South Africa World Cup Chokes, a phrase we have often heard before, maybe too often.
SOUTH AFRICA HAVE BEEN ELIMINATE FROM THE 2022 T20 WORLD CUP, COURTESY THE NETHERLANDS.
I personally do not like the ‘choker’ term, but there is a reason why the Proteas have earned this tag—rain interruptions, inexplicable collapses, internal politics, dropped catches & runouts, mathematical errors, and sometimes they just don’t show up on the big day. So, to refresh your memories, here is the List of Top 17 South Africa World Cup Chokes & Heartbreaks—Men & Women Combined.
Top 17 List of South Africa World Cup Chokes
1. 1999 World Cup Semi-Final (The Run-Out)
Match Scorecard:
What Happened?
The heartbreaks of all heartbreaks. 8 runs needed in 1 over, 1 wicket remaining. Lance Klusener, in the form of his life, hits two fours. 1 run needed in 4 balls. Klusener – 31*(14). Surely, Proteas has one foot in the finals. Unfortunately, not enough feet as Klusener calls for a panic run, Allan Donald ball watches, runs late, and gets run out. Match Tied. The tie breaker? The Super Six match between Australia and South Africa, which Australia won, most famously known for Steve Waugh’s comment to Herschelle Gibbs, “You just dropped the World Cup.”Waugh went on to make a century and Australia won that clash.
What’s the fuss with DL method? Or the DLS vs VJD methods? Well, long, long time ago these rules did not exist. 22 needed in 13. Anyone’s game. Rain intervened for a short 10-minute break. Next thing you know, South Africa need 22 runs in 1 ball. Explain that.
Myburgh, Max O’Dowd, Colin Ackermann, Tom Cooper, and Scott Edward’s little contributions took Netherlands to 158/4. Quick start by the Proteas but regular wickets and THAT CATCH by former South African cricketer, Roelof van der Merwe meant SA could only get to 145/8.From top of the group to crashing out. They only needed to win one game of the last two and they failed. The No-Result vs Zimbabwe will pinch them as well.“
4. 2003 World Cup Group Stage Exit (Math/DL Method)
1, 0, 0, 5 wides, 1, SIX!, 0, RAIN. Match Tied. South Africa eliminated in the group stage at a home world cup.
Murali bowling to Klusener-Boucher. Last ball-Dot. Reason? South Africa management had miscalculated the DL method and stayed at 229. Had they taken a single, SA would have qualified for the next round.
When asked captain Shaun Pollock in the post-match presentation whether there was any confusion over DL calculations, Pollock replied with “Yeah, Boucher was given a message of 229.”
“So for the second time in a row, South Africa exited with a Tied game. South Africa and the public couldn’t believe it. One run the difference between success and failure.”
Well on the field, you cannot really blame South Africa. With the bat, Faf-ABD-Miller got South Africa to a massive total in a, wait for it, rain curtailed game. NZ had less overs to chase, Baz went all out, Grant Elliot played the innings of his life, and Dale Steyn was on his feet at the end.Rain had arrived when SA were cruising at 216/3 in 38 overs. They got 281 in 43, but NZ magnificently chased 299 (DL).
Meg Lanning gets Australia to 134/5. Runs on the board, but still chaseable with South Africa’s solid batting order. But then, rain intervened. Again. And now they needed 98 in 13 overs, much more challenging with the higher required rate.Laura Wolvaardt played a gem of a knock 41* (27) and brought it down to 19 off 6, but unfortunately, no Carlos Brathwaite moment for them.
South Africa scored a competitive 218. South Africa defending their last over – Dropped dot ball, 1, Wicket, Four. Another last over heartbreak. The difference between the sides? Extras.4 given by England and 25 by South Africa.
Small total to chase, good partnership. All looking good. Then some harsh fighting on the field, a run-out, and the collapse. Perfect ingredients for the ideal South African choke.
From 108-2 in 24 overs to 172 all out in the small chase of 222.
4 wins out of 5. Net Run Rate of +0.739. Temba Bavuma unites the team after Quinton de Kock sits out. Surely, nothing can stop them now? Nope. England & Australia both won 4/5 and had an EVEN BETTER net run rate. The Stoinis-Wade partnership in the low scoring first match hurt South Africa.
In their final match against England, they had scored 189/2 and won against the great English side. Even that wasn’t enough as they had to restrict England to 131 to get their NRR high enough.
India won this one comfortably. South Africa could only get to 116 in chase of 154. Had they got 10 more runs, they would have qualified to the semi-finals of the inaugural T20 World Cup, but lost out due to NRR yet again.
South Africa could only score 101, while England’s stalwarts Sarah Taylor, Charlotte Edwards, and Heather Knight breezed through the chase in 16.5 overs.
17. 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup Group Match (Collapse)
In a chase of 130, South Africa were cruising at 44-1 at 7.2 overs with Laura Wolvaardt and Marizanne Kapp forming a steady partnership. Then, the spin crunched South Africa as the Proteas collapsed to 72-5. Sune Luus & Sinalo Jafta brought them close, but after the usual run-outs & panic, the Sri Lankan squeezed and won a historic match.
Why are South Africa called ‘Chokers’ in world cricket? South Africa have failed to qualify due to rain & nerves in 1992, 1999, 2007, 2011, and 2015 ODI World Cups along with 2007, 2009, 2014, and 2022 T20 World Cups, 2014, 2022 Women’s T20 World Cup and 2000, 2017, and 2022 Women’s ODI World Cups.
Comment below on your thoughts about South Africa World Cup Chokes and Heartbreaks! Also, feel free to checkout some of our other recent articles.
— Broken Cricket Dreams Cricket Blog (@cricket_broken) October 2, 2022
Now, calls have come for his axe on the eve of the 2022 T20 World Cup following his horrid series against India where he scored 0(4), 0(7), and 0(8) while Hendricks sat on the sidelines. Although he led South Africa courageously in the 2021 T20 World Cup and handled Quinton de Kock during tough times, an average of 23.54 with 116.49 strike rate is way below par for a modern T20 opening batter.
Although Bavuma has rightly faced criticism, there has been lots of slander and accusations that he is only in the XI to fulfill the quota. We will explore this and debunk some myths.
Quota System in South African Cricket: The Complete Guide
*Disclaimer: I am trying to learn about this from an outsider’s point of view. Hence, this research is conducted through official documents from the South African cricket board with the hope of an unbiased analysis.
“Transformation is defined as a process describing the establishment of a sport system focused on the principles of Human capital development, equitable resource distribution, elimination of all inequalities, increased access to participation opportunities, skill and capability development at all levels and in all areas of activity, empowerment of the individual, respect for each other, fair and just behavior, innovation to give South Africa a competitive edge in world sport.”
In the SA cricket board’s 2021 Integrated Report, they further elaborate that “Transformation is about improved access, fair opportunity and support for all South Africans, within and beyond the boundaries of the cricket field.”
Key Points on Quota & Selections
The document provides an insight into how transformation targets play an part in South African cricket’s selection. Here is a brief summary with quotes from the official document. Some interesting finds.
“It is expected that the selection committee will play its role in ensuring that transformation is aggressively achieved at all levels without compromising the principle of selecting the best team based on current form and the pitch or game conditions.
“When selection between two players is debatable and neither is a clear choice (e.g. both have similar track records and ability), where relevant, preferencemust be given to the player of colour.“
“In measuring our transformation progress, the panel will be measured on a season average basis rather than on a match-by-match basis.”
“Special attention must be given to the development and the creation of opportunities to play black African cricketers at all levels”
“We acknowledge that transformation ins not progressing as fast as it could.”
South African Cricket Transformation Target: The Rules
The targets must be met as per the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) scorecard projections. By the latest transformation targets, on average about 6 players of color, including 2 black African cricketers should be in the playing XI.
