Top 5 South African fast bowlers of all time

South Africa, a nation known for its fast and bouncy pitches has a history of producing world-class fast bowlers. Every now and then, they have been blessed with a bowler or two in the side who have carried forward the tradition.

From Allan Donald of the past to Kagiso Rabada of the future, the rainbow nation has always had a healthy pace battery.

Here is a look at some of the legendary bowlers to have represented the country:

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#5 Morne Morkel

Morne Morkel, the tall fast bowler is known for his back of the length, rising deliveries at the batsmen. His height and pace are a lethal combination which has worked well for him over the years. His partnership with Dale Steyn has been deadly for South Africa; Steyn traps with swing, Morkel gets batsmen with bounce beautifully.

He made his international debut in a Test match at Durban against India in 2006 and made a fine start with 3 wickets in the very first innings. Since then he has been a regular feature in the Proteas’ squad in all the 3 formats.

His most fruitful format though has been Test cricket where he has picked up 242 wickets in 71 matches making him the 6^th highest wicket taker for the country.

The 31-year old has been an integral part of the Indian Premier League as well. He has represented Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Daredevils and is currently the frontline seamer for Kolkata Knight Riders.

Though his career has been marred heavily by injuries, he has got several years of pace bowling left in him, which could well make him a legendary fast bowler from South Africa.

Morne Morkel’s bowling career:

Format	Matches	Wickets	Best	Average	Economy	Strike Rate	5W	10W
Test	71	242	23/6	29.33	3.12	56.3	6	0
ODI	108	181	21/5	24.60	4.95	29.7	2	0
T20I	39	45	17/4	22.71	7.37	18.4	0	0
Total	218	468

#4 Makhaya Ntini

Makhaya Ntini played for South Africa from 1998 to 2009

The former fast bowler bowled from wide of the crease with brisk pace. Makhaya Ntini was the first ethnically black player to represent South Africa. He holds the distinct record of having the best figures in Tests and ODIs for the country.

He took 13 wickets for 132 runs against West Indies in a Test in 2005 and 6 wickets for 22 runs in an ODI against Australia in 2006 which are yet to be bettered by anyone.

He played his first international game in and ODI versus New Zealand in 1998 and was amongst the wickets right from the start. He had figures of 31/2 in 10 overs as South Africa edged over the line.

Two months later, he marked his Test debut against Sri Lanka and once again finished on the victorious side.

Though he was not express in pace, his line and length were immaculate enough to get him a handful of wickets. His performances in the latter half of his career started to degrade and resulted in his exclusion from the team.

He hung up his boots in 2011 in a specially organized T20 against India. He is currently the third highest wicket taker in Tests and fourth highest in ODIs for his country.

He played in the early parts of the Indian Premier League for Chennai Super Kings and still associated with the sport as the coach of the Zimbabwe cricket team.

Makhaya Ntini’s bowling career:

Format	Matches	Wickets	Best	Average	Economy	Strike Rate	5W	10W
Test	101	390	37/7	28.82	3.23	53.4	18	4
ODI	173	266	22/6	24.65	4.53	32.6	4	0
T20I	10	6	22/2	49.66	9.31	32.0	0	0
Total	284	662

#3 Allan Donald

Allan ‘White Lightning’ Donald was truly feared by batsmen all around the world

Nicknamed ‘White Lightning’ for his sheer pace, Donald was one of the most successful bowlers ever to have represented the country. The pace with which he used to approach the crease and the high jump that followed were enough to frighten batsmen.

South Africa made a return to cricket in 1992 against West Indies, after the abolition of apartheid, and Donald made his debut in that game. Though West Indies went on to win that match, Donald’s 6 wickets in the game showcased the quality of pace bowling that the country had to offer.

He became the highest wicket taker for the nation in both Tests and ODIs before both the records were surpassed by Shaun Pollock. He is still the 4^th in the list of leading wicket-takers in Tests and 2^nd in ODIs for South Africa.

He ended his career in 2003 and played his last ODI against Canada. Post retirement, Donald has been actively involved in the game and has coached various sides around the globe.

He was the bowling coach of South Africa for a long time and is currently the head coach of Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League.

Allan Donald’s bowling career:

Format	Matches	Wickets	Best	Average	Economy	Strike Rate	5W	10W
Test	72	330	71/8	22.25	2.83	47.0	20	3
ODI	164	272	23/6	21.78	4.15	31.4	2	0
Total	236	602

#2 Dale Steyn

A common sight – Dale Steyn bowling the stumps to the floor

Probably the most celebrated fast bowler ever from South Africa, Dale Steyn is regarded as one of the best bowlers of the modern era.

His sheer pace and the ability to swing the ball late make him a nightmare for the batsmen. He can bowl over 150 kmph consistently and has demolished many batting sides with the aggression in the pace for many years.

He made his Test debut in 2004 against England at Port Elizabeth and made his mark as he castled the English skipper Michael Vaughan with a beauty.

There was no stopping him after that as he achieved the feat of reaching the fastest to 100 wickets for his nation. The right-hander then won the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year award in 2008.

From 2008 to 2014, Steyn was the number one bowler in the Test rankings, the longest that any player has dominated the pole position. He is currently the second highest wicket-taker in Tests for South Africa with 411 wickets, just 10 behind Shaun Pollock and is well on his way to reach the top in Tests for the nation.

Since the inception of the Indian Premier League, Steyn has been associated with the tournament, having played for Royal Challengers Bangalore, then for Deccan Chargers and currently for Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Format	Matches	Wickets	Best	Average	Economy	Strike Rate	5W	10W
Test	83	408	51/7	22.43	3.23	41.6	25	5
ODI	112	175	39/6	25.93	4.86	32.0	3	0
T20I	42	58	9/4	17.39	6.71	15.5	0	0
Total	237	641

#1 Shaun Pollock

Shaun Pollock is South Africa’s leading wicket-taker

From a family of legendary cricketers, Shaun Pollock is the most successful bowler from South Africa. His consistency in line and length and the skill to move the ball, made him the perfect new ball bowler.

He played his first Test match against England at Centurion in 1995 and took 3 wickets in the only innings played in the game and claimed his first 5-wicket haul later in the series. He then became a formidable bowler for them bagging tons of wickets in both Tests and ODIs.

Pollock was given the captaincy of the side after the horrendous match-fixing scandal which saw the exit of Hansie Cronje. His job was to lift a demoralized side, which he did quite well. The captaincy was later handed over to the young Graeme Smith.

In February 2008, he played his last international game against West Indies and ended up being the leading wicket-taker for South Africa in Tests and ODIs, records that are yet to be broken.

He was involved with Mumbai Indians in the first year of the Indian Premier League and later, went on to coach them.

Shaun Pollock’s bowling career:

Format	Matches	Wickets	Best	Average	Economy	Strike Rate	5W	10W
Test	108	421	87/7	23.11	2.39	57.8	16	1
ODI	303	393	35/6	24.50	3.67	39.9	5	0
T20I	12	15	28/3	20.60	7.62	16.2	0	0
Total	423	829