Arguably Garth Le Roux and Big Vine were the 2 best fast bowlers never to have played test cricket...
Vince van der Bijl
South Africa
Full name Vintcent Adriaan Pieter van der Bijl
Born March 19, 1948, Rondebosch, Cape Town, Cape Province
Current age 62 years 22 days
Major teams Middlesex, Natal, Transvaal
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm fast-medium
Relation Grandfather - VA van der Bijl, Great-uncle - VAW van der Bijl, Father - PGV van der Bijl
Vintcent Adriaan Pieter van der Bijl
Bowling averages
Mat wkts Ave
First-class 156 767 16.54
List A 92 132 18.06
Career statistics
First-class span 1967/68 - 1982/83
List A span 1969/70 - 1982/83
Profile
Vintcent van der Bijl was one of the best bowlers not to play Test cricket, his entire career spanning the years of South Africa's sporting isolation (although he was chosen for the squad which for the cancelled tour of Australia in 1971-72). In his pomp he was probably the leading fast-medium bowler in the world, combining awesome accuracy with deceptive pace and bounce (as expected from a man of 6ft 7½in) as well as a stamina which belied his size. His appearance was deceptive (he was described by John Arlott as looking like Lord Longford "only not nearly as forgiving") and he remained fit throughout his career, even developing into a surprisingly sound fielder and useful tail-end hitter. His performances throughout the 1970s for Natal were legendary - he held numerous records, including most wickets for Natal, most wickets in a South African season (65), most wickets by any South African bowler, and most wickets in domestic one-day competitions.
By 1980 he was in the twilight of his career and had just given up teaching (he was never a professional cricketer) and gone into business when he was offered a chance to play for Middlesex. His new employers gave him six months off to allow him to fulfil the dream of playing outside South Africa. Unknown to many, he made an immediate impact with a resurgent Middlesex side led by Mike Brearley, helped by his new-ball partner, Wayne Daniel, who had been expected to be absent with the touring West Indies. van der Bijl ended with 85 wickets at 14.72 apiece, finishing virtually top of the first-class bowling averages. He made a massive contribution to Middlesex's victories in the Schweppes County Championship and the Gillette Cup. Hugely popular, he returned for a one-off appearance for them against MCC in 1981. "Most of all he brought, Wisden wrote, "a breath of fresh air with his immense enthusiasm, his love of playing cricket, and his bubbling friendship for other cricketers. He would have enjoyed it however it had worked out, and would have remembered it all his days. In the event, a lot of others, players and spectators, were to remember it too."
Martin Williamson
Garth Le Roux
South Africa
Full name Garth Stirling Le Roux
Born September 4, 1955, Kenilworth, Cape Town, Cape Province
Current age 54 years 218 days
Major teams Sussex, Western Province
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm fast
Garth Stirling Le Roux
Bowling averages
Mat Wkts Ave
First-class 239 838 21.24
List A 250 378 19.97
Career statistics
First-class span 1975/76 - 1988/89
List A span 1975/76 - 1988/89
Profile
Garth le Roux was a big, powerful fast bowler who was unfortunate in that his whole career fell in the period when South Africa were barred from international cricket. Aggressive and in-your-face, he possessed a good bouncer which he used liberally, and was a hard-hitting tailender. He made an immediate mark as a young tearaway, so much to that he was signed for World Series Cricket despite his lack of experience, and he also forged a very successful decade-long career in England with Sussex - in 1981 his 81 wickets took the county within a whisker of their first Championship. He showed what might have been in 15 "Tests" for South Africa against rebel touring sides, taking 59 wickets at 23.06. For Western Province his 372 wickets cost under 19 each, at a time when Currie Cup cricket was at its height.
Martin Williamson
**** me.
