For the purpose of this article, I wish to concentrate on one category – all-rounders known for their batting and bowling who hail from South Africa.
There are other all-rounders known for batting and wicket-keeping, and it is interesting to note that South Africa have also been at the forefront in producing this type of all-rounder. However, that is an article for another day.
It is fascinating that while most Test nations have produced all-rounders of note, South Africa seems to have produced more of them more consistently and regularly.
In this article I am going to look at 13 all-rounders – a baker’s dozen – who were born in South Africa.
11 of these players represented South Africa in full Tests; one should have represented South Africa but played for England, while yet another was denied Test status due to the isolation period in the 1970s and ’80s. The players are presented in order of birth.
1. Buck Llewellyn (b. 1876). Tests: 15; Batting average: 20.15; Wickets: 48; Bowling average: 29.60. Career span: 1876-1912.
Contrary to popular belief that spinner Omar Henry was the first coloured cricketer to represent South Africa in 1992, it was actually Llewellyn back in 1896!
A lively left-hand bat and left-arm medium-fast bowler, Buck’s stats compare favourably with his contemporary Sinclair. However, his dark skin created controversy and he didn’t play as many Tests as he should have.
2. Jimmy Sinclair (b. 1876). Tests: 25; Batting: 23.24; Wickets: 63; Bowling: 31.63; Career span: 1876-1911.
The superstar of his day, tall and strong, Sinclair was a batting swashbuckler and a genuinely fast right-arm bowler. He managed three centuries to boot in Tests.
Not only was he a cricketing all-rounder but a sporting all-rounder. He also represented the Springboks in one rugby Test, and played Premier League football in England.
3. Dave Nourse (b. 1879). Tests 45; Batting: 29.79; Wickets: 41; Bowling: 37.88. Career span: 1902-24.
Sometimes referred to as the father of South African cricket, Nourse senior was indeed also the father of one of South Africa’s greatest batsmen, Dudley, who was the champion bat for South Africa in the inter-war years.
Nourse was a solid left-hand bat and useful left-arm fast-medium bowler. His batting record was quite acceptable for the period and would be worth five to 10 extra batting points by today’s standards.
4. Aubrey Faulkner (b. 1881). Tests: 25; Batting: 40.79; Wickets: 82; Bowling: 26.59. Career span: 1906-24.
Clearly one of the giants of the golden era of cricket, Faulkner stood alone among South African Test cricketers until joined by Nourse junior in the 1930s.
He batted right-hand and was one of the early exponents of the googly, complementing his leg-spin armoury.
It’s worth noting his batting average is superior (just) to that of Australian giants of the same period – Victor Trumper and Clem Hill. This raises similar arguments that we read about today, comparing the all-round feats of Jacques Kallis to specialist batsmen such as Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara and Ricky Ponting.
5. Trevor Goddard (b. 1931). Tests: 41; Batting: 34.06; Wickets: 123; Bowling: 26.23; Career span: 1955-70.
One of the most under-rated yet best-credentialed all-rounders to play the game. Goddard was perhaps a little underdone as a left-hand opening Test batsman, despite being classically correct.
As a bowler, he was difficult to play. Miserly at best, he bowled lively left-arm fast-medium seamers, cutters and swingers. Nor was he averse to sending down the occasional left-arm orthodox or chinaman delivery.
6. Basil D’Oliveira (b. 1931). Tests: (for England) 44; Batting: 40.06; Wickets: 47; Bowling: 39.55; Career span: 1966-72.
Keep in mind D’Oliveira didn’t make his debut for England until he was nearly 35, an age when most cricketers are contemplating retirement.
Yet his Test achievements as a right-hand bat and right-arm medium pace bowler are still solid. How much better might he have been had he begun his career a decade earlier?
If it wasn’t for apartheid, D’Oliveira would probably have made his Test debut back in 1955 alongside Goddard and complementing frontline fast bowlers Neil Adcock and Peter Heine and champion off-spinner Hugh Tayfield. England’s gain was definitely South Africa’s loss.
7. Eddie Barlow (b. 1940). Tests: 30; Batting: 45.75; Wickets: 40; Bowling: 34.05.
Nicknamed ‘Bunter’ after the English schoolboy cartoon hero because of his solid build and glasses, Barlow was actually a very agile, energetic cricketer who always demanded to be in the action.
