefit of the best technology with a TV analyst on hand 24 hours. The question is then what’s lacking? An international coach with his own team of specialists? CSA have been reluctant to employ one due to the weakness of the Rand.

So how do you correct, analyse or for that matter instil discipline in an international team with players that are at the top of their craft? Did the bowlers panic in those tight situations? If so, then are they lacking enough exposure and experience in domestic competitions?

Is the domestic structured competition fulfilling the needs to the requirements at international level? On the evidence of the Proteas record in bilateral series, the answer is an emphatic yes. It’s certainly not the case when they compete for world cups.

Where does the solution lie? Management and understanding of the formats at international level are crucial in finding and manipulating ways in which to win a game or for that matter a major competition. It is here a coach of international repute is necessary.

On a broader level, the domestic Ram Slam must now take on the hype and magnitude of the Australian Big Bash League (BBL) and the IPL. Franchises with the help of Cricket South Africa (CSA) and sponsors must recruit big stars for the tournament. CSA are planning to have the Proteas players appear for most matches for their franchises. The board should instead consider re-introducing the original provincial board teams and this will add to the hype and more importantly give exposure to a bigger pool of players in this format. 

The idea of compressing the tournament by staging matches on Monday and Friday nights and weekends with double-headers is worth testing and then even taking matches to the far reaches of the country will give budding boys and girls a chance to see stars up close and thereby promote the game in those neglected areas. The fruits of the exercise will become evident quicker than we think. Just look at India as a perfect example.

The other area that needs attention is to increase the franchises from six to eight and still maintain a solid strength versus strength structure in the Sunfoil Series. This will alleviate the need for six teams to adhere to the strict but necessary transformation policy. CSA and its franchises must contract recently retired players to play out their careers for a season or two in a format of their choice to ensure there is internationally experienced players in the midst. Finally, they must sign a few experienced foreigners to franchises to increase the standard of the game at domestic level. 

CSA and the games stakeholders must address the short-comings soon and not leave it in abeyance as the West Indies did after their record breaking run in the 1970’s to the early 1990’s. The careers of the likes of Steyn, Amla, De Villiers and Vernon Philander are soon to come to an end. Do we have adequate replacements? On an encouraging note; Quinton De Kock is a rising star, Kagiso Rabada looks like he can lead the attack for a long time and Temba Bavuma has the ability to lift the spirits of his team and the nation. All is not lost yet, but the time to act is now.

The day the cricket world stood still. ASLAM KHOTA

The banner headlines read: ‘ AMAZING’, ‘The Greatest game in ODI history’, ‘Payback’, ‘Our Greatest Day’…………

At the television news services headlined the almost impossible result, Talk Radio stations had no other subject matter to discuss. This was in the midst of a major police bungling of a murder case of a four year old girl, the on-going rape trial of the then dismissed deputy president of South Africa, Mr. Jacob Zuma and Cape Town was blacked-out for more than three weeks without electricity through years of neglect and bureaucratic incompetence. The resultant chaos lost the ruling ANC control of Cape Town in the local government elections. South Africa is never short of juicy news happenings and the cricket result overshadowed all of it.

The South African team had just returned from a two-nil Test series loss and was beaten by Sri Lanka for a spot in the Tri-Nations final in Australia. At home, Graeme Smiths team were on a high after winning the Pro-20 international a few days after the Australian team arrived, and were rampant, winning the first two limited overs matches as well. Then the Aussies clawed their way back to two-all, and the supporters were once again ill at ease, sensing a return to form by the visitors. The ingredients were all there for a tight encounter by two of the games great adversaries. The Wanderers, popularly known as the ‘Bullring’ for its imposing and enclosed structures, where the crowd is so close to the action, was a sell-out weeks in advance.

The 50-over game had reached unchartered territories on that special day in March 2006.

It was bound to happen. The Aussies were on the charge and Ricky Ponting, who had scored a scintillating century in the World Cup Final in 2003 was playing an even more belligerent innings. Suddenly all the attention was whether Ponting would break the 200 run barrier? He was on course until he fell for 164, his best and Australia’s third highest one-day score at the time. Australia’s eventual 434 for 4 wickets was a world record. When Herschelle Gibbs went pass 150, that elusive 200 looked a certainty once again. Batsmanship had scaled new heights. The batting leaped from the sublime to divine! Even Ponting said in an after-match interview that: “We just had no defense mechanism for Smith and Gibbs. They played exceptionally well.”

   

It was a fitting climax too, in what was a memorable week for South Africans in the entertainment and sporting world. The country was still caught in the celebrations of winning a second Oscar Award, this time for the film ‘Tsotsi’ in the Best Foreign Film category.

Ricky Ponting elected to bat, mindful of the fact that South Africa’s record at chasing totals, especially when it matters, to be dismal. The ‘chokers’ tag was once again rearing its ugly head, but it was Smith who allowed it to resurface during a media conference after the fourth international in Durban, when Australia snuck in by one wicket with an over to spare, to level the series at two-all. He was quoted as saying: “we will see who chokes on Sunday”.

What unfolded in the initial three hours and more, in perfect batting conditions, was simply unbelievable.