Not only that, but the transformation target is also implemented all throughout South Africa’s cricketing system, from age-level groups to senior internationals.
Here is a truncated version of the projections for the men’s cricket team for the next decade.
Quota Projections
Team (Men’s)
Forecast December 2022 % Black African
Forecast December 2026% Black African
Forecast December 2030 % Black African
Senior International Team
24%
28%
32%
South Africa A/Emerging/U-19
27-29%
32-33%
34-35%
SA School & Colts
31%
35%
37%
U-17 National Camp
31%
35%
37&
Team (Men’s)
Forecast December 2022 % Generic Black
Forecast December 2026% Generic Black
Forecast December 2030 % Generic Black
Senior International Team
50%
56%
60%
South Africa A/Emerging/U-19
50-55%
56-60%
60-64%
SA School & Colts
52%
57%
62%
U-17 National Camp
52%
58%
62&
So, how does this work?
For South Africa’s senior men team, in 2022, 24% of the players should be Black Africans while 50% overall should be colored.
This means about 2-3 Black African players and 5-6 colored members should be in the XI, while the corresponding figures are 3-4 Black African and 7-8 colored in the squad of 15.
By 2030, the figures will rise to 32% and 60% respectively i.e. the South African XI may need to have an average of 7 colored players (3-4 Black Africans).
Interesting Observations
One thing to note is that consistently in junior level cricket, the transformation target percentages are a lot higher than the international requirement. This definitely sheds a light on the focus of changing the system from the grassroots level and hoping to have an impact in the international level down the road.
The SA20 has no transformation targets (this could be a cause of conflict in the future. If the homegrown South African T20 league does not have transformation requirement since it is in the franchise model, why should the other parts of SA cricket have it? This may have been a factor in no interest for Bavuma in the SA20 auction).
What Happens if Transformation Targets are not Fulfilled by South African Cricket?
According to South African cricket’s Integrated Report 2020/21, here is what happens if guidelines are not followed.
Risks: “Non-adherence to CSA undertakings with the Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture on transformation in cricket can lead to a withdrawal of privileges accorded to National Federations.“
Required Actions to Improve Performance: “Tranche payments linked to performance; CSA monitoring and evaluation to improve access and redress.”
To demonstrate how detailed the transformation targets are, here are the results from the 2020/21 selection report statistics.
Women’s Team
The Senior Women had an “on-field Black demographic representation of 48% against CSA target of 50%.” In particular,
Women’s Team
Target (2018-19)
Actual (2018-19)
Target (2019-20)
Actual (2019-20)
Black African
27%
26%
24%
20%
Black
54%
47%
54%
47%
Among the 154 selections for the women’s team, the proportions were
Women’s ODIs: 45 White, 22 Black African, 8 Colored, 13 Indian
Women’s T20Is: 35 White, 21 Black African, 4 Colored, 6 Indian
Men’s Team
The Proteas Men met their Black African player target for EPG 2020 – but did not meet is Black target.
Men’s Team
Target (2018-19)
Actual (2018-19)
Target (2019-20)
Actual (2019-20)
Black African
25%
22%
22%
23%
Black
60%
49%
50%
44%
South African Contracted Players
From the 16 nationally contracted players, the proportion is: 8 White, 2 Colored, 4 – Black African, 2 – Indian. 116 selections (62%) of all the 187 selections came from these contracted players. The other 71 selections (38%) came from 16 non-contracted – 10 White, 3 Colored, 3 Black African, 0 Indian. In particular,
Men’s T20I: 59 White, 24 Black African, 17 Colored, 10 Indian
So Where Does South Africa’s 2022 T20 World Cup Squad Stand?
So let’s get back to the question at the beginning. Where does Temba Bavuma fit in this conversation?
The World Cup squad has 3 Black Africans, 8 White, and 7 Colored players.
Black African: Temba Bavuma, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada
Colored: Reeza Hendricks, Wayne Parnell
Indian: Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi
White: Quinton de Kock, Heinrich Klassen, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Rilee Rossouw, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen
Can South Africa Afford to Drop Temba Bavuma?
In short, yes…if they play both Lungi Ngidi & Kagiso Rabada.
South Africa’s quota concern for the upcoming world cup is NOT Temba Bavuma. Instead, it may be how to balance the bowlers.
With Quinton de Kock-Rilee Rossouw-Aiden Markram-David Miller-Tristan Stubbs, South Africa have a very stable and explosive core of batters. Since no adjustment can be made in the middle order, SA will have to fit all their colored players in the bowling line up. For example, in the India vs South Africa ODI, they went with a bowling line up Parnell, Maharaj, Rabada, Shamsi, and Ngidi (which is all good for now since they are in decent form).
In conclusion, regardless of SA’s choice to play Bavuma or Hendricks, the quota is not impacted. However, with Parnell, Ngidi, and Rabada almost certainties, Nortje & Jansen might be in the sidelines.
None of this actually matters since the first tenet of the transformation goals is to select the best team on the day and the targets will be calculated on average at the end of the season.
Should South Africa Drop Temba Bavuma?
It is never a good sign to drop a captain on the eve of a World Cup, so Bavuma should still be in the squad for sure. However, it may still be good to give Reeza Hendricks some game time since he was in red-hot form.
It may be worth dropping Bavuma down the order and play him as an insurance policy to stem the flow of wickets in case of a collapse rather than as an opening batter.
2015 World Cup Semi-Final, Kyle Abbott, & Vernon Philander
The quota system is South African cricket came into focus on March 24, 2015. South Africa crashed out of the World Cup due to Grant Elliot heroics.
Thriller of a game, but so near, yet so far for the Proteas yet again.
In the days to come, news came of the internal politics. Although SA had been fielding up to 5 players of color in the early matches (Amla, Duminy, Philander, Tahir, Behardien). However due to injuries, only 3 players were fielded including in the Quarter Finals, where South Africa crushed Sri Lanka by 9 wickets.
Instead of going with an unchanged XI, Vernon Philander (injured in the prior couple of games) replaced Kyle Abbott, who had a good tournament till that point. Later, it was revealed that the South African administrators called the coach/captain and interfered with the selection process.
This broke the team apart and unraveled the heights of the 2007-2015. Kyle Abbott took a Kolpak deal, while Philander retired early. Philander, himself is quoted that there are no hard feelings between him and Abbott.
“When I go to Durban, I have a beer with Kyle. There are no hard feelings between us two. But the point is: Cricket SA must sort out their stuff. What happened was a knock to both of us.”
Where Does South African Cricket Go from Here?
Kevin Pietersen’s exodus to England had already signaled for things to come due to unofficial quotas in the early days. However, South African cricket’s success had hidden the internal conflicts under the carpet.
The Khaya Zondo case revealed that several black African cricketers were picked, but only to ‘make up the numbers and carry the drinks.’ Michael Holding in his conversation with Makhaya Ntini expressed in the SJN hearings how secluded Ntini felt. Kagiso Rabada has been over bowled and not rested/rotated because he ticks the boxes and is really good.
From Faf du Plessis’ “we don’t see color,’ to AB de Villiers’ captaincy hesitations to the SJN hearings, Black Lives Matters, kneeling, etc., the matter is more complex than it seems from the outside.
Is the Transformation Quota System the way to go for South African cricket?
South Africa is not the only country to combat this issue. In the United States, Affirmative Action & India’s reservations with the Mandal Commission have similarly been implemented and received backlash at some point or time or another.
In my own analysis, I did not like treating human beings as statistics and separating them by categories. I am sure as the years go by the implementation will become less strict as equal opportunities would create more organically grown diverse players.
So, is the quota system the best way to go for South African cricket?
I’m not in the best way to answer that, but in order to reverse the prejudice of centuries of discrimination, systematic and grassroots changes are indeed needed.
What do you think about the quota system in South African cricket?
