Mickey Arthur

Johannesburg: South African cricketer Makhaya Ntini played the race card when things did not go his way, disclosed former team coach Mickey Arthur in his to be released book.

Ntini, hailed as the country’s greatest black cricketer, alleged racism by captain Graeme Smith and Arthur when he was dropped from the squad due to bad form, wrote Arthur in his book Taking the Mickey, to be released on Monday.

It comes just a week after the controversial autobiography of former South African star opener Herschelle Gibbs, in which he caused a stir with claims of sex orgies, drinking binges and drug-taking by South African team members.

“Sadly, when (Ntini) finally lost form, and was left out on form (or the lack of it), he was quick to change his tune,” Arthur says in an extract of the book.

“That was when I lost a bit of respect for Makhaya, and saw a side of him I never suspected existed. Everybody, especially senior players, is upset when they are dropped, but I was desperately disappointed when Makhaya started telling influential administrators that (captain) Graeme Smith and I didn’t want black players in the team.

“I refused to believe what I was told, and dismissed it as vicious rumour-mongering.”

However, Arthur added that he was in for a big shock when Doc Nyoka (president of Cricket South Africa) and Ray Mali (former CSA president) invited him to a breakfast meeting with Ntini after the series against Bangladesh.

Gibbs is also about to get a taste of his own medicine in the book.

Writing about the night before a match against Bangladesh in 2008, Arthur said that Gibbs had “attached himself to the hotel bar a little earlier than was polite — certainly for an international sportsman.”

“He took too much fuel on board, at indecent haste by all accounts, and became involved in a series of embarrassing altercations.

“The hotel management had attempted, unsuccessfully, to encourage him to leave, and reported to calling (captain) Graeme Smith and (assistant coach) Vinnie Barnes for assistance.

“Hersch was apparently making inappropriate comments about the attire and attractiveness of the wives accompanying a group of businessmen attending a function in Sandton. It may sound humorous, but it was offensive.”

Arthur said that they allowed Gibbs to play the game the next day, but sat him down immediately afterwards to lay down the law.

“Team manager Doc Moosajee and I took (Gibbs) into the gym under the Wanderers changing room and told him that his time was up.

“There were no more warnings, fines or reprimands left for him. Doc explained that he needed to undergo a full rehabilitation course.” (PTI)