At the age of 12 months his parents emigrated and Manthorp enjoyed his formative years in South Africa before returning to England to complete his schooling.

With South Africa in sporting exile, he stayed on in Britain and began his journalistic career commentating and writing freelance.

But come 1990 he decided it was time to return to South Africa, where he set up his own sports agency, MWP Media.

He has stayed there ever since, apart from the necessary travel required to follow sport, which has taken him to all the cricketing corners of the world.

As well as cricket, he also writes on golf and rugby.