Sources and Further Reading on Quota System in South African Cricket
SA20 Auction gathered lots of attention around the world.
This was not like South Africa’s earlier failed attempts to a T20 league. Graeme Smith is at the head of the organization (league commissioner), the IPL groups own all the franchises, and there was even an auction in this one. This was actually quite an enthralling event to witness.
Big Takeaways & Highlights from SA20 Auction
Sri Lankan (most) players go unsold despite a stellar Asia Cup performance
MI Cape Town stay true to their franchise and get as many as six uncapped South African players
This was a proper T20 league auction. Not one where home grown players’ reputation was kept in thought. T20 captain Temba Bavuma, Test captain Dean Elgar, and Andile Phehlukwayo were all unsold.
Tristan Stubb’s profile skyrockets. From an injury replacement at Mumbai Indians to $519,000 price at the SA20 auction.
Just like the IPL, the auction propelled a few relatively unknown names in the bags of riches. In this case, it was Donavon Ferreira at $311,000.
Prior to the auction, each franchise could acquire the services of maximum five players – 1 South African (capped), 1 uncapped, and three overseas players.
MI Cape Town (owned by Mumbai Indians group): Kagiso Rabada, Rashid Khan, Sam Curran, Dewald Brevis (uncapped)
Durban Super Giants (owned by Lucknow Super Giants group): Quinton de Kock, Jason Holder, Kyle Mayers, Reece Topley, Prenelan Subrayen (uncapped)
Base price -175,000 Rands ($10,000): Chris Wood, Duanne Olivier, Daryn Dupavillon
SA20 Auction Round 10 – The Nexxt
This was an express round for uncapped players.
Players
International Team
Franchise
Price Sold (South African Rands)
US Dollar Conversion
Jordan Cox
*Uncapped English player
Sunrisers Eastern Cape
R. 325,000
$18,000
Dilshan Madushanka
Sri Lanka
Durban Super Giants
R. 275,000
$c
List of Unsold Players in Round 9
Base price -175,000 Rands ($10,000): Andile Simelane, Tiaan van Vuuren, Jonathan Bird, Caleb Seleka, Matthew Boast, Bryce Parsons, Dunith Wellalage
SA20 Auction Round 11 – The eXXpress Auction
Players
International Team
Franchise
Price Sold (South African Rands)
US Dollar Conversion
Johnson Charles
West Indies
Durban Super Giants
R. 425,000
$24,000
Adam Rossington
*Uncapped English
Sunrisers Eastern Cape
R. 425,000
$24,000
Nandre Burger
*Uncapped South African
Joburg Super Kings
R. 175,000
$10,000
Donavon Ferreira
*Uncapped South African
Joburg Super Kings
R. 5,500,000
$311,000
Matthew Breetzke
*Uncapped South African
Durban Super Giants
R. 175,000
$24,000
Mitchell van Buuren
*Uncapped South African
Paarl Royals
R. 175,000
$10,000
Wihan Lubbe
South Africa
Paarl Royals
R. 350,000
$20,000
Marco Marais
*Uncapped South African
Pretoria Capitals
R. 175,000
$10,000
Delano Potgieter
*Uncapped South African
MI Cape Town
R. 175,000
$10,000
Roelof van der Merwe
South Africa/Netherlands
Sunrisers Eastern Cape
R. 175,000
$10,000
Marques Ackerman
*Uncapped South African
Sunrisers Eastern Cape
R. 175,000
$10,000
Ferisco Adams
*Uncapped South African
Paarl Royals
R. 325,000
$18,000
Imraan Manack
*Uncapped South African
Paarl Royals
R. 175,000
$10,000
Christiaan Jonker
South Africa
Durban Super Giants
R. 175,000
$10,000
Evan Jones
*Uncapped South African
Paarl Royals
R. 1,700,000
$96,000
Malusi Siboto
*Uncapped South African
Joburg Super Kings
R. 175,000
$10,000
Ramon Simmonds
*Uncapped South African
Paarl Royals
R. 175,000
$10,000
James Fuller
*Uncapped South African/New Zealand
Sunrisers Eastern Cape
R. 425,000
$24,000
List of Unsold Players in Round 10
Base price – 850,000 Rands ($48,000): Adam Lyth
Base price: – 425,000 Rands ($24,000): Jeffrey Vandersay, Jake Lintott, Paul Walter, Tom Moores, Sam Cook, George Scrimshaw
Base price -175,000 Rands ($10,000): Grant Roelofsen, Glenton Stuurman, Mbulelo Budaza, Ziyaad Abrahams, Aya Gqamane, Steve Eskinaz, Diego Rosier, Khaya Zondo, Johan van Dyk, Pieter Malan, Dayyan Galiem, Henry Brookes, Farhaan Behardien, Pite van Biljon, Unmukt Chand, Bayers Swanepoel
SA20 Auction – Round 12 – The eXXpress Auction
Players
International Team
Franchise
Price Sold (South African Rands)
US Dollar Conversion
Odean Smith
West Indies
MI Cape Town
R. 1,700,000
$96,000
Jimmy Neesham
New Zealand
Pretoria Capitals
R. 3,600,000
$203,000
Eoin Morgan
England
Paarl Royals
R. 2,000,000
$113,000
Kusal Mendis
Sri Lanka
Pretoria Capitals
R. 425,000
$24,000
Brydon Carse
England
Sunrisers Eastern Cape
R. 425,000
$24,000
Sarel Erwee
South Africa
Sunrisers Eastern Cape
R. 175,000
$10,000
Simon Harmer
South Africa
Joburg Super Kings
R. 200,000
$11,000
Wiaan Mulder
South Africa
Durban Super Giants
R. 1,900,000
$107,000
Caleb Seleka
*Uncapped South African
Joburg Super Giants
R. 175,000
$10,000
Daryn Dupavillon
South Africa
Pretoria Capitals
R. 1,700,000
$96,000
Ziyaad Abrahams
*Uncapped South African
MI Cape Town
R. 175,000
$10,000
Wesley Marshall
*Uncapped South African
MI Cape Town
R. 175,000
$10,000
Aya Gqamane
*Uncapped South African
Sunrisers Eastern Cape
R. 175,000
$10,000
Codi Yusuf
*Uncapped South African
Paarl Royals
R. 175,000
$10,000
Olly Stone
England
MI Cape Town
R. 850,000
$48,000
Grant Roelofsen
*Uncapped South African
MI Cape Town
R. 175,000
$10,000
Shane Dadswell
*Uncapped South African
Pretoria Capitals
R. 175,000
$10,000
Eathan Bosch
*Uncapped South African
Pretoria Capitals
R. 175,000
$10,000
Tom Abell
*Uncapped English
Sunrisers Eastern Cape
R. 850,000
$48,000
Final List of Unsold Players in Round 12
Temba Bavuma, David Bedingham, Andile Phehlukwayo, Roston Chase, Craig Overton, Siyabonga Mahima, Thimas Kaber, Paul Walter, Sam Cook, Diego Rosier, Farhaan Behardein, Pieter Malan, Rahkeem Cornwall, Hardus Viljoen
Frequently Asked Questions – Get to Know the Players
Who is Junaid Dawood?
Junaid Dawood is a 25-year-old leg break bowler who plays domestic cricket in South Africa.
Who is Shaun von Berg?
Shaun von Berg is a South African bowling allrounder from South Africa.He is a 36-year-old cricketer who has played 124 first class matches and has taken 447 wickets. He was recently purchase by the Pretorius Capitals in the SA20 auction.
Does Ross Taylor still play cricket?
Even though Ross Taylor retired earlier in 2022, he still plays exhibition cricket. He played for the Road Safety series and was in the SA20 auction. He was unsold with base price at 850,000 Rands ($48,000).
Who is Nandre Burger?
