innings came against Free State, when he claimed three wickets for 49 runs (3/49) during his 17 overs. He again toured with the national Under-19s in March and April 1996, touring India, where he played three youth Tests and one of the three ODIs. After claiming five wickets in the first Test and none in the second, Ntini displayed his talent in the third match, taking 6/53 in the first innings and 3/48 in the second innings. International career Ntini returned to the South African side for a Sharjah tournament in 2000. His improvement was clear as he bowled with greater control. In 2003, he became the first South African to take 10 wickets at Lord's. His best performance, however, came when Ntini took 13 wickets for 132 runs against the West Indies in the Port of Spain on 12 April 2005. This remains the most wickets taken by a South African cricketer in a Test match. On 3 March 2006, Ntini also achieved the best bowling figures by a South African in an ODI, demolishing Australia with 6 wickets for 22 runs. A popular figure in South African sport, Ntini was voted their favourite sportsman in a research poll conducted by the South African Press Association. For his performances in 2006 and 2007, he was named in the World Test XI by ICC. He was also named in the World Test XI by Cricinfo. Ntini went on to establish himself as South Africa's premier fast bowler and one of the leading fast bowlers in the world. In February 2009, he was ranked as the world's fifth-best Test bowler behind Muttiah Muralitharan, Dale Steyn, Stuart Clark and Mitchell Johnson, but had dropped to being 25th-best ODI bowler, according to the ICC rankings. On 20 January 2007, Ntini dislodged Mohammad Sami to take his 300th Test wicket in his 74th Test. On 1 August 2008, he removed England opener Alastair Cook to claim his 350th Test wicket in his 90th Test. Ntini played his 100th Test on 17 December 2009, becoming the only black South African cricketer to reach that mark. Sponsors Castle Lager promised every fan in attendance a free beer in celebration on the day he took his first wicket and he duly obliged on the second day when he bowled Andrew Strauss of England. However, after already having lost his place in the ODI side, he was dropped