His right-hand batting could be streaky while his right-arm fast bowling was definitely lively, accentuated by a whippy follow through. He was also an excellent fielder.
He was one of those guys who, if he failed in one department, would atone in another. During his career, he was often considered the “heart” of the South African team.
8. Mike Procter (b. 1946). Tests: 7; Batting: 25.11; Wickets 41; Bowling: 15.02. First class matches: 401; Batting: 36.01; Wickets: 1417; Bowling: 19.53; Career spanL 1966-70.
At his peak Procter was a breathtaking sight to behold. He batted right-hand fast and bowled right-arm even faster with a somewhat unorthodox, windmill style. But he was brutally effective.
To get an appreciation of how good Procter might have been given a normal career, I rate him on a par with the Pakistan Lion, Imran Khan. I reckon they are almost mirror images of each other as all-rounders.
9. Clive Rice (b. 1949). Tests: Nil. First class matches: 482; Batting 40.95; Wickets: 930; Bowling: 22.49.
There is no greater tragedy in 20th-century South Africa than apartheid. But from a sporting perspective, it is a tragedy Procter did not play more tests while Rice played none at all.
He was good enough to be considered on a par with his contemporaries – Procter, Imran, Tony Greig, Ian Botham, Richard Hadlee, Kapil Dev, Wasim Akram and McMillan.
Compared directly to Procter, Rice was a marginally superior bat while not quite as good a fast bowler. But very good he definitely was.
10. Brian McMillan (b. 1963). Tests: 38; Batting: 39.36; Wickets: 75; Bowling: 33.83; Career span: 1992-98.
Yet another right-hander and right-armer, McMillan was lucky to play Test cricket from the moment of South Africa’s re-entry from isolation in 1992.
The Aussies loved to annoy him by nicknaming him “Gerard” (as in Depardieu) because of his big head rather than big nose!
A typically aggressive cricketer from the Republic, he gave it everything either batting or bowling. An especially fine one-day player.
11. Lance Klusener (b. 1971). Tests: 49; Batting: 32.86; Wickets: 174; Bowling: 37.91; Career span 1996-2004.
A brutal left-hand batsman and erratic but occasionally frightening right-arm fast-medium bowler.
Nicknamed ‘Zulu’, Klusener certainly struck fear in opponents when holding a bat in his hands. When on song he was an electrifying sight.
He was particularly spectacular in one-day cricket while his Test results were less consistent.
12. Shaun Pollock (b. 1973). Tests: 108; Batting 32.32; Wickets 421; Bowling 23.12; Career span: 1995-2008.
Born into South African cricket royalty, his father is former Test fast bowler Peter and his uncle is former Test batsman Graeme, arguably South Africa’s greatest-ever batsman.
You could say Shaun inherited qualities from both. Interestingly, he scored a third century in a ‘Test’ not recognised by the ICC when the Indian opponents refused to have former England captain Mike Denness as referee during the 2001/02 series.
13. Jacques Kallis (b. 1975). Tests: 156*; Batting 57.35; Wickets: 280; Bowling: 32.74; Career span 1995-present.
What is there left to say about Kallis? His stats already are marginally better than that of the other all-time great Gary Sobers.
One can quibble (as I would) that Sobers was the more interesting and exciting player to watch. But Kallis deserves the greatest respect, indeed reverence, for his achievements.
Whether it’s Sobers or Kallis. Or Kallis or Sobers, one thing is clear, they are the two greatest cricketers (in the true sense of the word) that the cricketing world has seen to date.
Build your own fantasy cricket team and put it to the test with Draftstars daily fantasy competitions. Pick your match, pick your team and watch the points roll in to take out cash prizes on each match. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit.
India have announced their 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup squad which is set to be played in the USA and Caribbean. The 15-man…
The Aussie's dismissal summed up Lucknow's night, losing to Kolkata Knight Riders by 98 runs.
As wife Alyssa Healy watches on, Mitchell Starc was back in form, taking three wickets in an over including the dangerous Tim David, to…
Joe Root was showing some brotherly love, giving his younger sibling Billy a chance in their county match.
Australia have reclaimed top spot in the ICC's Test rankings, replacing India. Despite not playing since winning 2-0 in New Zealand in March, Pat…
Yashasvi Jaiswal was looking comfortable at 67 off 40, until this moment when he hit the ball into his own stumps!