Nandre Burger is a 27-year-old South African cricketer. He is a left-handed medium-fast bowling all-rounder.
Who is Donavon Ferreira?
Donavon Ferreira is a 24-year-old South African cricketer. He is a wicketkeeper from Pretoria. He was sold for 5,500,000 South African Rands ($311,000) in the SA20 Auction to Joburg Super Kings.
Who is Matthew Breetze?
Matthew Breetze is a 23-year-old South African cricketer who is a wicket-keeper from the Eastern Province.
Which team purchased Mitchell van Buren in the SA20 Auction?
Mitchell van Buuren, a 24-year-old legspinner from South African was purchased by the Paarl Royals.
Who is Wihan Lubbe?
Wihan Lubbe is a South African cricketer who has played 2 T20Is.
Was Unmukt Chand picked up the 2022 SA20 Auction?
No, Unmukt Chand, an U-19 World Cup winning captain from India who now plays for Team USA, was not picked up for SA20 Auction. His base price was 175,000 South Africa Rands.
Who are the captains in SA20 cricket league in South Africa?
Rashid Khan (MI Cape Town), Quinton de Kock (Durban Super Giants), Aiden Markram (Sunrisers Eastern Cape), Faf du Plessis (Joburg Super Kings), David Miller (Paarl Royals), and Wayne Parnell (Pretoria Capitals) are the six captains of the SA 20 franchise league.
How many foreign players can play in the XI in SA20?
Four foreign players can play in the XI at the same time in SA 20.
Time for another World XI with Twists – Kolpak South African Cricketers Edition.
Huge revelation today – Quinton de Kock bid adieu to Test Cricket at the age of 29 after India brushed them aside in the first Test at Centurion. For more than a decade, South Africa have suffered a loss of talent to England through the Kolpak deal and now they have lost yet another great player, this time to overkill of cricket.
What Has South African Cricket Been Through Recently?
From being the #1 Test side for over a decade to becoming the “team in transition,” things have been far from ideal for South African cricket fans.
AB De Villiers retired from all of cricket, finally quashing the “Will he-Won’t he-Should he Return” debate. Faf du Plessis (retired from Tests to focus on T20I comeback), Imran Tahir, and Chris Morris have been shunted out from national selection due to their T20 leagues commitments. Dale Steyn hung up his boots, while Vernon Philander, Hashim Amla (lack of form) and Morne Morkel (now an Australian citizen) retired prematurely and took Kolpak deals post-retirement. In 2021, the domestic system has been restructured, SJN (Social Justice and briefly Nation Building) report has sparred nobody including Boucher-Smith, and the QDK kneeling controversy has further added to the fuel.
Only the 4/5 wins and positive brand of cricket in the 2021 T20 World Cup was a shining light. That too ended in a traditional disqualification due to net run rate.
However, since Brexit the Kolpak deal no longer holds, and the players are eligible for comeback. Blessing Muzarabani has been a ray of hope for Zimbabwe while David Wiese (ex-South African international) had a stellar T20 World Cup with Namibia. Wayne Parnell became the 1st official Kolpak player to make a comeback while Duanne Olivier is inching closer and closer.
Can Kolpak South African cricketers revive the Proteas ill-fated destiny?
Today’s Twist
Build 2 World XIs:
(1) A current XI of Kolpak South African Exodus players who are eligible for a South African comeback (Note they do not have to be contracted by a domestic team yet. Only that they are not retired and could comeback sometime in the future)
(2) An All-Time Best XI of Kolpak Players (retired)
The Catch
The XI needs to have five bowlers & a wicketkeeper.
*Note this does NOT include the list of players who were born in South Africa and are now settled in different countries representing England, Australia, New Zealand, Namibia, Netherlands, USA, etc. Those players are in the list linked below.
Overall around 69 cricketers have taken up Kolpak deals at some points in their career (49 from South Africa, 6 Zimbabwe, 2 New Zealand, and 12 West Indies – 7 Barbados, 3 Jamaica, 1 Trinidad and Tobago, 1 Guyana).
Additionally, around 39 cricketers were born in South Africa but have represented other countries & left South Africa earlier like Devon Conway and Kevin Pietersen. Then there are some like Dawid Malan (born in England, raised in South Africa, went back to England for international cricket) and Dane Piedt (left for USA but has not played an international for them yet), who are in neither of those lists.
Hence, there are at least 80 high profile cricketers that were from South African origin but did not represent the Proteas for at least some portion of their careers (Remember SA was banned from international cricket due to Apartheid in the 1980s, which was the beginning of the exodus).
Let us add another layer. Due to overkill of cricket, politics, and financial opportunities, AB De Villiers, Quinton de Kock, Hashim Amla, Morne Morkel, and Graeme Smith retired relatively early. Others took up coaching opportunities outside, further weakening the domestic circuit.
*Grant Elliot is a South African born cricketer, who played for New Zealand and later took a Kolpak deal after retiring from New Zealand duty.
What do you think about Kolpak South African cricketers’ comeback? COMMENT BELOW AND LET US KNOW!
Current Kolpak XI Eligible for South African Comeback
From the 49, here are 14 Kolpak South African cricketers who are eligible for an international comeback. Practically, the reserve South African XI disappeared in a decade.
Previous Teams: Cape Cobras, Western Province, South Africa A
SA Domestic Team (Current): Boland
Claim To Fame
Stiaan van Zyl became the 100th player to score a Test century on debut and yet, he left for England after just 12 Tests.
What did South Africa Miss?
A top order batter who could bowl fast medium, South Africa missed the balance (especially after Kallis’ retirement), reserve depth in batting, and a weaker domestic system without a batter of his caliber.
2. Richard Levi (2014)
International Debut:February 6, 2012International Matches: 13 T20Is
Age Left: 26 Age Now: 33
County Team: Northamptonshire (earlier Somerset)
T20 Teams: Mumbai Indians
Previous Teams: Cape Cobras, Western Province, South Africa A, South Africa U-19, South Africa XI
SA Domestic Team (Current):Has not played again in SA domestic circuit yet
Claim To Fame
Fastest T20I hundred (off 45 balls against New Zealand in 2012) at that time. Also had most sixes in a T20I (13) in that innings. Played only 13 T20Is before heading out.
What did South Africa Miss?
A swashbuckling opening batter in limited overs (Think Brendon McCullum-Martin Guptill-Colin Munro esque) who was ahead of his times when the T20 format was in its infancy. Could have been an ideal foil for QDK-Amla at the top in T20Is.
3. Rilee Rossouw (2016)
International Debut:August 20, 2014International Matches: 36 ODIs, 15 T20Is
Previous Teams: Free State, Eagles, South Africa A, South Africa U-19
SA Domestic Team (Current):Knights (T20)
Claim to Fame
After beginning his international career with a series of ducks, he stabilized his spot in the international team with3 ODI hundreds, 7 fifties and two T20I fifties (here is his 78 vs Australia, where he overshadowed the likes of QDK, Miller, and Duminy).
Played the 2015 ODI World Cup and the 2016 T20 World Cup. Now sought after in T20 leagues around the world.
What did South Africa Miss?
The messiest exit of all and the one that hurt the most. South Africa had heavily invested in Rossouw, and he had become the next big middle order player in the South African line-up, one that would almost certainly replace the great AB De Villiers. Rossouw exited over an iPhone email to coach Russell Domingo and even spelled Domingo’s first name incorrectly. Scored a century in his last ODI (122 vs Australia) and was the player of the series in that series (311 runs). Little did Protea fans know that it was to be his final time in South African colors.
4. Heino Kuhn – WK (2018)
International Debut:July 6-9, 2017International Matches: 4 Tests, 7 T20Is
Age Left: 33 Age Now: 37
County Team: Kent (Northerns earlier)
Previous Teams: Titans, South Africa A
SA Domestic Team (Current):North West
Claim To Fame
Overall 11,000 first class runs with 24 hundreds and 58 fifties. Did not light up the international circuit in his short stay, but is a stalwart of South African domestic circuit.
