School the next Ntini

The Big Read: Anyone wanting to know where the next Makhaya Ntini is going to come from need only stand at the gate of the Malamba residence in Langa, Cape Town.

The answer is right there.

From the corner of Washington and Rubusana streets, home of the late double Springbok Ben Malamba, the houses can be seen where six boys grew up who earned eight South African Schools caps for cricket between 1991 and 2009.

Siyabulela Simetu (2009) lives two blocks down Washington Avenue. Thami Tsolekile (1998, captain 1999) grew up right across the road on the corner of Harlem Avenue. Tsolekile's Lions team-mate Themba Bavuma (2008) was raised in the next street, Rubusana, as was Malusi Siboto (2005), who now represents North West.

Down Harlem Avenue are the childhood homes of Morgan Mfobo (1991) and Albert Nkomo (1997 and 1998). These boys all grew up within a lofted drive of the Langa cricket stadium. And every one of them attended a strong cricket school: Pinelands, SACS, Wynberg, St David's, Bishops. These schools spend time and money nurturing their cricket players. Most of them were on bursaries and are second or third generation cricketers.

So this is the model that works. Of the 27 black boys to play SA Schools since 1991, 24 attended schools with strong cricket traditions and good facilities. If the endless debate about the number of black ("African") cricketers in the national team is ever to end, then the most important step is to create a comprehensive bursary programme.

SA Schools caps are just one measure of success. Consider also Wynberg old boy Mthuthu Msizi, chairman of the Langa Hockey Club, which finished sixth in the premier league, and past Pinelands pupils Eric Dilima (past hockey chairman and owner of Harlem Tours, a successful sports tourism company) and Bonisile Ntlemeza, now headmaster of LEAP Maths and Science School, a national leader in its field.

The promotion of black cricketers in the amateur first-class system has often looked like a numbers game rather than an exercise in which the welfare of young cricketers is paramount.

In 2008/09 55 black players earned 200 caps, an average selection rate of 3.6 caps. Things improved in 2009/10 (60 players earned 367 caps at an average of six caps) but when a province hands out 24 caps to nine players in a season it smacks of tokenism.

Cricket has deep roots among Xhosa-speakers. Dale College old boys Makhaya Ntini (his uncle played for Border) and Monde Zondeki (his great-grandfather Samuel started the Zondeki Cricket Union in 1939) share a strong heritage. Thami Tsolekile's grandfather Hlubi Zibi played for Western Province and was described as "the classiest bat in Cape Town".

Young Bavuma, whose first-class best is 152 not out for Gauteng against Easterns last season, learnt from three cricket-playing uncles, one of whom, Tengo Sokhanyile, attended the first-ever Plascon Academy in 1987 with Andrew Hudson, Daryll Cullinan and Mickey Arthur, among others. Sokhanyile's neighbour, Rodney Malamba, son of the legendary Ben, also attended that inaugural academy and made his first-class debut for Natal in 1989. Ben Malamba toured Kenya under Basil D'Oliveira's captaincy.

Nationally, it seems that Gauteng is attracting Xhosa speakers. Apart from Tsolekile and Bavuma, there is Queen's College star batsman Grant Mokoena (SA Schools 2005).

In KwaZulu-Natal Khaya Zondo (Westville) and Mthokozisi Shezi (Glenwood) are living up to their early promise - both having played for SA under-19s.

It is clear that the next Ntini will not just come from anywhere - cricketing communities like Langa will continue to play a key role - but the positive signs suggest that the vital ingredient in developing a young black cricketer is a scholarship to a cricketing school.

• Young coaches the Pinelands High School cricket team and edited Langa Cricket Club's 21st anniversary publication.