Thami Tsolekile sounds bitter and angry and has made no secret of the fact that he believes Graeme Smith was responsible for him playing only three Test matches, two in India and one against England in in PE in 2004.
Thami may well have some genuine career selection gripes. In this instance it is very clear that he’s playing the race card and besmirching Smith,a man whose Great record as player,leader and human being is there for all to see.
Thami certainly does have legitimate grievances. There is a very strong argument to be made for his selection in 2011 when Mark Boucher's form was poor. His anger may seem misplaced and ill-directed, but it is real and should be heard.
You are extremely generous to Thami. The reality is he was a very mediocre cricketer, who only got where he did because of “affirmative action” and who later besmirched the game by being involved in match fixing. He has subsequently shown his true colours by his various utterances and “playing the race card” in those statements.
Cricket in particular is full of instances of players feeling that they didn't get a fair shake. Sometimes they have a point, sometimes they are blinded by their subjectivity. In South Africa the situation is made worse by the fact that racism (conscious or unconscious) may be behind some decisions, and that is seized on by some individuals. It definitely played a role in ADB etc getting a good schooling background compared to most kids, and it probably played a role in TT still being eligible to take over as no. 1 wk at 32. By my reading of this case, it seems unlikely that race placed a role in the selection of ABD over TT.
There's a great deal of unhappiness, most of it justified. There were agendas in selection, for sure, but they weren't (consciousy) agendas based on race, in my opinion. The backing of Boucher when he was going through a long period of poor form in 2011 was, traditonally, what 'you did' with a senior professional. It is easy to see it as race-based. And perhaps it was, in this case.
Tsolekile sounds entitled. Thami, here's some advice, be a man and accept that either you weren't good enough or that circumstances dictated otherwise but please don't play the race card as it's downright embarrassing. Nic Pothas should by all accounts be upset that he didn't make the national team but do we hear him blaming all and sundry?
Thami did not recieve the best treatment or 'advice'. He was told that he was 'next in line' and then there was a change of plan because SA reached the number one ranking in the world with AB de Villiers keeping wicket and J-P Duminy batting at number seven. It was basically a 13-man XI with the all rounder (Kallis) and 'keeper (de Villiers) batting in the the top five and five seamers and two spinners. The selectors felt that was the best formula to build a lasting legacy...
Thami may well have some genuine career selection gripes. In this instance it is very clear that he’s playing the race card and besmirching Smith,a man whose Great record as player,leader and human being is there for all to see.
Thami certainly does have legitimate grievances. There is a very strong argument to be made for his selection in 2011 when Mark Boucher's form was poor. His anger may seem misplaced and ill-directed, but it is real and should be heard.
You are extremely generous to Thami. The reality is he was a very mediocre cricketer, who only got where he did because of “affirmative action” and who later besmirched the game by being involved in match fixing. He has subsequently shown his true colours by his various utterances and “playing the race card” in those statements.
Cricket in particular is full of instances of players feeling that they didn't get a fair shake. Sometimes they have a point, sometimes they are blinded by their subjectivity. In South Africa the situation is made worse by the fact that racism (conscious or unconscious) may be behind some decisions, and that is seized on by some individuals. It definitely played a role in ADB etc getting a good schooling background compared to most kids, and it probably played a role in TT still being eligible to take over as no. 1 wk at 32. By my reading of this case, it seems unlikely that race placed a role in the selection of ABD over TT.
There's a great deal of unhappiness, most of it justified. There were agendas in selection, for sure, but they weren't (consciousy) agendas based on race, in my opinion. The backing of Boucher when he was going through a long period of poor form in 2011 was, traditonally, what 'you did' with a senior professional. It is easy to see it as race-based. And perhaps it was, in this case.
Andrew Hudson is a person of integrity I believe. Errol Stewart, Pothas, Palframan, Darryn Smit etc....were also unlucky.
Indeed. And Nic Pothas? He could have been even better than Mark Boucher.
Tsolekile sounds entitled. Thami, here's some advice, be a man and accept that either you weren't good enough or that circumstances dictated otherwise but please don't play the race card as it's downright embarrassing. Nic Pothas should by all accounts be upset that he didn't make the national team but do we hear him blaming all and sundry?
Thami did not recieve the best treatment or 'advice'. He was told that he was 'next in line' and then there was a change of plan because SA reached the number one ranking in the world with AB de Villiers keeping wicket and J-P Duminy batting at number seven. It was basically a 13-man XI with the all rounder (Kallis) and 'keeper (de Villiers) batting in the the top five and five seamers and two spinners. The selectors felt that was the best formula to build a lasting legacy...