What did South Africa Miss?
Left after CSA conveyed the message to him that his chances at international cricket would be limited. The domestic circuit was further weakened by his exit in his first class prime.
5. Colin Ingram (2014)
International Debut:October 8, 2010Interational Matches: 31 ODIs, 9 T20Is
Age Left:Age Now: 36
County Team: Glamorgan
Previous Teams: Free State, Eastern Province, Warriors, South Africa A
T20 Teams: Islamabad United, Trinbago Knight Riders, St. Lucia Zouks, Oval Invincibles, Hobart Hurricanes, Adelaide Strikers, Delhi Capitals
SA Domestic Team (Current):Has not played again in SA domestic circuit yet
Claim To Fame
With 3 ODI hundreds and 3 fifties in ODIs and a 78 in T20Is, he had a decent limited overs career. However, these days he is known for being the most famous South African T20 export, playing in almost all leagues around the world.
Stability in the middle order in limited overs cricket. It is clear after 15 years of T20I cricket that boundary percentage, pressure situation experience, and T20 leagues are the backbone of world winning T20I sides. Apart from Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, and AB De Villiers, Colin Ingram would have bolstered SA in this regard.
6. Dane Vilas – WK
International Debut:March 30, 2012International Matches: 6 Tests, 1 T20I
Age Left: 30 Age Now: 36
County Team: Lancashire
Previous Teams: South Western Districts, Lions, Cape Cobras, South Africa A, South Africa XI
SA Domestic Team (Current):Has not played again in SA domestic circuit yet
Claim to Fame
Has scored over 9700 first class runs with 22 centuries. Appeared in the movie Hansie as Allan Donald.
What did South Africa Miss?
SA missed out on a great wicket-keeping substitute. AB De Villiers took the burden as keeper for most of his career. and Quinton de Kock’s entry signaled the end of Vilas’ international career. However South Africa would have liked long-term wicket-keeping reserves just like India had Parthiv Patel, Wriddhiman Saha, Dinesh Karthik, and Rishabh Pant in case of injury to MS Dhoni (or playing alongside for an extended batting order).
Reserve depth in the medium pace allrounder-finisher slot. After Viljoen, Wiese, & Parnell left, Chris Morris, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, and Wiaan Mulder were the only names left. With Morris’ strained relationship with CSA and Phehlukwayo’s loss of form, SA does not have many options anymore. At only 32 and back in SA domestic circuit, there may be an opening for a comeback.
County Team: Worcestershire (Sussex, Kent earlier)
Previous Teams: Cape Cobras, Eastern Province, Warriors, South Africa U-19, South Africa A
T20 Teams: Islamabad United, Karachi Kings, Barbados Tridents, Pune Warriors, Delhi Daredevils
SA Domestic Team (Current):Western Province
Claim To Fame
Youngest player to get a CSA contract after his early age/U-19 World Cup heroics, Parnell burst onto the scene around the 2009 T20 World Cup. Good performances lead to a great IPL deal, and Parnell became a rising star.
He played in a couple more World Cups but injuries meant other bowlers jumped ahead in the pecking order. He left for a Kolpak deal but has come back, still only 32.
What did South Africa Miss?
A left-arm seamer for variation. Marco Jansen grabbed eyeballs with his great debut against India, but that is exactly what South Africa have been missing. Among the Steyn-Morkel-Philander-Rabada-Nortje generation, there haven’t been as many left-arm swing bowlers in the last decade for South Africa apart from Parnell (like Boult, Starc, and Shaheen). Good allrounder as well.
9. Simon Harmer (2016)
International Debut:Jan 1-5, 2015, International Matches: 5 Tests
Age Left: 27 Age Now: 32
County Team: Essex
Previous Teams: Border, Warriors, Eastern Province, South African Universities, South Africa A
SA Domestic Team (Current):Titans
Claim To Fame
He is well known for self-acclaimed statement that he is the best-off spinner in the world. With 719 first class wickets and the highest wicket-taker in England first class for the last five years, that may actually be true (along with Nathan Lyon and Ravichandran Ashwin).
Although leg spinners were in demand in 2010s (Tahir) and left arm spinners are now at the top of the demand list (Maharaj, Shamsi, Fortuin, Linde), they have been missing a world class off spinner. Aiden Markram’s off-spin can only take you so far…
County Team: Hampshire (Middlesex, Worcestershire other teams)
T20 Leagues: Pune Warriors, Chennai Super Kings, Kings XI Punjab, Lahore Qalandars
Previous Teams: Dolphins, Warriors, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa A
SA Domestic Team (Current):Boland
Claim To Fame
With Steyn-Morkel-Philander at their peak, Abbott did not get consistent opportunities but made the most of it when he was given a chance, especially in limited overs. The 2015 World cup semi-final broke the backbone of the South African team as an injured Vernon Philander was picked (due to political interference/quota system) over Kyle Abbott, the man in-form. South Africa lost, and slowly began to crumble.
Abbott announced his Kolpak decision after everything had been confirmed (without informing CSA) on the same day as Rilee Rossouw—the ultimate double jolt.
What did South Africa Miss?
South Africa missed a smooth transition between the Steyn-Morkel generation and the Rabada-Ngidi generation. Abbott had been earmarked as the next leader in line but that did not happen. Thankfully, Rabada had a great couple of years and Nortje followed it up with a good partnership.
Abbott is back in SA although he has not yet committed to an international return. His first goal is to get back in form due to the Covid-induced break.
11. Duanne Olivier (2019)
International Debut:Jan 12-14, 2017, International Matches: 10 Tests, 2 ODIs
Age Left: 26 Age Now: 29
County Team: Yorkshire
Previous Teams: Free State, Knights, South Africa U-19
T20 Teams: Jaffna Stallions, Jozi Stars
SA Domestic Team (Current):Lions
Claim To Fame
48 Test wickets in 10 matches at an average of 19.25, what a brilliant start to his career. In the second series against Pakistan, he took two 5-fers in a match and went onto take 24 wickets in the series (best haul in a 3-match series since 1902-03), thereby becoming the player of the series.
What did South Africa Miss?
When one door opens, another closes.
Abbott left on January 1st, 2017. Olivier began his journey on January 12th, 2017. It looked like South Africa had found a replacement right away. It worked in their favor for about two short years, before he was picked by Yorkshire. Broken dreams for South African fans again.
12. Marchant de Lange (2017)
International Debut:Dec 26-29, 2011, International Matches: 2 Tests, 4 ODIs, 6 T20Is
Age Left: 25 Age Now: 31
County Team: Glamorgan
Previous Teams: Eastern, Free State, Titans, Knights, Pretoria University, South Africa Academy
SA Domestic Team (Current):Has not played again in SA domestic circuit yet
Claim To Fame
In a bowling attack comprising of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir, and Jacques Kallis, de Lange came up with figures of 23.2-3-81-7 in his debut bowling performance.
What did South Africa Miss?
Unfortunately, injuries meant he could never cement a place in the South African squad and hence, took the Kolpak deal in 2017. Still only 31 and the joint highest wicket taker in the Hundred, he could be a dark horse for a comeback.
Squad:
13. Cameron Delport (holds a British passport and signed with Essex – plays T20 leagues around the world)
14. Farhaan Behardien, former South African T20 captain, has signed with Durham (before Brexit so his future is safe with them) but has not played yet due to COVID.
*This does not include Dane Piedt & Juan (Rusty) Theron, who have gone to the United States as an alternate option.
