South Africa's best cricketer since re-admission

[Prince EWS]

Quite. I imagine one could select a pretty competitive XI from the South African players plying their trade in the county championship as non-overseas players.

You could probably select a one day team better than what England put out, especially since Pietersen would technically qualify for both.

 

[BoyBrumby]

You could probably select a one day team better than what England put out, especially since Pietersen would technically qualify for both.

Yeah, wouldn't doubt it, actually, what with Pollock, Hall, Kemp, McLaren, Klusener, Trott, Pothas, Langeveldt, Henderson, Rudolph et al to call on.

 

[silentstriker]

But Donald was not a spinner.

Haha, what?

 

[silentstriker]

Personally, I am shocked at Donald being in third place. I really am. I would have Donald as the easy #1.

 

[Richard]

With regards to Paul Adams, I think he was over-rated. Once teams worked out that his only variation was basically telegraphed (he always bowled it quick and flat), he became rather easy to handle. He doesn't even play for the Cobras anymore.

He's definitely not the best spinner SA has ever had, somebody has already mentioned Hugh Tayfield. Adams was better than Boje probably, but I think Claude Henderson can feel hard done by. I always rated him, and he never got a decent run in the side. I'm glad that Paul Harris seems to be getting a decent go, he knows he can afford a poor series or two before his place is in jeopardy.

And other SA spinners who were pretty good, and probably better than Adams:

Athol Rowan
Xenophon Balaskas
Alan Kourie
Denys Hobson

Hell, I think I'd even have Pat Symcox in my side before Adams.

Symcox, for mine, is probably SA's best spinner since readmission. Only Boje is also worth a mention on that score - Harris might join them one day too.

Basically, though, SA are like England - there's so rarely much point in them playing a spinner and it's kinda ridiculous how often they've weakened their attack with a number of decent seamers being omitted for one.

 

[Richard]

Who is better?

Well, apart from the three wristspinners of legend in the 1900s and 1910s, Schwarz, Vogler and Faulkner you mean? There's Tayfield of uncovered wickets in the 1950s for starters, and probably some other spinners of the uncovered wickets era too. Tayfield is the most obvious, though.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Kallis is excellent, as was Donald, but I've always had a soft spot for Pollock. Excellent bowler for years and an underrated batsman too.

 

[ret]

if I had to pick one for my team then it would be Donald .... Pollock is a close 2nd

 

[Jakester1288]

Haha, what?

Donald was a pace bowler. I made a mistake when I asked who is better (a better spinner) and then silentstriker said Donald, answering the poll, not me. I thought he was saying Donald is a better spinner than Adams, whereas Donald didn't even bowl spin. Sorry, just a mistake.

 

[funnygirl]

Allan Donald ,ofcourse i am biased towards fast bowlers . As a spectator i owe big time to whitelightning to make it so watchable in 90s ,in particular the games involving SA .That run up ,action ,celebration ,glare ,successful career ,a thorough gentleman .

 

[tooextracool]

Donald was essentially SA's only world class player when they were readmitted and he held that mantle for quite a while after. However, the difference between Kallis and any other batsman since re-admission is probably far greater than the difference between Donald and the 2nd best bowler since readmission (Pollock) so i would have to go for Jacques Kallis for being far ahead of his peers.

 

[Arjun]

Donald, surely. Pollock and Kallis come a distant second.

 

[Richard]

Fascinating that there's one or two of things I'd vote for Donald in that I'd be in a pretty small minority; here, on a rare thing which I would not vote for him, not a small number have.

Very strange.

 

[steds]

It's obviously Monde Zondeki.

 

[honestbharani]

actual cricketing selection - Allan Donald, his less than stellar record against Australia notwithstanding... He was the name that came up first to many people's thoughts when you thinking about the South African cricket team.



My personal favourite - Jonty Rhodes.

 

[Craig]

It's obviously Monde Zondeki.

Well obviously I'm an idiot for not picking him

 

[Perm]

Who is better?

As others have said, Hugh Tayfield is the obvious answer. One of the best and most economical Test spinners the game of cricket has been blessed with, and he ranks alongside Donald and Pollock as the finest bowlers that South Africa have produced. He is fifth in the list of South Africa Test wicket takes, behind the aforementioned two, Makhaya Ntini and Jacques Kallis.

The very valuable trio of Aubrey Faulkner, Bert Vogler and Reggie Schwarz could possibly have challenged the Indian spin trip as the best spin bowling attack that Test cricket has seen, if only they had more opportunities. Obviously none of these top-shelf spin bowlers played in the modern era, and certainly none since re-admission, but all rank about Paul Adams in the pantheon of great South African spinners.

 

[vic_orthdox]

I don't see the point in excluding him when we are judging, I assume, purely on cricketing ability and success on the field.

I don't think he really pushes the top couple here anyway. Not enough to massively affect the poll.

 

[Richard]

actual cricketing selection - Allan Donald, his less than stellar record against Australia notwithstanding...

Funny, Glenn McGrath's less-than-stellar record against South Africa never seems to impede too many people when rating his credentials.

 

[andyc]

Funny, Glenn McGrath's less-than-stellar record against South Africa never seems to impede too many people when rating his credentials.

An average of 27.33 is hardly 'less than stellar,' it's still damn good. Certainly quite better than Donald's (a touch over 31).