Unlike many of his Proteas Veterans teammates, Mlungisi Ngece has pretty much been involved in cricket in some form or other for the better part of 50 years.
After completing his schooling in the Eastern Cape, ‘Lefty’ attended the University of Fort Hare where he played at various Varsity Weeks.
He eventually broke through into the Border team in the 1997/98 season, playing alongside future South African internationals Makhaya Ntini, Tyron Henderson and Monde Zondeki. During that time he also played against a few touring international teams and had the misfortune of facing one of the quickest bowlers in the history of the game, Shoaib Akhtar.
Ngece turned to coaching and after working with the likes of Andre Nel and Goolam Bodi at the famed Plascon Academy, he joined Anton Ferreira’s SA Under-19 coaching team for the 2000 World Cup in Sri Lanka, where Graeme Smith finished as leading run-scorer.
He also coached the Border provincial team and served as its CEO, and was a member of the Proteas Veterans side for the 2020 World Cup, taking 2/6 in the opening game against Wales with his left-arm spin.
Nickname: Lefty
Favourite cricketer of all time: Jacques Kallis
Favourite shot: Cut shot
Favourite delivery: Turn & bounce
Toughest bowlers faced: Monde Zondeki, Makhaya Ntini, Tyron Henderson, Shaoib Akhtar
Toughest batsman bowled to: Wayne Wiblin