List of All-Time Kolpak South African Players
South Africa Exodus XI
Faf du Plessis (2007, came back again)
Neil McKenzie (2010)
Jacques Rudolph (2007, came back to SA again; later went back to England as an overseas player)
Hashim Amla (2019)
Ashwell Prince (2013)
Justin Kemp (2008)
Andrew Hall (2008)
David Wiese (2017)
Paul Harris (2006, came back again)
Ryan Maclaren (2007, came back to SA again; later came back to England as an overseas player)
Morne Morkel (2018)
First Choice Squad:
12. Alfonso Thomas (2008), 13. Lance Klusener, 14. Shaun Pollock (2008), 15. Nicky Boje (2008), 16. Vernon Philander (signed but cancelled), 17. Charl Langeveldt (2008), 18. Andre Nel (2009)
Squad: 19. Claude Henderson, 20. Greg Smith (2004), 21. Riki Wessels, 22. Charl Willoughby, 23. Martin van Jaarsveld, 24. Zander de Bruyn (2005), 25. Garnett Kruger, 26. Tyron Henderson (2007), 27. Dillon du Preez, 28. Dominic Telo, 29. Friedel de Wet, 30. Johan van der Wath, 31. Nantie Hayward (2008), 32. Johann Myburgh (2011), 33. Gareth Roderick (2012), 34. Alviro Peterson (2015), 35. Daryn Smit – WK (2017)
List of Non-South African Kolpak Players
Dwayne Smith (2008, West Indies – Barbados)
Brendon Taylor – WK/Captain (2015, Zimbabwe, later came back)
Murray Goodwin (2005, Zimbabwe)
Grant Flower (2004, Zimbabwe)
Shivnarine Chanderpaul (2017, West Indies – Guyana)
Grant Elliot (2017, New Zealand)
Brendan Nash (2013, West Indies – Jamaica, born in Australia)
Wavell Hinds (2008, West Indies – Jamaica)
Kyle Jarvis (2013, Zimbabwe)
Blessing Muzarabani (2018, Zimbabwe, later came back)
Fidel Edwards (2015, West Indies – Barbados, later came back)
Squad:
12. Ravi Rampaul (2016, West Indies – Trinidad & Tobago), 13. Ottis Gibson (2004, West Indies – Barbados), 14. Miguel Cummins (2019, West Indies – Barbados), 15. Tino Best (2017, West Indies – Barbados), 16. Pedro Collins (2007, West Indies – Barbados), 17. Corey Collymore (2008, West Indies – Barbados), 18. Jermaine Lawson (2008, West Indies – Jamaica, later moved to the USA), 19. Andre Adams (2008, New Zealand), 20. Anthony Ireland (2007, Zimbabwe)
What Was the Kolpak Deal?
The Kolpak ruling was named after Maros Kolpak (handball player from Slovakia) by the European Court of Justice. It was submitted on 28 November, 2000 and decided on 8 May, 2003.
County cricket had limited each team to have at most one overseas player. Earlier in 1995, the Bosman ruling had already admitted players from EU (like the Netherlands) to be considered as domestic players. The Kolpak ruling now allowed citizens of other countries with EU Association Agreements to have the same rights to work. Hence, a cricketer from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Jamaica, or Barbados did not eat up the overseas spots of counties.
However, they had to give up their international career until the Kolpak contract expired.
Why Did Kolpak Deal End?
With Brexit, the UK withdrew from the European Union (effective 31 January, 2020), thereby ceasing the Kolpak deal.
FAQ
Can Kolpak players play for South Africa?
Yes, Kolpak players can now play for South Africa (beginning in 2022). They are already able to be picked domestic South African sides. Wayne Parnell has played a few ODIs upon his return and Duanne Olivier has starred in some Test matches.
Has Kolpak ended?
Yes, the Kolpak deals ended as of January 31st, 2020, when the United Kingdom officially left the European Union.
Why do South African cricketers leave South Africa?
South African cricketers leave South Africa for multiple reasons—financial opportunities, administrative drama, quota system, Apartheid, passport of another country through family citizenship, and decreasing value of the South African Rand (7.81 rands = $1 in Jan 30, 2012 to 18.52 on April 29, 2020).
How many cricketers took the Kolpak deal?
Overall around 69 cricketers took Kolpak deals at some points in their career (49 from South Africa, 6 Zimbabwe, 2 New Zealand, and 12 West Indies – 7 Barbados, 3 Jamaica, 1 Trinidad and Tobago, 1 Guyana).
Which Kolpak South African players are available for a national comeback?
Stiaan van Zyl, Richard Levi, Rilee Roussow, Heino Kuhn, Colin Ingram, Dane Vilas, Hardus Viljoen, Wayne Parnell, Simon Harmer, Kyle Abbott, and Duanne Olivier are eligible for a South African cricket team national comeback (or have already been picked).
South African born cricketers have had a good time recently. Marnus Labuschagne just scored a Test century at the Gabba, Neil Wagner picked up key wickets with a broken toe, and the Glenn Phillips-Devon Conway have been on fire for New Zealand.
Brydon Carse just debuted against Pakistan in England’s new-look second string team (originally born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa but has English ancestry).
That got me thinking – can we make a current World XI out of South African players that play internationally for other countries? And how many such players are there?
In total there have been 44 South African born cricketers who played for other countries, 21 of whom have already retired and 21 are still playing. 19 South African born players played for England (4 current, 15 former), 9 for New Zealand (6 current, 2 former, 1 U-19), 6 for Netherlands (5 current, 1 former), 3 Australia (2 current, 1 former), and 7 from other nations (Zimbabwe, Scotland, Namibia, Ireland, and USA)
Build Two World XIs: (1) A current World XI and (2) World XI composed of former players who were born in South Africa but played internationally for another country.
*Note: This does not include Kolpak players or Johan Botha (who moved to Australia permanently and became an Australia citizen, but never represented them internationally. Now plays domestic cricket and BBL)
*Note, Dawid Malan was born in England and grew up in South Africa, so he is not included in the lists below.
The Catch
The XI needs to have five bowlers & a wicketkeeper. While there are several players in the current circuit who can bat, can you find at least four others who can accompany Neil Wagner?
Current South African Emigrant World XI – South African Born Cricketers Who Play for Other Countries
1. Keaton Jennings (England)
Born: Johannesburg, Teams: Gauteng (SA), Durham (Eng), South Africa U-19, England Lions, England
Why Did They Move: English citizenship through mother, Age When Left SA: 20
Where Are They Now: 17 Tests as English opener so far (last in Feb 2019)
Born: Klerksdorp, North West Province, Teams: Queensland (Aus), Australia
Why Did They Move: Father got job in mining industry, Age When Left SA: 10
Where Are They Now: Scoring centuries, chirping at forward short leg, screaming ‘No Run’, and taking the world by storm. #4 in ICC Test Rankings currently. Oh and by the way, this is how you currently pronounce his name (funny video).
Where Are They Now: Wonderful story this. Three years after leaving South Africa, Conway debuts for New Zealand after dominating first class cricket. 14 T20Is later, 4-50s, best of 99*, 75.00 average in ODIs (1-100), and a magnificent Test double century on debut at Lord’s.
Born: East London, Eastern Cape, Teams: Auckland (NZ), New Zealand
Age When Left SA: 5
Where Are They Now: Partner in crime with Conway. Just scored a 108 against the West Indies in a T20I. Here to stay in their T20I squad. Coincidently, replacement for Colin Munro.
Born: Johannesburg, Teams: Gauteng (SA) U-13s,U-15s, U-17s, South Africa U-19s, Ireland A, Ireland
Why Did They Move: Qualified to play for Ireland through grandmother – Mentioned to Niall O’ Brien that he held an Irish passport and was fast-tracked.
Where Are They Now: Meteoric rise for Curtis. Eye catching 59* on debut, starred in the famous chase against England (2019) and now has a full-time contract.