What was remarkable apart from the Aussies posting that record score was that the jam packed crowd stayed on to watch a possible roasting, humiliation and a series loss in the heat of the countries cricket heartland. At the interval, the cast of Tsotsi did a lap of honour with ‘Oscar’ in hand and lifted the mood of the audience and gave them something to celebrate. It probably lifted the cricketers as well.

What proceeded to unfold in the bright afternoon was beyond impossible. ‘Impossible’ they say is a word for those who never venture to try. Herschelle Gibbs played a peerless one-day innings. It was a one-in-a-million knock - touched by divine inspiration. The bullring was throbbing and heaving and the crowd knew that something special was happening. The classic heights of batsmanship came from the indomitable Gibbs who played with grace and ferocity and brought joy to all those who marveled at his stroke play. It is etched in our memories, much like what many great batsmen have done in the games history. You didn’t want the innings to end, not just for the result but for the sheer talent, brilliance and heights of genius it had touched. It was 142 minutes of batting from heaven.  

There was high anxiety and tension in the air. Everyone was overwhelmed with apprehension and fear. Firstly the record 400 runs were about to be eclipsed for the second time on the same day, and what if South Africa, having got this close end up losing by a few runs?  It was unthinkable, unbearable. So near yet so far. Could not happen, must not happen! Would there be a cruel turn of fate? The nerves were jangled into a million knots.

In the commentary box, the tough men of the game were brought to tears. Others were hitting ‘high fives’ and the late Hylton Ackerman, a former first class cricketer and coach and commentator, sobbed openly on radio as he with former West Indian fast-bowler Ian Bishop were describing to an unbelieving nation, the last wicket, the penultimate delivery, the one run and the climactic world record run chase - and victory! 

In the end, grown men and women sobbed with others around them. Hooters were pumped through the night around the country, people celebrated in street parties and spontaneous braai’s (barbecue). The result and euphoria that followed was only matched by South Africa’s last gasp win against the All Blacks in the 1995 Rugby World Cup final and soccer’s annexing of the 1996 African Nations Cup on the first attempt.

The nation was awestruck, punch-drunk and intoxicated with the magnitude of the result.

When they awoke the next morning, wondered if it was all a dream. It wasn’t and it brought untold joy. Congratulations streamed in from all quarters, including President Thabo Mbeki and the office of the sports minister, to former cricketers and rugby stars too.     

It was the 2348^th limited over international and the 400 was up! The nearest to that mark was 398 by Sri Lanka against Kenya in the 1996 World Cup in Asia. The Wanderers pitch was like glass top, it was THE perfect strip to achieve the impossible. When teams or individuals set landmarks, others are always motivated to beat them, thus it was Smith who summed up that the Aussies had to be commended for pushing the limits.

An article in a local Sunday weekly mentioned that three of the four countries who had recently embraced 20-over cricket have been involved in some of the most destructive power hitting the game has seen. To achieve this twice in one match was incredible. Ponting agreed after the match that 20-overs cricket has a lot to do with it, making the 50-over game more entertaining, the same way the 50-over game has been good for Test cricket.

The pitch, the crowd, the venue, the winner-takes-all situation, the positive approach by both captains and teams was the perfect brew for the greatest advert the game has had in recent memory.

The Englishmen who spoke for voiceless South Africans

February 7, 2016

The Englishmen who spoke for voiceless South Africans

MOHAMED ASLAM KHOTA

Remembering two Test cricketers who worked to undermine apartheid's evil effects

Keith Andrew (with gloves on) helped non-white South Africans get access to coaching courses © PA Photos

My English cricketing heroes include great Test players and insightful and thoughtful observers who campaigned against apartheid in my country.

In 1979 I watched David Gower compile a graceful double-hundred against India at Edgbaston, thrilling spectators with his style, grace, poise and elegant strokeplay. Another hero was Ian Botham, who was solid in his batting, intelligent in his bowling, and breathtaking in his fielding, especially close in. His epic walks for philanthropic causes make him extra special. Graham Gooch's arrival in South Africa with the rebel English XI in 1982 was devastating to a multitude of non-white fans, though watching him bat was a sight to behold.

Michael Atherton's marathon undefeated century in Johannesburg in 1995 ranks as one of the best defensive innings I watched. His writing and commentary these days are even more engaging. Then there was Michael Vaughan, who inherited a player-friendly set-up and a very good team at the right time. He led England to a fine series win against the fancied South African team in 2004-05, and his bold leadership and skilful man-management won them the Ashes.

Off the field there was the late and much admired writer Peter Roebuck, who insisted South Africa remain isolated from international sport and particularly cricket.

Commentator John Arlott , key in finding an English club for Basil D'Oliveira to play at, refused to commentate whenever South Africa played after he saw the ubiquitous apartheid policy adopted into the statute books after his only tour to the country in 1948. Former captain Mike Brearley openly criticised the cricket establishment during the Dolly affair, and the young Peter Hain, now a Labour MP, campaigned vociferously to stop all sporting contact with South Africa. Much of the early success in the country's isolation can be attributed to him.

