da bet7： Nicky Boje, who announced his retirement from international cricketearlier in the week, has slammed South Africa’s selection policies
Dileep Premachandran in Johannesburg17-Dec-2006
Nicky Boje makes a point: ‘They [Warne and Murali] are good, but take them out of the picture and see what world cricketis left with’ © Getty Images
Nicky Boje, who announced his retirement from international cricketearlier in the week, has slammed South Africa’s selection policies, andexpressed fears that there could be something of an exodus once the WorldCup squad is named early in 2007.”Enough is enough,” he said in an interview with , anAfrikaans Sunday paper. “I’m fed up with reading in newspapers and hearingon a daily basis that I am not good enough, that I am not Warne or Murali.They are good, but take them out of the picture and see what world cricketis left with.”Boje was named in the Test squad for the series against India, but it’sthought that comments made by Haroon Lorgat, convener of the selectionpanel, triggered his decision to retire. “The time comes when you have toask yourself where you are going and where your loyalties lie,” said Boje.”And mine are not with the Proteas anymore. The last straw was Lorgat’scomment that apart from our spinners, our bowling attack is on par withAustralia. There was a long build-up to my retirement, but it was still adifficult decision as I feel I still have a lot to offer the country.”Boje’s relationship with Graeme Smith, captain since 2003, has frequentlybeen an uneasy one, and it was noted in many quarters that he communicatedhis decision to retire to Tony Irish, of the players’ union, and GeraldMajola, Cricket South Africa’s chief executive. Lorgat and Mickey Arthur,the coach, were not initially informed. “Haroon did try to phone me,” saysBoje, “but unfortunately I missed the call.”Lorgat’s unflattering comments about South African slow bowlers had comeafter a shock recall for Paul Adams, and Boje admitted that it was adecision that did little for the morale of other spinners in the country.”We have got spinners that can do a good job for SA,” he said. “ClaudeHenderson, Con de Lange, Paul Harris and Johan Botha have got thepotential to do well. Thandi Tshabalala is still young, but with the rightleadership, he can become a factor. He just needs to know he’s got theselectors’ backing.”It’s funny that they say we don’t have spinners of quality in thecountry, but yet the spinners are the leading wicket-takers in domesticcricket. I will share my experience with the young spinners in thecountry, but for now I’m focusing all my attention on the Eagles. They,after all, pay my salary.”Boje clearly feels that he never had the support from those that matter.”They treated me poorly,” he says frankly, and another player quoted inthe article also spoke of poor channels of communication between theselection panel and the players. “You never know what is expected of youor what your role should be,” said the player, name withheld by request.”And you never know for sure that, despite a good performance, you willplay in the next match.”With the so-called quota system the source of considerable disquiet -Kevin Pietersen weighs in with a comment every other week, or so it seems- Boje fears that things will only get worse. “I feel sorry for [someonelike] Boeta Dippenaar,” he said. “It can happen that some players decideto play overseas once the World Cup squad is selected, and they’re not init. With this uncertainty about their places, I get the idea that someplayers only play for themselves. That’s not healthy for cricket in SouthAfrica.”