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| February 7, 2003 | Friday | Zul Hijjah 5,1423 |
Pen-sketches of South Africa World Cup squad
CAPE TOWN, Feb 6: Following are the pen-sketches of South Africa World Cup squad:
SHAUN POLLOCK
Born: July 16 1973. Captain. All-rounder — right-arm fast-medium bowler and right-handed batsman. ODI debut: v England, Cape Town, 1995-96. 180 matches. 260 wkts at 22.88, economy rate of 3.77. 1,822 runs, av 23.97. One of the world’s top fast bowlers and an accomplished right-hand batsman, very safe pair of hands.
Has cricketing success in his genes. Father Peter led South Africa bowling attack in 1960s. His uncle Graeme Pollock was one of the finest left-handers to play the game. Highly dangerous bowler both with the new ball and at the death, even if not quite as fast as before. Bowls very straight, similar to Glenn McGrath. Enjoyed a lethal new-ball partnership with Allan Donald. With 74 ODI catches, second to Jonty Rhodes (105) on South Africa’s all time list of catchers. Improving as a captain after taking over from Hansie Cronje, favouring democratic rather than dictatorial leadership (never captained at first-class level).
MARK BOUCHER
Born: Dec 3 1976. Vice-captain. Wicket-keeper and highly effective batsman. ODI debut: v New Zealand, Perth, Jan 1998. 137 matches, 1,691 runs with 13 half-centuries, av 23.81, 119 catches and 10 stumpings. Won several national squash championships as a junior. Flinty, pugnacious, supremely confident. Initially a controversial replacement for the highly regarded Dave Richardson but immediately became a South African favourite. Convinced team mate Herschelle Gibbs to confess his role in the Hansie Cronje scandal.
NICKY BOJE
Born: March 20 1973. Left-arm spinner, left-handed batsman with two ODI centuries as a pinch-hitter. ODI debut: v Zimbabwe, Harare, Oct 1995. 85 matches, 1,143 runs, av 27.21. 74 wkts at 32.75. Orthodox spinner, who started as a specialist batsman. Best bowling of 5-21 v Australia to beat them in Cape Town ODI in April 2002. ODI centuries both came v New Zealand in Oct 2000, 105 off 93 balls batting at three in Potchefstroom and 129 off 114 balls in Centurion.
BOETA DIPPENAAR
Born: June 14 1977. Right-handed batsman. ODI debut: v India, Nairobi, Sept 1999. 50 matches, 1,587 runs, av 42.89. Slight, baby-faced Free Stater has some technical flaws outside off stump. He had done better in the one-day game. Keen fisherman, keen tourist. Fine cover drive.
ALLAN DONALD
Born: Oct 20 1966. Right arm fast-medium, nicknamed ‘White Lightning. ODI debut: v India, Kolkata, Nov 1991. 161 matches, 271 wkts, av 21.37. South Africa’s greatest bowler but with a four-year ghost to exorcise before retiring. Considered retiring after trauma of 1999’s World Cup, when he was run out v Australia in the semifinal, causing a tie and the South Africans’ exit. Cajoled to continue but retired from Test cricket a year ago. Only South African to take 300 Test wkts and Wisden’s second-best ODI bowler of all time behind Wasim Akram. Once express pace, now nearer medium but still a threat because of his acumen and spirit.
HERSCHELLE GIBBS
Born: Feb 23 1974. Right-handed opening batsman, brilliant fielder. ODI debut: v Kenya, Nairobi, Oct 1996. 117 matches, 3,829 runs, av 34.81, 11 centuries. Career overshadowed by several major errors of judgement on and off the field. Arguably the world’s second best fielder, usually stationed square of the wicket, opposite Jonty Rhodes — the best in the world without doubt. Six-month ban in 2000 after admitted accepting an offer from Hansie Cronje to underperform in a match before changing his mind. Also censured for smoking cannabis with team mates on a tour to West Indies. In 1999 World Cup, started celebrating prematurely and somehow dropped the ball after catching Steve Waugh. The Australian captain went on to hit a match-winning 120.
ANDREW HALL
Born: July 31 1975. Right-handed batsman, right-arm swing bowler. ODI debut: v West Indies, Durban, Jan 1999. 26 matches, 435 runs, av 21.75. 8 wkts. Has also kept wicket in an ODI. First headline came when he was shot by muggers, who shot him in the hand from point-blank range — four bullets just missed — whilst withdrawing money from a cashpoint machine in 1998.
