Being dropped from the SA side for two crucial matches in the recent World Cup in the West Indies – against England and Australia – still rankles with fast bowler Makhaya Ntini.

‘To be honest, it was hard to be dropped after serving the team for so many years.’ Ntini told Beeld. ‘I had bowled well in the home series but after a few World Cup matches I was suddenly sitting on the bench. I could not figure out why I had been dropped.’ He added: ‘My job description is to take wickets and none of our leading bowlers really did what was expected of them in the West Indies. Yet I was the one who had had to sit out. There was no explanation for my omission. I just had to accept it; as painful as it was.’ After the World Cup he had to take stock. He could sit and feel sorry for himself or he could fight to get his place back. ‘It's nice to be back but I'm still the same bowler that I was when I was dropped,’ Ntini said in Ireland where he is back in the side that is playing against India. ‘Whatever my shortcomings were then, they are still there.’
Full Beeld report