Makhaya Ntini's story started in Mdingi, a small village in Cape Province where he bowled bare-foot, and ended with more than a hundred Tests for South Africa. Ntini was first spotted by a Boland Cricket Board development officer, who was instantly impressed with the cowherd's enthusiasm and pace. Ntini was immediately sent to the Queenstown junior cricket festival, where he got his first pair of boots. Soon, he found himself in the South Africa Under 19 team and grew steadily to make his first class debut in 1995. Within three years, Ntini already made history in South African cricket by becoming the first black player to represent the nation, when he made his ODI debut against New Zealand in 1998. A Test call up came soon, as he was picked for the home series against Sri Lanka.
