Langeveldt - a victim of tactless system

Charl Langeveldt's understandably distressed, if emotional withdrawal from South Africa's Test tour of India was a serious accident waiting to happen in the republic's sports system, writes Trevor Chesterfield in the Cricketnext.com.

Sources tell of how Langeveldt and Nel were in tears in the room of the team's captain - Graeme Smith, after the squad to tour India was announced. It left a decent man such as Langeveldt embarrassed. The controversy, fired by additional unthinking media reportage, left the Cape Cobras bowler with a sense of humiliation. It is quite understandable while those in Asia view such selection policy as abhorrent as it cuts across race lines, the South African media have already indulged in the contemptible callow error of categorising such as Langeveldt and Nel by colour.

Neil Manthorp looks back at an incident that occured three years ago in South African cricket which he believes was the turning point. Read it at Supercricket.co.za.

During a knockabout game of six-a-side soccer half an hour before the match started, Mall was hit in the face by the ball which broke his sun glasses ... With barely 25 minutes to go before the start, Lions coach Shukri Conrad faced the stark reality that one of either Gerrie de Bruin or Juan le Roux, the 12th and 13th men, both right-handed allrounders and both white, would have to play. And yet, the possible political ramifications of making such a decision were so intimidating that not even as forthright a man as Conrad was able to make that call.

Just then, the cricketing gods sent a messenger - his name was Thando Bula. A promising prospect with the North West province, Bula had brought some mates to watch the game and thought he'd try his luck with Conrad for a few free tickets. "Never mind the bloody tickets," was the gist of Conrad's reply, "what's your bloody shirt size?!"