Ntini - 'my role is to take wickets'

After South Africa bowled out West Indies in a day, and followed that up with two second-innings wickets, they were on the brink of another series win. Andre Nel and Shaun Pollock bowled with fire, but the star of the day was Makhaya Ntini, with his third five-wicket haul of the series. He attributed his - and South Africa's - success to keeping things simple, and each member's clearly-defined purpose.

"We stuck to our basics, creating pressure, working together as a team and supporting each other," Ntini said. "Mentally, we have adjusted and know what our jobs in the team are. We each have a role in the team, and we all fulfil that role. Mine is to take wickets. In the past my role was to support and learn from Allan Donald and Shaun, but now I have to take wickets as the strike bowler."

With 27 wickets in the series, Ntini has filled the void created by Donald's departure from the game. To keep himself going, he set targets. "I set a goal of 150 career wickets and 20 wickets in the series. Whatever I get above that is a bonus and pushes me more and more."

"All players go through up and downs, and as a bowler it is more difficult to keep your place in the team. You have to work hard to get over the bad periods, and by believing in yourself you will get through it. Since Australia I have bowled well," Ntini said, referring to the home series against Australia two years ago, when he picked up 11 wickets in three matches at 41.73.

He picked up the pieces of that tour and laboured to ensure a better future for himself. "I worked towards those goals and attained them. I always believed that I could be a strike bowler. My chance came when Steve Elworthy got injured and with me opening the bowling I showed most people and the team that I can be a strike bowler."

When Ntini stepped up, Andre Nel filled in the support bowler's role with conviction, almost bullying batsmen into submission. And he's waiting for the day he shares the new ball with Ntini. "I would like to bowl with the new ball with Makhaya when I get the chance, but you have to bide your time and follow and learn from a awesome bowler like Pollock. You have to try your best, believe in yourself and gain experience first until the chance of the new ball comes along."

While he waits patiently, he's convinced West Indies didn't utilise the pitch fully. "They maybe bowled too many short deliveries while we might have been more patient. There has always been something in the pitch, some swing and some movement. We have just been patient in bowling to our areas."

The patience paid off, and how! "Getting married was very special and hard to explain, but getting Brian Lara out twice in one day is very special. It has not really sunk in yet, but I am sure it will. Those two wickets are very special. I don't think that I can intimidate a batsman like Lara very easily. He has played against a lot better bowlers than me. I was just determined to get him out. Getting him out just keeps me going and seems to help me not getting too tired. That way I help the team.

"We were determined to do well in this test. We did not want what happened in England to happen over here. This time, we had the series won, but said to ourselves that we are going to go out there and perform. We did not want to relax. We had a deep desire to do well for our pride, the team and our country."