The Rediff Interview / Rushdie Magiet

'We have a better balanced side than the Indians'

When Mike Gatting and Graham Gooch led rebel tours to South Africa during the apartheid period, he hated their guts. For 31 years he didn’t watch the game he loved. He never saw Mike Procter, Graeme Pollock and Barry Richards play. It was only in 1991, when South Africa unified that Rushdie Magiet returned to become part of the system.

Magiet is now first coloured convener of the South African selection committee for 10 years. In an interview with Faisal Shariff, he reflects the series with India and South African cricket.

Excerpts:

Are you happy with the composition of the South Africa squad, despite some players being down with injury?

Our batting is doing great. With the return of [Daryl] Cullinan, our best batsman, to the side after his injury the batting department has been further strengthened. All the other batsmen are in good form. The injury to our bowlers is worrisome though. [Allan] Donald and [Mfuneko] Ngam's injuries have caused some posers. But, I guess, that the bowling attack is sorting itself out. And I think we will be ready for Australia. We are looking forward to the Australian tour.

Aren't you getting a touch complacent by overlooking the Indian series and concentrating too hard on the Australian tour?

We are not ignoring them, but Australia is the top side in the world. The focus is going to be Australia, all said and done. We are, however, not ignoring India and will be giving our hundred per cent to that series. There will be no complacency. The quality of a Test side is based on its bowling strength. India's bowling attack is not so good. The batting is their real strength. It will be interesting, however, to watch Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh bowl in tandem against the South Africans. India is a very good side. Though the advantage lies with South Africa, the series will not be a cakewalk. We are a very good side, if not the best in the world, and we have a better balanced side than the Indians. Sachin [Tendulkar], Sourav [Ganguly] and Rahul [Dravid] are in banging form, but after that there is no one. We have a lengthy batting line-up and with that the advantage.

What separates the South African cricketers from the Australians? What will it take for South Africa to reach the top spot?

I am not happy with the domestic structure at all. We have 11 provinces playing on the domestic scene. I think it is too many teams. I would rather have six top teams playing a double round. The second round will prepare the teams for Test cricket. Australia's domestic structure works well because of the lesser number of teams they have. The emphasis should be on quality.

You have been at the forefront of representation of the coloured people in South Africa. How has their development programme come along?

There has been a tremendous improvement in the development exercise. In the past season, eight coloured players represented the country. There have been 20-odd coloured players in the domestic Super Sport circuit. Lots of them are performing very well and are in the reckoning for the national squad.

I reckon the quota system has worked. According to the quota system every province should have at least three black players. My aim is to get as many black players as we can into the system.

Ngam is one of the quickest in the world and he is going to be a great prospect for the future. As of now, I still feel that the national squad should be picked purely on merit.

Interviews

Mail Cricket Editor