Bacher says time ripe to do away with quota system

Ashwell Prince and Makhaya Ntini mark the transformation in South African cricket © Getty Images

The appointment of coloured cricketer Ashwell Prince as captain of South Africa shows that the time has come for the country to do away with the quota system, says Ali Bacher, a veteran sports administrator.

Bacher, who played a vital role in South Africa's staging of the World Cup in 2003, said Prince's appointment would be an inspiration for black men and women in his country.

"There are extraordinary opportunities available for black sportsmen and women in the new democracy, "Bacher wrote in a column for BBC Sports. "And they now know that if you've got the determination, the focus and the potential, you can make it to the top and ultimately captain your country".

"We do have problems that need to be addressed, but the political transformation in South Africa has been miraculous. What his appointment also indicates is that we are approaching the end of a period in South African cricket where there was affirmative action and quotas, which was necessary".

Stating that the transformation in South African cricket will get stronger day by day, Bacher cited the success of Makhaya Ntini as an example. "The game's major achievement has been the success of Makhaya Ntini, a black African who came from the rural villages of the Border area and came to a cricket clinic bare-foot when he was 14.

"A black coach, Raymond Booi, saw him bowl and immediately realised there was huge potential. Today, he's internationally known as one of the best fast bowlers in world cricket, so we're very proud of him too."

Bacher revealed that Prince was identified as a potential leader by Shaun Pollock, former captain, and was confident that Prince would get all the support from his teammates. "He is highly respected within the team, focused, disciplined and a deep thinker of the game. Shaun thought that if his batting remained consistently good by international standards, he could become the first ever black South African cricket captain."

Bacher, said that although Prince will be up against some tough opposition, he would rise to the occasion. "They are going to Sri Lanka and touring there is not easy, particularly when you're up against an extraordinary genius like their spin bowler Muttiah Muralitharan. But you watch him play and he's calm and cool under pressure and he did particularly well against the Australians last summer, and you don't get more pressure than that."