With the South African squad to play in England making their final preparations, we publish the Zulu files. They contain your comments on the rift between skipper Graeme Smith and batting icon Lance Klusener.

Fallen hero Lance Klusener

It was really the worst selection by those desperate SA selectors, who had the audacity to drop Lance Klusener. After the way he played in World Cup 1999 and even 2003, the selectors drop him.

To top this, the Little boy Graeme Smith talks about Klusener's team spirit. Really, a cricketer who still has not proved himself at any level is at first crowned the captain of SA and now is being puppeteer-ed by moronic coaches and selectors to talk trash about the great Lance Klusener.

This is also an indication that Klusener will never come back to play for SA. What a pity and a huge loss. He is just 32 yrs old.
 
Lets hope some common sense prevails among those hapless selectors and the five-Test old captain Graeme Smith.
P Ratim

I see it as just another opportunity on the part of the politicians to make SA Cricket the laughing stock, by leaving out class players in favour of second class "politically correct" selections!
 
What I want to know is how will the "development" players spend their time, while the team are playing matches? I've witnessed "development" selections, in another sport, spending their time far away from the venue itself. Nevertheless, I'm sure they'll enjoy their five-week vacation!
Patrick Jolly

What a shame! Smith (still a boy in cricketing terms) has to tell the world this rubbish story about surely one of his childhood heroes.

The only reason he's been told and coaxed by the SA management (from Balfour to Simons) to say this is because Klusener has been witness to the systematic degrading of the South African side as a whole, and being a strong character he would of course be outspoken to this.

Cricket in SA is losing touch with the game because politicians now run the game, and all resistance to their laughable policies will be removed...

As the case was with the England side during the past World Cup, having to reflect UK "foreign policy" on the pitches of the world because their politicians lacked the guts or will to do so, the same is expected of poor Smith, who needs to tell lies in order to cover for the inadequacies of the politicians running SA cricket.

Shame on you Mr Balfour, and you to Mr Simons.
Eugene Henning

Smith Who?
Rowan Irvine-Roberts

I would say that Smith is naive and unwise to make such comments about Lance Klusener. For someone who has been playing Test cricket for such a short time, he has revealed considerable immaturity and would be well-advised to engage his brain before making comments about long-established international cricketers.
 
Smith will be judged on his record as a player and captain and these kind of remarks could well rebound on him.
 
Regardless of Smith's views, Klusener is still a match winner who cannot exactly be classified as a veteran and is a cricketer that SA might well regret leaving out in an otherwise relatively inexperienced side.
Nick Love

I don't know what they're thinking, South Africa is losing many valuable players. It will take a long time to replace him with a young player of his skills. I think it's harsh on Lance.

Graeme Smith is making a big deal about nothing. I agree with Allan Donald that he is making matters more complicated.
R Marthandan

What more proof could anyone need to proove that cricket is the most unforgiving sport, with a short term memory? What is a 22-year-old captain thinking, who was still playing with a junior size cricket bat, while the man named Zulu ripped out the Indian batting line up in India with his fiery spell of 8 for 65? Although injuries have taken their toll, he remains a very useful slow medium bowler.

The most devastating skills however the world was yet to witness... His batting. Ask any bowler in the world or any opposition's captain and they will tell you that they are biting their nails when Zulu is out there.

No game is over until he is gone, as he repeatedly proved in the 99 World cup in England where he took apart every single bowler with the consistency and precision of a machine.

He continued his trait for years to come thereafter, repeatedly pulling S.A out of trouble to win their games from a do-or-die situation. How many cricketing greats can attach a reputation like this to their name?

Cricket and Zulu's fans can surely share their experience when they watch the man marching to the crease, his cold face, wanting eyes, willow raised in the air like a cocked gun ready to fire and the determination of a man as if his life depended on it.

Although his team and country have rewarded Lance by dropping him from the National Squad, Klusener can take personal satisfaction from an illustrious career that will never be forgotten. Whenever any game goes down to the wire, cricket fans will think of "Zulu the finisher."

Mark this down as another blunder made by team and country in times of desperation as victory and success continues to evade them.
Saaz Karimi

I was very disappointed to read the comments made by Graeme Smith. Although I feel Klusener's form has dropped dramatically in recent months, he is still a great player.

His statistics speak for themselves. I am sure Smith is a quality player himself, but he must learn that he can come crashing down very quickly with comments on a player who has excited us cricket fans so many times.

Otherwise I wish our boys good luck in the months ahead of them in England.
Steven Sullivan

Smith's remarks regarding Klusener are immature and down right uncalled for. Klusener has been the pillar that all South Africans have come to rely on in times of need. He has taken South Africa out of a number of tight situations and won many a matches for his country.
 
Smith is a little kid and has got a long way to go. Instead of opening his big mouth, he should rather keep quiet, and try to learn from the older players.
 
What has smith done for his country? NOTHING.
 
I think that Lance Klusener still has a lot to offer South Africa in the one day game - and should be considered a part of it until the 2007 World Cup. So, he may have had a few bad days. He may have been out of form for a while - but all good players go through that.
 
South Africa will have to search high and low to find another "ZULU", and may never again find the calibre of Klusener. He makes the opposition bowlers tremble, and gives the South African fans the hope that every fan in the world wishes they could have.
 
He is a fantastic cricketer, great to watch - and should still be a big part of South African cricket.
Shiraz Peer