Born: Durban, Teams: Northern District (NZ), New Zealand U-19s, New Zealand
Why Did They Move: Family moved to New Zealand, Age When Left SA: 10
Where Are They Now: One of the cogs of New Zealand’s test line up in their rise to No.1. Ever dependable, under-rated, and starred in several back-to-the-wall gritty knocks.
Born: Pretoria, Teams: Northerns (SA), Otago (NZ), New Zealand A, New Zealand
Why Did They Move: Was not getting enough opportunities due to the ‘quota system.‘ Age When Left SA: 22
Where Are They Now: Part of the greatest NZ pace generation with Boult-Southee-Jamieson. Now a cult-hero of sorts. Bowls his heart on placid pitches, short ball stock (but can also swing it), Steve Smith-outer specialist, and even bowled recently with a broken toe. What a guy.
Born: Port Elizabeth, Teams: Western Province (South Africa), Essex (England), Netherlands
Why Did They Move: Graham Gooch spotted him with a touring Essex team to South Africa; EU citizenship due to Netherlands descent
Where Are They Now: At an ODI average of 67.00 after 33 ODIs, his talent is unquestionable. He has travelled in T20 leagues around the world and is sought after as an allrounder. At 41 and having last played in 2019, his international career is coming towards an end. He has made the 2021 T20 World Cup squad nevertheless.
13. Roelof Van der Merwe (born – Johannesburg) – played for both South Africa and Netherlands
14. Stephan Myburgh (born – Pretoria) – plays for Netherlands
15. Colin Ackermann (born – George) – plays for Netherlands
16. Michael Rippon (born – Cape Town) – plays for Netherlands
17. Brandon Glover (born – Johannesburg) – plays for Netherlands
18. David Wiese (born – Roodepoort) – played for both South Africa and now Namibia
19. Ruben Trumpelmann (born – Durban) – plays for Namibia
20. Brad Wheal (born – Durban), 21. Chris Greaves (born – Sandton, Johannesburg) – play for Scotland
22. Brydon Carse (born – Port Elizabeth) – plays for England
23. Rusty Theron (born – Potchefstroom) – plays for the United States of America (USA)
24. James Fuller (born – Cape Town) – Played for New Zealand U-19s and Otago and now is settled in England and plays County Cricket due to his British passport.
Come to think of it, this is actually a decent T20 XI that could potentially play in a league somewhere around the world. Roy-Munro-Phillips are dangerous T20 players, while Labuschagne-Conway can steady the ship. Tom Curran and Neser lead the bowling line up along with Neil Wagner and all-rounder Campher. If dibbly dobbly Munro and leggie Marnus can chip in with a few overs as the 5th/6th bowler, this is a well-balanced team.
Before we move on to the All-Time South African XI, feel free to check out other World XIs with Twists – Unlucky Cricketers XI, Underrated cricketers XI, Best Fielders XI, etc.
Here is a similar line up made up of retired international players. Several English players of the great 2011-2013 Test team as well as several who left South Africa during the apartheid suspension. The details are left as an exercise for the reader.
Andrew Strauss* (England)
Kepler Wessels (Australia 1982-92/South Africa 1992-94):First South African Test captain upon return from apartheid
Craig Kieswetter (England)
Jonathan Trott (England)
Kevin Pietersen (England):Dream first series against South Africa (2004) – 5 innings, 454 runs, 3 centuries, Player of the Series. Started the series with boos and ended with standing ovations.
Andy Flower (Zimbabwe)
Grant Elliot (New Zealand):Famously Knocked South Africa out of the 2015 Cricket World Cup. Superman.
Matt Prior (England) – WK
Basil D’Oliveira (England):England-South Africa Test series Trophy is named after him.
Squad: 12. Allan Lamb (England), 13. Stuart Meaker (England), 14. Ian Greig (England), 15. Michael Lumb (England), 16. Nick Compton (England), 17. Chris Smith (England), 18. Robin Smith (England), 19. Kruger van Wyk (New Zealand)
Jade Dernbach is the only out-and-out fast bowler, with Tony Greig, Basil D’Oliveira, & Grant Elliot as key all rounders. Part-timers Kevin Pietersen and Jonathan Trott will be needed to complete the overs. Maybe fast bowler Stuart Meaker can replace a batsman for a more balanced line-up.
England famously won the 2019 World Cup with key contributions from opener Jason Roy, captain Eoin Morgan (Ireland), lead fast bowler Jofra Archer (Barbados), and player of the final Ben Stokes (New Zealand). Similarly, the 2018 FIFA World Cup was won by France, a team whose 23 member squad consisted of 15 members of African descent with the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Paul Pogba.
In either case, diversity won. Globalism and international travel have come to a halt in times of COVID & lockdowns. In these times, the stories of someone like a Devon Conway lightens the mood. Left everything, took a risk, worked hard, and fulfilled his dream.
Embrace change. Sometimes you have to leave from your birthplace in order to prosper, whether that is for education, work, or family. Go try something new.
Embrace others. Learning from others & learning about new cultures can only be a good thing.
Embrace Diversity.
If you like these philosophy bits, go check these two featured articles below.
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If you like this material, check our other featured articles here!
Fun exercise, wasn’t it? If you want to have more fun, you can create more variants.
Australia in 2017 fielded Usman Khawaja (Pakistan), Matt Renshaw (England), Steve O’Keefe (Malaysia), and Hilton Cartwright (Zimbabwe). Speaking of Zimbabwe, did you know New Zealand’s Colin de Grandhomme is born in Zimbabwe?
Here are some fun ideas to create World XIs with Twists:
You can also make an unusual XI of cricketers born in non-Test playing countries.
For example, Moises Henriques (Aus) for born in Portugal, George Headley (WI) in Panama, Geraint Jones (Eng) from Papua New Guinea, (Pak) Shan Masood from Kuwait, (Pak) Imad Wasim from Wales, and many more!
With the completion of Brexit, the Kolpak deal is all but over. Kyle Abbott is back with the Titans. Can you make a South Africa Exodus XI? Here are some ideas
Kyle Abbott, Duanne Olivier, Wayne Parnell, Marchant de Lange, Rilee Rossouw, Simon Harmer, Colin Ingram, Dane Piedt (USA)
Imran Tahir is a Pakistan-born immigrant to play for South Africa. Can you make an All-Time South African immigrant XI? Or a Pakistan Emigrant XI?
Usman Khawaja, Imran Tahir, Owais Shah
Once you have an XI, comment below, and we will post it here! Any opinions about South African cricket?
How many South African born cricketers played for other countries?
In total there have been 43 South African born cricketers who played for other countries, 21 of whom have already retired and 21 are still playing. 19 South African born players played for England (4 current, 15 former), 8 for New Zealand (5 current, 2 former, 1 U-19), 6 for Netherlands (5 current, 1 former), 3 Australia (2 current, 1 former), and 7 from other nations (Zimbabwe, Scotland, Namibia, Ireland, and USA)
Which South African born cricketers have represented New Zealand?
South African born cricketers who have represented New Zealand include Chad Bowes, Grant Elliot, Neil Wagner, Devon Conway, & Glenn Phillips.
Which South African born cricketers have represented England?
South African born cricketers who have represented England include Jason Roy, Tom Curran, Andrew Strauss, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Matt Prior, Basil D’Oliveira, Tony Greig, Michael Lumb, Craig Kieswitter, and several more!
Which South African born cricketers have represented Australia?
South African born cricketers who have represented Australia include Marnus Labuschagne, Kepler Wessels, & Michael Neser.
Who is Chad Bowes?
Chad Bowes is a South-born cricketer who plays for New Zealand on the international level. He played for South Africa U-19 and KwaZulu-Natal before moving to New Zealand to fulfill his dream of playing international cricket.
