South Africa's greatest test XI

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Here is my stab at South Africa's test XI



1. Barry Richards
2. Graeme Smith
3. Greame Pollock
4. Jacques Kallis
5. Dudley Nourse
6. AB de Villiers
7. Denis Lindsay/John Waite/Mark Boucher (can't decide)
8. Dale Steyn
9. Shaun Pollock
10. Mike Procter
11. Alan Donald

There are a few from the seventies that might come inot contention, but because tey don't really have international records to substantiate their placings, I can only use Barry richards, Greame Pollock and Mike Procter from that era as they are revered world wide.
Contenders for

The Wanderers is a wonderful ground to watch cricket at. I have had some of my best times at the ground.

I even heckled Brian McMillan there in a domestic game once. never liked the man, he had more aggression and poor attitude than he had ability.

In ODI's he batted slower than Wessels, when he bowled, Clive Eksteen looked medium pace.

he wasn't exactly the epitome of grace was he?

It is not just that he wasn't graceful, he looked uncomfortable every time he moved.

biltongbek wrote:It is not just that he wasn't graceful, he looked uncomfortable every time he moved.

Wasn't it him who took a gun into an opposition dressing room to express his "disquiet" at their sledging?

didn't even know it ever happened, sure it was SA?

biltongbek wrote: didn't even know it ever happened, sure it was SA?

It may have been a 1st class match. And the story could well be false - from memory I saw the story in an email of "great sledges" about 10 years ago.

I'll see if I can dig anything up. Thanks

FoF, found it. Written by Shane Warne.

Sledging can be an effective cricketing weapon, but I feared I had gone too far when one of my victims burst into the Australian dressing room brandishing an AK- 47 and demanding revenge.

The South Africans play the game hard and nobody more so than Brian McMillan. He could be an intimidating figure if you showed any sign of weakness. During our home Test series against South Africa after they were re-admitted to international cricket, McMillan and Peter Kirsten were involved in a run-out mix-up that left McMillan back at the end where he started.

I said: 'Looks like you don't fancy it very much, Depardieu (he resembles the French actor).' He replied: 'Listen, a lot of people go missing every day in South Africa and one more won't be noticed.' Later, he threatened to use me for bait when he went shark fishing.

I thought nothing of it all - until we went to South Africa. It was lunch in Johannesburg and we were just starting to tuck in when McMillan stormed in wielding the gun, which he had borrowed from a policeman outside, shouting: 'Right, I've had enough of you Australians.'

It was scary for a second or two, then we all laughed. We have shared a few beers and got to know him over the years. He is a character; the game needs them.

biltongbek wrote:

cricketfan90 wrote:bilitong i couldnt fit a spinner in my side mate, as i dont think south africa have had a standout world class spinner just yet.

I agree, when you do a list of alltime great spinners, SA will come dead last, and then another few that won;t feature at all.

That is sadly the one thing SA does fail in consistently.

What about Western Province's leg spinner Denys Hobson and Transvaal's slow left armer Alan Kourie, both of whom would have been very good spinners not only for South Africa had they been allowed to compete in official tests back then in the late 70's to early 80's, but also in Hobson's case he could have matched up well (if not better) against the other leading spinners in the world game during this time period.

@gboycottnut - Hobson may have been a success at test level but I doubt Kourie would've. He turned the ball less than Harris does, using flight variations to trick the batsmen - was way too easy for anyone using their feet to deal with him.

Galted wrote:@gboycottnut - Hobson may have been a success at test level but I doubt Kourie would've. He turned the ball less than Harris does, using flight variations to trick the batsmen - was way too easy for anyone using their feet to deal with him.

was that possible?

Just had a look on youtube to find a clip of Harris turning it slightly to show you cf90. But it seems that there isn't one.

Galted wrote: Just had a look on youtube to find a clip of Harris turning it slightly to show you cf90. But it seems that there isn't one.

cant say im suprised :P

This following South Africa XI listed below by former Surrey and England seamer Robin Jackman in one of his cricinfo articles, could easily give the great Australian XI of the noughties and the West Indian XI of the early 80's a real run for their money in a test match series :-

1 Jimmy Cook
2 Henry Fotheringham
3 Peter Kirsten
4 Allan Lamb
5 Ken McEwan
6 Kevin McKenzie
7 Clive Rice
8 Ray Jennings (keeper)
9 Garth Le Roux
10 Steve Jefferies
11 Alan Kourie
12th Man Adrian Kuiper