Why play for South Africa...
When you can play for Scotland?
Scotland appear to be enjoying yet another renaissance and, as I write, are strong favourites for a place in the World Cup having beaten Zimbabwe in a thriller during the Super Six stage of the Qualifiers in Zimbabwe.
Even if they lose their final match against the Netherlands, they will be at their fourth World Cup later this year. It would be an extraordinary achievement, and Brandon McMullen has been a massive part of it. Batting at number three and opening the bowling, and with considerable success, he has carried an unusual if not entirely unprecedented workload.
It’s a little embarrassing that I had to Google him two weeks ago – he really should have been on my radar but, with the explosion of the international calendar and the unwelcome slew of administrative stories in South Africa, it’s been impossible to keep an eye on all the stories on the domestic playing fields of the country. Let alone those of Scotland.
McMullen went to Clifton Prep and captained the Hilton College 1st XI in 2018. He was an exceptional junior cricketer with enormous prospects and a long-held ambition to become a professional cricketer. He went to Scotland straight after leaving school to play ‘a season’ of club cricket for Stirling Cricket Club and, never came back. Not in a cricketing sense, anyway.
He credits Dale Benkenstein (“Mr Benkenstein”) for his rapid development in his final year at school when the 1999 World Cup squad member was Master in Charge of Cricket at Hilton and said, five years ago, that he was heading to Scotland to “…continue developing as a cricketer.” That process appears to be coming on very successfully.
McMullen took 5/34 in the gripping one-wicket victory against Ireland and then scored 136 from 121 balls against Oman. In the era-defining victory against the West Indies, he claimed the first three wickets in his 9-0-32-3 to reduce the fallen giants to 25-3 from which they would never recover, then and perhaps ever. He then scored 69 to emphatically seal their fate. Quite a tournament. Not done yet, he scored a run-a-ball 34 against Zimbabwe and took 2-31 from eight overs. It’s almost freakish.
A casual troll through English County scorecards reveals more and more evidence of the extent of the talent-drain. And that’s just the easy-to-see stuff. County 2nd XI scorecards are harder to access but, when you can, you’ll see a plague of South African born players. That’s before you get down to club level. And then move on to clubs in Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands.
There was a time I tried to keep up to date with SA players overseas, but it’s become impossible. Largely because young players slip out of the country as quietly and inconspicuously as possible. They are all intensely aware of the retribution which came Kevin Pietersen’s way all those years ago when he blamed ‘quotas’ for his ‘forced’ departure from South Africa to England.
Whatever young players’ reasons are now for leaving before they even have a chance of starting a professional career in their homeland, they are NOT the same. Economic realities, birthright privileges, increased opportunities and personal circumstances all play a role in the decision to leave South Africa prematurely. Some may do so because of a scepticism of the selectorial process but I would suggest they are in a minority.
South Africa produces more cricketers of international quality, per capita, than any other country in the world. There has been, and always will be, a net-export situation. England, New Zealand and all of the smaller nations are grateful beneficiaries. Scotland, Ireland and the Netherlands have all, at times, featured as many as four South African players in their ranks. It’s always been that way.
There are, currently, 14 former SA Under-19 players playing for, or attempting to qualify for, other countries. Good for them. But not so good for CSA which invested very considerably in their development.
The vast majority of cricketing emigrees are financially motivated. As much as it hurts to admit, there are more opportunities to make a living in Associate nation cricket than in full, professional cricket in South Africa.
If you were an 18-year-old Brandon McMullen, bristling with talent and belief but also imbued with the modesty and respect that the majority of Hilton boys graduate with, what would you be tempted to do? Give it a crack at home, or back yourself in a different environment where, supposedly, the only thing that counts is talent and performance. And where the pay is triple what you might hope for at home.
The reason for mentioning this is not to raise heckles, temperatures or any neck-hairs. Only to suggest that it might be a good idea for CSA, perhaps Enoch Nkwe, to make contact with all those who have left, and continue to stream away, to discover their reasons, doubts and ambitions.
I tried contacting Brandon McMullen myself, but it seemed rude to persist while he was manhandling his adopted country into the World Cup ahead of the West Indies, Zimbabwe and Ireland.
Well written ( again!) with a sensitive approach as there are far too many that easily get their backs up when this topic is broached. Let any youngster make his own decision based on very personal factors as to where he ultimately wishes to play cricket and to also earn a living. We applaud success on the field of play and need to at the same time create an environment that is attractive and filled with reasons to remain here.
Unfortunately with the current racist laws enforced by the ANC government there's really no choice for the player. Every young cricketer, regardless of race should be asking themselves if the current administrators have created an environment to allow them to prosper and enhance their skills with strong local competitions and if not then why would they want to play for this country? Take the money and don't look back. Remember, the people voted for this mess.