Mluleki Nkala: Zimbabwe's Bright Spark

Mluleki Nkala is amongst the liveliest young cricketers in Zimbabwe. His inclusion in the team to tour England owes more to his promise than his colour. His appointment as captain of his country's Under-19 team was entirely upon merit. Had a vote been taken amongst his contemporaries he would have secured a thumping majority. Although he hasn't done much in the game he deserves this opportunity.

Happily, Nkala is precisely the sort of young man his country needs. He was born into a sporting family from Matabeleland, a family that combined traditional tribal ways with a desire to join the new world. His father was a colourful character blessed with an uproarious laugh, 14 children and a couple of wives. Nowadays Luke owns shops in the rural areas and is pursuing one of his `schemes'.

Mluleki is a Matabele, raised in a cosmopolitan style by a father who `did not want to shut me off from white society'. Accordingly his life is a mixture of traditional customs and modern ways. At home his father makes his own refreshments and he and his brothers wear ornaments and clothes signifying their tribe. But they also listen to rave music and enjoy the other distractions that appeal so much to the younger generation. They also appreciated the sports played by the white invaders, especially cricket because `it's different and, anyhow, the ground around our house was too hard for rugby'.

Before long Mluleki was shining in youth cricket, and his fame spread as it will in a small country hungry to detect fresh talent and keen to find it located amongst the traditional peoples. Mluleki started playing in Under-13 and Under-15 teams and meanwhile watched videos and practised endlessly. He particularly enjoyed the sight of Ian Botham demolishing the Australians in 1981.

Pretty soon the time came to send the boy to school. Of course, his father could not afford to educate his entire clan privately but sponsors stepped forward to send the boys to Falcon College on the outskirts of Bulawayo where the cricket culture is strong. Half the Zimbabwean team has emerged from this school. Zimbabwe depends enormously upon a handful of such places, for the game remains thin. Indeed, the surprise is not so much that Heath Streak's father is a selector but that no role has been found for his mother.

Obviously Nkala was not alone in being given such a scholarship. Altogether 57 young black cricketers attend top schools, arrangements made by the Zimbabwe Cricket Union. Most of them go to Churchill College, not least Tatenda Taibu, also on tour in England, and Alester Maragwede who played for Zimbabwe in the Under-19 World Cup and has since risen to greater heights.

Mluleki says attending a private school was important because he `could not have developed otherwise'. He says cricket cannot be learned overnight because `it involves the spirit and the mind, it's a way of thinking'. He points out that `it isn't just a matter of finding gifted boys and putting them onto the field. You need to see things the right way'.

Fortunately Nkala's abilities go beyond this game of bat and ball. He is a bright enough spark to be a member of his school's debating and essay club, one of 12 members that meet occasionally to listen to talks from significant people and to discuss them with rare profundity. Nor was Falcon likely to allow him to get too big for his boots. No sooner had he returned from representing his country in the Commonwealth Games than he found himself standing to attention outside the dining hall throughout the lunch break by way of retribution for a belated appearance. Doubtless the school also took lightly his first appearance in his country's colours in a one-day match in Bulawayo. Still a schoolboy, he took the wicket of Sachin Tendulkar and next day returned to contemplate his logarithms and his Shakespeare.

Naturally Mluleki realises the importance of black cricketers emerging in his country. `Heath Streak is a great hero amongst my people,' he says, `but it's good to have a few of our boys doing well because it shows people what can be done.' He does not believe selectors should push black cricketers too far, arguing that `the quota system has a part to play because it encourages those who are struggling upwards. It can help in youth and B teams but it's different in top-class cricket. Then the players must be good enough. If they aren't they will know it. Choosing them ahead of better players puts them under pressure. It hurts everyone'.

He believes the main handicap for young cricketers in Zimbabwe is the lack of exposure. Obviously he is delighted that Zimbabwe have opened an academy and that five teams nowadays play in the domestic competition. The route to the top is clear, and he intends to follow it.

Zimbabwe has some promising young cricketers, not least Henry Olonga, David Mutendera, who played against the Australians, Greg Lamb and Travis Friend, fellows capable of catching the eye, white or black, wherever they are raised. Nkala does not believe Zimbabwe needs to favour black cricketers but realises the current tensions could change things. `We've been independent a lot longer,' he says, `and it took a long time for black cricketers to get into the team. You need to be patient.' Alas, patience is not presently to the fore.

Nkala has been brought to England to widen his experiences but, though expected to feature only in the one-day triangular, he was selected to play in the Second Test at Lord's and played a significant part in the upturn of his country's fortunes. He is an intelligent and athletic young man but somewhat accident prone. Not long ago he managed to let a luggage trolley roll over his foot, a considerable achievement for a fellow of his standing. He has, too, played too much schoolboy cricket in recent years and his game needs tightening. Nonetheless, he is a likeable and gregarious character capable of getting along with all and sundry. And he likes to keep quiet the fact that an uncle served in Mr Mugabe's first cabinet.

Nkala will score some runs and take some wickets in England. Whether or not he joins Olonga as a respected regular in the team remains to be seen. But he will certainly try his hardest and will probably remember to laugh too.

He wants to play for his country and then raise a family back home. But he thinks a handful of children will be enough, and one wife. Not all the traditional ways appeal to him.