In this world, nothing is certain except death, taxes, and South Africa failing to win a World Cup. Faf and ABD know this too well. South African fans know this too well. The 2015 semi-final still hurts (as if the 1999, 1992, 2007, and 2011 World Cups were not bad enough).
Just to rub salt in the wound, even England (and kind of New Zealand) won in 2019 while South Africa endured a dismal campaign.
This image still resonates. Dale Steyn on his knee, Grant Elliot in a moment of great sportsmanship. On the other side, captain AB de Villiers in tears and Morne Morkel—completely shattered.
Faf and ABD: Tale of Two Heroes
Fast forward to September 2020. The IPL is back. So are Faf and ABD.
Usually it is the West Indians who dominate T20 leagues, but this IPL has been South Africa’s so far. In IPL 2020, Anrich Nortje has been a revelation, while Kagiso Rabada and Quinton de Kock continue to show the world why they are South Africa’s torchbearers to the next generation.
Initially, I was going to write two separate articles about Abraham de Villiers and Francois du Plessis, but that is not possible. You just cannot separate them. They are like brothers from another mothers. If AB is the graceful artist, Faf is the resilient leader. Both are legends of South African cricket.
Today we will talk their careers, their friendship, the heartbreak, what could have been, and what could still be.
While AB De Villiers has retired from international cricket (for the time being), Faf continues on. Can Faf fulfill the broken dream of ABD and win South Africa a trophy?
*as of 19 November 2021, AB De Villiers has retired from all cricket because “the flame no longer burns.” Faf Du Plessis himself was ignored from South Africa’s team for the 2021 T20 World Cup and has retired from Tests.
*Please subscribe to never miss an article! Comment below on your favorite memories of ABD and Faf, and share ahead!
The Beginning
AB de Villers and Faf Du Plessis have been competing on and off the cricket field since middle school. They both went to the same school and university – Afrikaans High School (Affies) and University of Pretoria respectively. Over the years, their friendship has evolved with AB becoming Faf’s best man in his wedding.
Although their personal lives carried smoothly, their careers took vastly different routes.
The South African team under Graeme Smith was the only team that could challenge Australia at their home and would rise to the No.1 Test rankings. With the great Jacques Kallis, Boucher, Ntini, and Pollock, breaking into this team was not an easy task. AB was recognized early as a prospect and was tracked into the national team in 2004. In a couple of years’ time, he had established himself and by 2008, the Perth special guaranteed his journey into greatness.
On the other hand, Faf had to toil his way through domestic cricket, season after season. He even temporarily played in England with a Kolpak deal. Although Faf was becoming disillusioned, AB encouraged him to keep the hope alive with the imminent retirements of Smith and Kallis.
7 years after AB, finally Faf’s day came. It started with an epic.
Faf du Plessis had to wait for his turn in international cricket. When he did get his turn, he took his chance and followed a first innings 78 with a valiant fourth innings match-saving century against Australiain Adelaide.
Ab De Villiers will go down as one of the All-Time greatest ODI players. Not only is his statistics out of the world – an average above 50 and strike rate above 100, it is the manner in which he changed the game. Hewas an innovator with his unconventional shots and created the idea of a “360 degree player.” A versatile cricketer, he could adapt to any format, situation, or challenge at hand. He could score 149*(44) or defend 43(354) in a blockathon. Apart from his batting, he can keep wickets, field in any position, and captain.
Can also play hockey, football, rugby, badminton, swim, win science competitions, sing, and has written an autobiography.
Faf is one of the most underrated batsman in the current era. He is known for his strong character through his ability to counter tough situations. Like AB, he easily adapts between formats, from blockathons and saving Test matches to becoming a successful T20 batsman with shots like the scoop. Although he is a dependable batsman, he is known for his captaincy – the ability to guide South Africa through tough rebuilding phases as well as the reformation time. And of course, his fielding.
Records: Centuries in all formats as a captain, first player to score century in a day-night Test
Test: 65 matches, 3901 runs, average 39.80, best of 137, 9-100s/21-50s
ODI: 143 matches, 5507 runs, average 47.47, 88.60 strike rate, best of 185, 12-100s/35-50s
T20I: 47 matches, 1407 runs, average 34.31, 134.12 strike rate, best of 119, 1-100/8-50s
The Match That Broke South Africa
The Match
24 March, 2015. New Zealand vs. South Africa at Auckland. The Proteas were arguably the favorites. Since South Africa were in the semi-finals, there had to be the obligatory rain and net run-rate calculations.
South Africa posted an excellent total with Faf, ABD, and Miller finishing the innings well. In response, McCullum blazed away against Dale Steyn, briefly collapsed, and recovered with the Grant Elliot-Corey Anderson steady partnership. Five needed in two, and Elliot hit Dale Steyn over long on for the victory.
The great South African generation broke down, both mentally and physically. It was a slow degeneration over the next four years.
Kyle Abbott picked the Kolpak route as a direct result of being dropped for Vernon Philander on the eve of the match due to political pressure and the quota system. Other talents like Rilee Rossouw, Simon Harmer, and Duanne Olivier would follow.
Vernon Philander himself would wane off in a couple of years. Dale Steyn, a fast bowler who was rarely injured for over a decade began picking up freak injuries. Morne retired from international cricket early for Kolpak while ABD retired early to manage T20 leagues loads, a year before the 2019 World Cup.
2019 was a disaster. Numerous injuries, media reports, and the end of illustrious careers of Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, and Imran Tahir.
Faf symbolizes resilience and commitment. After the crushing 2019 campaign, Faf had the choice to hang up his boots but he decided to give back to South African cricket.
The rest of the golden era had retired. What did Faf do? He remained in the game and stayed as captain to absorb all the pressure and criticism. He worked extremely hard, transitioned towards a new team, and inspired the youngsters around him. All with a smile.
Since Faf had to wait seven more years for a South African cap, he cherished every moment as a South African cricketer and realized the struggle of others that have to wait in the wings or are thinking about going to England.
AB De Villiers was the catalyst to South Africa’s fortunes and changed cricket forever with his inventive batting. His premature retirement and the controversies around picking and choosing gained a lot of traction among critics and fans alike, but he had a point. More than anything, he was a victim of an overkill of cricket—it does take a physical and mental toll on you. He gave 14 years to South Africa, playing all formats continuously, and we should appreciate that.
What Can We Learn?
Cricket is unpredictable, a dropped catch or run-out can change the game. Similarly, life is unpredictable. Sometimes the best do not end up victorious, but how an individual responds to tough situations is important.
Faf just never gave up. Whether saving a test match, dealing with ball-tampering allegations, or managing captaincy issues, he just never gave up. Even if the ball is traveling with speed and is seemingly going for a six, just keep your nerve and hang on. You never know, you may pull off a catch.
What does ABD teaches us? Never stop learning and improving. He was regarded as the future of South Africa pretty early on, and he put in everything for them. He kept wickets despite back injuries, opened the batting, finished innings, and captained tough situations, and learned to evolve with time.
Your only competition is with you. Even when AB was at his best, he continued to reinvent self. Your best can always get better.
They both did it differently, but Faf and AB have been inspirational in their own rights. When they batted together, you realized that South Africa was in good hands. They were just a delight to watch, and we hope the very best to them and South Africa in the future.
Where can the Proteas go from here?
Although domestic talent is continuously drained into the Kolpak system, the quota system has been controversial, and systemic discrimination has to be dealt with, all is not lost.
This IPL has shown that Faf is ever dependable, ABD still has some magic, and de Kock is ready to take more responsibility. With stars in Kagiso Rabada, Nortje, and Chris Morris, who knows, 2021 T20 World Cup is where South Africa bounces back.
For South Africa to succeed in 2021, Faf needs ABD, and ABD needs Faf. South Africa and cricket fans around the world— we want them both together, one final time.
Comment below on your thoughts about the article or your favorite memories of AB De Villiers and Faf Du Plessis.
