Makhaya Ntini does some strike bowling

We forgot about Makhaya Ntini when we said that Shane Bond was flying the fast bowling flag the other day. Give the flag to Makhaya, Shane.

We became an Ntini convert in April when he seemed to have completed the transition into a fully-fledged strike bowler. He took five wickets in five overs today utterly demolishing Pakistan. It was clearly Ridiculous Pakistan who had turned up, as opposed to Sublime Pakistan, but still. Well played that man.

Pakistan were all out for 89. Earlier in the day South Africa were 42-5, so it was quite a comeback to post 213 and then defend it with ease. It partially vindicated their policy of batting down to number nine. Although as we see it, Ntini's performance vindicated the policy of selecting your best bowlers.

Makhaya Ntini is still one of our favourites

Not so long ago, we quite genuinely lost our temper with people pronouncing singer-songwriter Paolo Nutini's name exactly how it's supposed to be pronounced. We blithely assumed that it was spelt 'Ntini' and pronounced accordingly. We've since refined our view. We now believe that Paolo Nutini's name is both pronounced AND spelt wrong.

Earlier in the year, we went Makhaya Ntini mental for about a day. We haven't lost interest. Well, we have a bit, but that's only natural. We get a bit over-enthused about things when we're 'in the moment'. Afterwards we become more reasonable and less frighteningly intense.

South Africa have beaten India in the second Test and Ntini was 'the man'. There's been proper cricket in this series with lots of scores of 200-and-odd and none of the massive scores that are becoming increasingly common. Bowlers help in this regard. Makhaya Ntini is a particularly good one.

Ntini took a tidy 3-41 in the first innings but followed that up with something even better. He took India's first five wickets and reduced them to 83-5. If only he could have picked up a couple more, but sadly not. He finished with 5-48.

Makhaya Ntini: Better than drinking port while watching the Sopranos.

Note to Ntini's agent: You can use that.

Makhaya Ntini takes five wickets

Makhyaya Ntini took five wickets again today. This happens quite often and we always draw attention to it, but then realise that we haven't actually got anything to say.

It was 5-83 against Pakistan today, which is really good, but not, you know, earth-shattering.

Have we mentioned the thing about how we thought people were pronouncing Paolo Nutini's name wrong because of Makhaya? We have? Oh, er, we're pretty much out then. Maybe we should just toast him, being as it's a Friday night.

To Makhaya Ntini!

Fast bowling a go go

The phrase 'a go go' always reminds us of the old Amiga game, Nebulus 2: Pogo a go go. We were always struck by how the dark, barren imagery of the word 'nebulus' was entirely negated by the word 'pogo'.

We haven't actually seen much of the Test cricket that's taken place in South Africa since England were last there, but we get the impression that it's one of the few places left in the world where bowlers can come out on top.

Shoaib Akhtar returned to Test cricket today with 4-36. South Africa were all out for 124. In reply, Pakistan are currently 135-6. Makhaya Ntini has the exceptional figures of 4-18 off ten overs.

This will make us a tiny bit happier for the duration of the weekend. Go bowlers, go!

Makhaya Ntini: 300 Test wickets

Makhaya Ntini has today taken his 300th Test wicket. No mean feat and one that's taken us slightly by surprise.

He's been around a while and he's always taken wickets, but 300? When did that happen? Oh, that's right: Today. That's what we're writing about.

One thing we like about Ntini, other than the fact that he's fast, aggressive and supremely fit, is the way he bowls from really wide on the crease on occasions. Getting close to the stumps is certainly and advantage for a quick bowler, but you can get carried away with it.

Ntini bows from all over the place. A batsman may think he knows where his off-stump is, but Ntini occasionally goes so wide that a batsman leaving the ball might find that very off-stump on its way to meet the keeper.

Another thing we like is that he's hardly ever injured. Some fast bowlers, like Shane Bond and Simon Jones, play about one match in twenty. It feels like it's a bit of a treat when they're actually on the field. Makhaya Ntini treats you every day. He's like an indulgent relative who says 'never mind what your mother says - here's more sweets'. Only he's better than that, because we don't like sweets. And we DO like fast bowling.

And ANOTHER thing that we like (they're coming thick and fast now) is that you just have to type 'nt' and his name pops up in the tagging field below, because no-one else has the sheer BALLS to start their name with a combination of consonants like that.