I was recently presented The Promise of Endless Summer, a compilation of cricket obituaries. In it are some brilliantly written tributes, but the mention of two gentlemen reminded me that their contributions on behalf of ordinary South Africans were noteworthy: the Reverend David Sheppard, Bishop of Liverpool, and Keith Andrew.

David Sheppard, a cricketer and a clergyman, called for a sporting boycott of South Africa before many other influential voices spoke out © Getty Images

Both men played for England, and the Bishop even captained his country. They passed away in 2005 and 2010 respectively.

Sheppard's was an unequivocal stand against apartheid and sporting contact with South Africa. It didn't come as a surprise that a man of the cloth castigated the abhorrent policy and was among the first men of influence in the sporting world to call for a boycott.

In 1980, Pirates Cricket Club, which played under the non-racial Transvaal Cricket Board, informed Sheppard, in writing, that he was the club's first honorary vice-president for life. He was certainly moved and accepted the post, and was pleased to know after so many years that his protest had not gone unnoticed in this country.

Andrew, on the other hand, I came into personal contact with. In late 1981, I learnt through Kent professional Graham Johnson that coaching courses were being run in the UK under the National Cricket Association (NCA) and that Andrew was its director. The NCA only admitted international cricketers, professionals playing county cricket and players earmarked for places in county teams.

There were no coaching courses available for non-whites in South Africa, so I telephoned Andrew and told him that there were cricketers here in desperate need of professional coaching. He explained the association's position but immediately realised that ours was a special case, and he stuck his neck out for us during a meeting with his fellow administrators, the result of which was that Ahmed Dinath and I were the first certified non-white coaches in South Africa. On our return to South Africa, we immediately went to schools and clubs, and also held classes for fellow players and teachers.

Four years later we took the exercise a step further by sending cricketers to play club cricket in England and Scotland. Andrew accepted another five players to attend the courses over the next few seasons. Through their playing experience and qualification as coaches, Transvaal were no longer wooden-spoonists in the senior national provincial Howa Bowl competition.

Now after 21 years into democracy, from among these players, Vincent Barnes has served as the national team's bowling coach and is presently honing youngsters at the High Performance Centre. Ebrahim "Barney" Mohamed has coached extensively in South Africa and elsewhere on the continent. Hussein Manack is a national selector; Mohamed Iqbal Khan serves as one of Cricket South Africa's non-executive directors; and Abdul Manack conducts motivational classes for cricketers and the corporate world, and coaches in his spare time.

These gentlemen all played under former ICC CEO Haroon Lorgat for Transvaal and along with fellow players ensured the province held their own on the field.

Sheppard and Andrew's respective contributions compelled me to share the story of their roles beyond the boundary and how they positively affected the lives of non-white cricketers during the height of the apartheid era in South Africa. Let their families and associates know that their compassion and commitment at a vital time is noted here for the record. True unsung heroes.

Mohamed Aslam Khota is a cricket commentator and analyst

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

·        
Wonderful article and so educating. Wonderful to hear all,those who stood alone in fighting apartheid system. Also very please to hear from Kerneelsmerk11 such honest relfection and wonderful reminder to all those who question SA's cricket selection policies! May SA cricket prosper. Message from Pak supporter.

·         CHEGURAMANA ON FEBRUARY 11, 2016, 6:02 GMT

nice article. hope it gives a better understanding to people such as DILLYK below (though it does not seem to be !). its all very well to say that there shud not be any quota system and all humans are the same. this "level playing field" talk appears, on surface, to be a fair argument, but deceptively so. the European minority who emigrated to another continent and imposed Apartheid on the locals and maintained that for around 200 years, are most certainly NOT on the same level as the thus far suppressed locals. the native Africans and "Coloureds" need a whole of support, before the skills, the outlook, the understanding of the game seeps into their "heritage". And they must be given the opportunity for them to acquire all these.

·         DILLYK ON FEBRUARY 9, 2016, 11:38 GMT

If anything this article in principle should advocate the abolishment of the quota system in SA. The selection of any player for reasons primarily based on race is racist. The new slogan should be "no abnormal sport in a normal society". I fully trust that Mr. Khota believes in the eqaulity of all humans and endorses this stance.

·         BEERTJIE ON FEBRUARY 9, 2016, 9:57 GMT

Thanks for this article, Aslam, It is so long overdue! Living in England (for a few years) and having encountered the "English establishment" at first hand at the time of the D'Oliveira affair, I can attest to the obloquy with which many an English person was held for years by the great silenced majority of South Africans. I believe the UK is quite a different country now and I am cheered by posts like that of @Nutcutlet (as I am uplifted by that of @KerneesmerkII) but it needs to be recalled that what may euphemistically be termed 'the self-serving' English mentality far predated Thatcher's '80's decade and bears some responsibility for the great disparities in resources (of all kinds) extant in apartheid South Africa.

·         BRUSSELSLION ON FEBRUARY 9, 2016, 9:12 GMT

@Kerneelsmerkii: Thank you for your very honest and forthright post

·         @KerneelsMerkII.....If there are a lot more of you around who actually understands the dynamics of the past, and not people wanting to brush everything from the past under the carpet like it didn't happen, this country would be a better place. Btw great article, Aslam!