Proteas don’t need quotas now: Bacher

Former South African captain and administrator Ali Bacher has lashed out at the prevailing quota system in the country’s cricket team selection...

Former South African captain and administrator Ali Bacher has lashed out at the prevailing quota system in the country’s cricket team selection, saying they no longer need the controversial policy as players of colour are not discriminated against anymore.

Bacher, one of the officials responsible for the integration of black and white cricket in South Africa in the early 1990s, said transformation should take place from the bottom up and not the other way round.

“It was once important to ensure that the makeup of the team was more representative. I, in fact, was in the forefront of that initiative. But we have moved on since then,” he wrote in a column.

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“A number of black players have secured a place in the Proteas’ team on merit alone and, on the basis of this natural evolution, more will automatically come through on merit.”

Fiery pace bowler Andre Nel was dropped from the squad and replaced by Charl Langeveldt, who is coloured.

But Langeveldt withdrew from the squad at the last minute, saying he did not want to be seen as a “quota” player.