Ntini was convicted by magistrate Deon Roussouw of raping a 21-year-old neighbour after offering her a lift home on December 2. Ntini, 22, broke down and wept after the sentence was pronounced and had to be helped from the courtroom, the SAPA News Agency said. A sentencing date was not immediately set.

Ntini was found guilty of raping a 21-year-old student in the toilet of the Buffalo Park cricket ground in East London, where Ntini plays for the Border Province side. He maintained his innocence and received the full backing of the United Cricket Board during the trial. Ntini is the first black African ever selected for the National squad and played in Australia and England last year.

The colour bar in South African cricket had, however, been broken earlier by two mixed-race players, Paul Adamsand Herschelle Gibbs, who were classified `coloured' under apartheid legislation.

United Cricket Board (UCB) managing director Ali Bacher said in a statement in Johannesburg that the Board was disappointed by Ntini's conviction. ``We believe rape is a heinous crime and our previous and current comments on this matter must not be construed in any other light,'' Bacher said.

``We understand there are definite grounds for appeal... UCB will continue to support Makhaya until the legal process has been completed. Sadly Makhaya Ntini will be withdrawn from the South African squad for the World Cup. His replacement is Alan Dawson from Western Province,'' he said.

Ntini made his debut for Border against England in the 1995-96 season. He was chosen to play for the South African A team and replaced injured Boland player Roger Telemachus when South Africa toured Australia more than a year ago.

Ntini also was part of Shaun Pollock's gold-medal winning team at the Commonwealth Games in Malaysia in September.