SeamUp
International Coach
Obviously as an SA supporter I believe we have produced the most talent around. We've been playing test cricket since 1890's and had our moments in beating England and getting credible draws away from home in Australia but we only started to be really competitive in the in the 50's. We were the best team in the world after thrashing Australia back-to-back and beating England away in the late 60's. That side could have carried on for years. Even in the apartheid years a new generation was formed in th late 70's and 80's. Since we've been back in 1991 theres no doubt we have the 2nd best record behind Austalia in that time.
Therefore here is my list of possible options for each position and select your best SA XI.
matches played outside brackets ( batting averages in brackets ) then wickets taken @ average for bowling. Where its blank is due to missing out in apartheid fully.
OPENERS
Jackie McGlew 34 (42.06)
Barry Richards 4 (72.57)
Jimmy Cook
Kepler Wessels 40 (41.00)
Gary Kirsten 101 (45.27)
Herschelle Gibbs 90 (41.95)
Graeme Smith 77 (50.33)
MIDDLE ORDER (too early for JP Duminy)
Dudley Nourse 34 (53.81)
Colin Bland 21 (49.08)
Graeme Pollock 23 (60.97)
Lee Irvine 4 (50.42)
Peter Kirsten (debuted @37) 12 (31.30)
Ken McEwan
Daryll Cullinan 70 (44.21)
Hansie Cronje 68 (36.41)
Jonty Rhodes 52 (35.66)
Ashwell Prince 48 (47.29)
Hashim Amla 37 (40.33)
AB De Villiers 52 (43.93)
ALL-ROUNDERS (too early for Albie Morkel)
Eddie Barlow 30 (45.74) 40 wkts @ 34.05
Trevor Goddard 41 (34.46) 123 wkts @ 26.22
Mike Procter 7 (25.11) 41 wkts @ 15.02
Clive Rice
Brian McMillan 38 (39.36) 75 wkts @ 33.82
Lance Klusener 49 (32.86) 80 wkts @ 37.91
Shaun Pollock 108 (32.31) 421wkts @ 23.11
Jacques Kallis 131 (54.66) 258 wkts @ 31.08
WICKET-KEEPERS
John Waite 50 (30.44)
Denis Lindsay 19 (37.66)
Ray Jennings
Dave Richardson 42 (24.26)
Mark Boucher 126 (29.85)
SPINNERS (Boje and Symcox were good all-rounders but not pure quality spinner)
Hugh Tayfield 37 170 wkts @ 25.91
Atholl McKinnon 8 26 wkts @ 35.57
Denys Hobson
Alan Kourie
Paul Adams 45 134 wkts @ 32.87
Paul Harris 24 71 wkts @ 32.60
FAST-BOWLERS (too early for Morne Morkel)
Neil Adcock 26 104 wkts @ 21.10
Peter Heine 14 58 wkts @ 25.08
Peter Pollock 28 116 wkts @ 24.18
Vince van der Bijl
Garth LeRoux
Stephen Jefferies
Allan Donald 72 330 wkts @ 22.25
Fanie De Villiers 18 85 wkts @ 24.27
Brett Schultz 9 37wkts @ 20.24
Craig Matthews 18 52 wkts @ 28.88
Makhaya Ntini 99 388 wkts @ 28.37
Dale Steyn 33 170 wkts @ 23.70
Therefore here is my list of possible options for each position and select your best SA XI.
matches played outside brackets ( batting averages in brackets ) then wickets taken @ average for bowling. Where its blank is due to missing out in apartheid fully.
OPENERS
Jackie McGlew 34 (42.06)
Barry Richards 4 (72.57)
Jimmy Cook
Kepler Wessels 40 (41.00)
Gary Kirsten 101 (45.27)
Herschelle Gibbs 90 (41.95)
Graeme Smith 77 (50.33)
MIDDLE ORDER (too early for JP Duminy)
Dudley Nourse 34 (53.81)
Colin Bland 21 (49.08)
Graeme Pollock 23 (60.97)
Lee Irvine 4 (50.42)
Peter Kirsten (debuted @37) 12 (31.30)
Ken McEwan
Daryll Cullinan 70 (44.21)
Hansie Cronje 68 (36.41)
Jonty Rhodes 52 (35.66)
Ashwell Prince 48 (47.29)
Hashim Amla 37 (40.33)
AB De Villiers 52 (43.93)
ALL-ROUNDERS (too early for Albie Morkel)
Eddie Barlow 30 (45.74) 40 wkts @ 34.05
Trevor Goddard 41 (34.46) 123 wkts @ 26.22
Mike Procter 7 (25.11) 41 wkts @ 15.02
Clive Rice
Brian McMillan 38 (39.36) 75 wkts @ 33.82
Lance Klusener 49 (32.86) 80 wkts @ 37.91
Shaun Pollock 108 (32.31) 421wkts @ 23.11
Jacques Kallis 131 (54.66) 258 wkts @ 31.08
WICKET-KEEPERS
John Waite 50 (30.44)
Denis Lindsay 19 (37.66)
Ray Jennings
Dave Richardson 42 (24.26)
Mark Boucher 126 (29.85)
SPINNERS (Boje and Symcox were good all-rounders but not pure quality spinner)
Hugh Tayfield 37 170 wkts @ 25.91
Atholl McKinnon 8 26 wkts @ 35.57
Denys Hobson
Alan Kourie
Paul Adams 45 134 wkts @ 32.87
Paul Harris 24 71 wkts @ 32.60
FAST-BOWLERS (too early for Morne Morkel)
Neil Adcock 26 104 wkts @ 21.10
Peter Heine 14 58 wkts @ 25.08
Peter Pollock 28 116 wkts @ 24.18
Vince van der Bijl
Garth LeRoux
Stephen Jefferies
Allan Donald 72 330 wkts @ 22.25
Fanie De Villiers 18 85 wkts @ 24.27
Brett Schultz 9 37wkts @ 20.24
Craig Matthews 18 52 wkts @ 28.88
Makhaya Ntini 99 388 wkts @ 28.37
Dale Steyn 33 170 wkts @ 23.70
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