The South African team that never played ODI cricket

This is Part 3 in the series about a team full of exciting players who never had a chance to play ODI cricket.

I’ve chosen 12 players who I think would be a starting group, with an additional six players to make up a squad.

Before going further, I’ll make an early apology to readers in South Africa.

I think I’m part of a generation who should know more about the history of your players, but unfortunately do not, thanks in large part to your national team being excluded from cricket in the ’70s and ’80s.

I’m more than happy to be corrected if I’ve included guys who shouldn’t be there or have excluded players who should. Anyway, this is my XII.

Barry Richards
There’s no doubt about Richards’ quality as an opening batsman. Don Bradman thought so highly of him, he chose him as one of his openers in a 20th century team.

Even though he had only a few official Tests, he played against the greats of the game in the ’70s, with the teams created through Kerry Packer’s involvement.

He faced some of the best bowlers in the history of the game. That he was able to score centuries against this calibre of attack leaves no doubt he’d be a huge success in this format.

Jimmy Sinclair
Sinclair would be the perfect partner for Richards at the top of the order. He was a highly attacking batsman and the first superstar Test cricketer in South Africa.

He scored a Test hundred against Australia in 80 minutes. When reading about him, the term ‘prodigious hitter’ is used repeatedly.

He was also an outstanding fast bowler and was apparently seriously quick. His records don’t do his talent justice. The modern equivalent would be Lance Klusener, only Sinclair was better.

Herbie Taylor
Another name probably not well known in Australia, Herbie Taylor was an outstanding batsman who could bat anywhere in the top six.

He was a very correct player who could score quickly – he made 80 in 99 minutes against a strong 1921 Australian attack, for example.

He was one of the few batsmen of his era that made runs against the best bowler in the game, SF Barnes. Taylor averaged 50 in his ten Test innings against him, which shows what a quality player he was.

Graeme Pollock
When the question’s asked, ‘who is the best left-handed batsman of all time?’, among the first names mentioned will be Graeme Pollock.

(Photo by Central Press/Getty Images)

Pollock was quite simply a wonderful batsman who could hit hard when required but it was his timing that made him such a special player.

Some might remember the 136 he made playing for the Rest of the World back in 1972. He made a very good Australian attack look quite ordinary.

Colin Bland
South Africa has produced some outstanding fieldsmen but there have been few better in world cricket than Colin Bland. He made the cover position his own because of his speed, balance and outstanding throwing arm.

He was also a better than useful batsman, averaging a shade under 50 in Tests. He was known for his keenness to hit bowlers back over their heads. The runs he’d make added to the runs he’d save make him a must for this team.

Trevor Goddard
South African readers will be wondering why I’ve got a player who normally opened the batting in Tests down at number six. I wanted to include the player I’d have captain this team, but play him more for his bowling than his batting.

Goddard was a good solid left hand opener who was not overly attacking, but equally not a barnacle. His bowling was better than useful, averaging 26 with the ball at an economy rate under two.

A comment from Cricinfo sums up why I’d want him as captain: “he was renowned for analysing opponents’ strengths and weaknesses with uncanny accuracy and speed.” In the ODI format, this ability is key to winning games.

Dennis Lindsay
He was an outstanding keeper/batsman who was arguably a reason for Rod Marsh being promoted to the Australian team.

Lindsay hammered a very good Australian attack in 1966-67 and made more runs in the 1970 series, which must have led Australian selectors to look for a similar player.

Glovemen in this form of the game need elite skills in both keeping and batting. Dennis Lindsay was as good as South Africa’s produced behind the stumps and they’ve had some great keepers.

Eddie Barlow
In a team full of stars, Barlow is right up there with the very best. An outstanding batsman who valued his wicket, an aggressive fast medium bowler and a superb fieldsman, especially in the slips, Barlow was one of those rare players – a man who could walk into any Test team for his batting or bowling.

In this line-up, I have him batting at eight to save him for bowling, but he could just as easily open. He was that good.

Mike Procter
A truly outstanding fast bowler, Mike Procter would form a lethal opening attack with the man at number 11. Genuinely quick but able to move the ball, he’d be a serious handful for even the very best batsmen.

Anyone who can average 36 in first-class cricket and score 48 first-class centuries must be able to hold a bat and Procter could do more than that.

He’d be a high-value hitter in the latter overs of the innings. He’d not be out of place moving up the order to finish out the last ten overs.

(Photo by Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Hugh Tayfield
Most good judges agree Hugh Tayfield was the best spinner South Africa has produced. A wonderfully accurate bowler, he was skilled at bowling to his fields to take wickets.

He was also capable of taking wickets on most surfaces as he proved with his efforts in Australia in 1952-53 and later in England.

Neil Adcock
It’s impossible to think of a South African attack without at least one really aggressive fast bowler. Neil Adcock would be that player in this team.

He was a tall man who used his height make the ball lift and was seriously quick. In his second Test he took seven wickets across the match, but hit seven different batsmen – including Bert Sutcliffe – in the first innings.

Aubrey Faulkner
The only reason why Faulkner is not in the XI is because there are already so many outstanding all-rounders.

At his peak, Faulkner was considered the best all-rounder in the world and a batting average of 40.79 and a bowling average of 26.58 suggests he was a top-quality player.

Faulkner would be a very handy addition in Australian conditions, mostly because he bowled leggies and had an excellent wrong’un.

The additional six players would be Charlie Llewellyn, Tip Snooke, Dave Nourse, Tiger Lance, Peter Heine and Peter Pollock.