Kaizer Chiefs paid tribute to South African national team cricketer Makhaya Ntini at the Wanderers Cricket Stadium in Johannesburg on Thursday, when they handed the 30 year old pace bowler a Chiefs jersey inscribed with his name on it.

In a meeting made possible by Standard Bank who are joint sponsors of both the Amakhosi and the South African National Cricket team, Chiefs striker Shaun Bartlett was on hand to pass over the jersey to a grateful Ntini who with the rest of the Proteas team were preparing for Friday's Standard Bank Pro 20 international against the West Indies.

Ntini who was born in Mdingi in the Eastern Cape is celebrating his tenth season as an international cricketer this season (2007 – 2008) as he made his debut for South Africa in 1997.

Ntini Was given the jersey by Chiefs to honour him on this milestone achievement as well as thanking him for his loyal support of The Amakhosi, as he has regularly gone on television during domestic and overseas tours and sent his given shout outs to the Club.

Bartlett proud

Standard Bank and Cricket South Africa hosted a special press conference at the famed Wanderers Cricket Stadium on Thursday, where Bartlett handed over the jersey to Ntini and said. “It is an honour for me to hand over this jersey to a cricketer like Makhaya; he has throughout his career represented his country with dignity.

On behalf of the Chiefs family, I would like to wish Makhaya Ntini all the best through the remainder of his benefit year”. Bartlett used the meeting with the Proteas to catch up with long time friend and South African opening batsman Herschelle Gibbs. The Amakhosi hit man also spent time sharing a few words with his former Chiefs keeper Rowen Fernandez's mutual friend Proteas fast bowler Andre Nel, who had recently visited Fernandez at the Bafana Bafana training camp in Durban.

Ntini for life

A relaxed and smiling Makhaya Ntini addressed the media on Thursday and from the onset made it clear that there has only been one team that he has supported since his childhood, after the press conference where he was given the Chiefs jersey with his name and the number 16 printed on it he sat down with kaizerchiefs.com and said.

“All my life I have been a Chiefs fan and I have taken the winning mentality of Kaizer Chiefs and used it to good effect in my own life.

I have down the years drawn inspiration from the likes of Doctor Khumalo and I love the Club and in the South African team we have our own Chiefs fan club and I am the president of this fan club. I am grateful to Chiefs for handing me this jersey and believe me I will wear it around the world wherever my travels take me”.