JACQUES KALLIS
Born: Oct 16 1975. All-rounder — right-handed batsman, right-arm fast-medium bowler, good slip fielder. ODI debut: v England, Cape Town, Jan 1996. 168 matches, 5,902 runs at 44.04, 8 centuries, 42 fifties, 164 wkts, av 29.73. The best all-rounder in the world — probably. A barrel-chested man and extraordinary talent, technique matched by power. Genuine quick bowler when he chooses and can swing the ball. ODI batting average second highest among active players — reaches a half-century in just over a third of his innings. 19 Man-of-the-Match awards, more than any other South African.
GARY KIRSTEN
Born: Nov 23 1967. Left-handed opening batsman. ODI debut: v Australia, Sydney, Dec 1993. 6,612 runs, av 40.56, 13 centuries, 42 fifties. South Africa’s leading run-scorer in both forms of the game but made the World Cup by the skin of his teeth. Nicknamed ‘Gazza’. Followed South Africa’s 1992 tour of West Indies as a backpacker. Holds country’s ODI record of 188 not out, against the outclassed United Arab Emirates in the 1996 World Cup. Scratchy form in season building up to World Cup, dropped into second team and then dropped from there. Convinced his international career was over, bought a restaurant with his brother. Sudden recall v Pakistan in December and scored 102 off 118 balls, to his team mates’ delight.
LANCE KLUSENER
Born: Sept 4 1971. All-rounder — explosive left-hand batsman, medium-fast seamer. ODI debut: v England, East London, Jan 1996. 149 matches, 3,290 runs, av 42.73, two hundreds and strike rate of 90.09, 170 wkts at 29.43. A shadow of himself after taking the 1999 World Cup by storm. Grew up speaking Zulu, earning him that nickname. Inclusion in the squad owes much to past glories. In In 1999 scored world-record 400 runs over a string of ODIs before being finally dismissed, starting with 103 not out v New Zealand in Auckland in Feb and ending during the World Cup. He won four Man-of-the-Match awards at the World Cup as well as being named man of the tournament, with a batting average of 140.5 and 17 wkts at 20.58.
CHARL LANGEVELDT
Born: Dec 17 1974. Right-arm medium-pacer. ODI debut: v Kenya, Kimberley, Oct 2001. 3 matches, 6 wkts. Former prison officer who gave up his job to try to make the grade. Partly owes his place to South Africa’s five-man non-white quota.
MAKHAYA NTINI
Born: July 6 1977. Right-arm fast bowler. ODI debut: v New Zealand, Perth, Jan 1998. 62 matches, 89 wkts, av 24.87. First black African to play for South Africa. Matured into a consistent wicket-taker and in fine form just before the World Cup, could be South Africa’s answer to the loss of Donald. Superbly fit, fine outfielder. Improved his accuracy without dropping his pace. Modelled action on Malcolm Marshall. Charged and initially convicted of rape in April 1999 but acquitted on appeal. Missed the World Cup, however. Did not play internationally for almost two years up to mid 2000.
ROBIN PETERSON
Born: Aug 4 1979. Left-arm spinner, useful batsman. ODI debut: v India, Colombo, Sept 2002. 6 matches, 3 wkts, av 70.33. South African rarity as a genuine spinner rather than simply a slow bowler.
JONTY RHODES
Born: July 27 1969. Perhaps the only batsman/fielder all rounder in the world. ODI debut: v Australia, Sydney, Feb 1992 (World Cup). 243 matches, 5,933 runs av 35.32, strike rate of 81.15. 105 catches. Right-handed engine room of the middle-order, cover point fielder with few rivals in cricket’s long history. Iconic figure and South Africa’s most experienced one-day player. Grabbed world attention when ran out Inzamam-ul-Haq with a headlong swallow dive at the Gabba at the 1992 World Cup (later called it bad cricket, saying he had lost confidence in his throwing). Got by for much of his career playing on-side strokes, owing to a grip that harked back to his hockey background (he has played for South Africa and would probably have played in the 1992 Olympics if the team had qualified). Since remodelled his grip. Excellent sweeper. Electric between the wickets. Quit Test cricket at the end of 2000 to devote more time to his wife and young daughter while playing ODIs.
MONDE ZONDEKI
Born: July 25 1982. Right-arm fast bowler. ODI debut: v Sri Lanka, Bloemfontein, Dec 2002. 2 matches, 2 wkts. Hardly any experience but already one claim to fame — a wicket with his first ball in One-day Internationals. Find of the South African season but set for a quiet World Cup. Like Mfuneko Ngam, whose career may have been ended by string of stress fractures, had struggled with injury.—Reuters
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