Top 10 South African ODI openers of all time

Northampton v South Africa: One Day Tour Match

South Africa, who were reinstated as a Test nation in 1991 by the ICC, played their first sanctioned international game since 1970 and their first-ever ODI against India in Calcutta on 10 November 1991.

Despite the immense cricketing talent they have produced over the years, the Proteas have always been underachievers at the ICC tournaments.

On 28 August 2012, South Africa became the first team to top the ICC rankings in all three formats of the game.

South Africa, who are yet to win a World Cup, hold the record of the highest successful run chase in ODIs. They won the fifty-over match against Australia on 12 March 2006 by chasing down 438 in 49.5 overs.

Now, let's have a look at the top 10 openers who played for South Africa, the number one ODI team in the world, in the last 26 years.


#10 Mike Rindel

During a short-lived career, Mike Rindel opened the batting for South Africa in 16 ODI, scoring 480 runs at an average of 30.00.

Between 1995 and 1999, Rindel, who was run out five times in his first seven outings, scored a century and two fifties while opening the batting for Proteas.

Rindel, who won the Man of the Match award in his debut game, got his highest ODI score of 106 in a 1995 fifty-over game against Pakistan at Johannesburg.

#9 AB de Villiers

South Africa v Ireland - 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup

On song AB de Villiers has the special ability to rip apart even the most potent bowling attack in the world.

The former South Africa skipper, who is hailed as the most innovative batsman of modern times, has predominantly been a middle-order batsman.

However, between 2005 and 2008 De Villiers opened the innings in 33 ODIs, scoring 934 runs at an average of 32.20.

As an opening batsman, De Villiers' highest score is 146, which came against the West Indies during a 2007 ODI game at the St George's.

#8 Kepler Wessels

South Africa Captain Kepler Wessels

Kepler Wessels, who made his ODI debut for Australia, opened the innings in 42 ODIs after deciding to represent his birth country, South Africa.

The former Proteas skipper scored 1,297 runs between 1991 and 1994 at an average of 32.42.

Although he scored an ODI ton, Wessels' top score as an opener is 90, that came against India at Delhi in 1991.

#7 Boeta Dippenaar

West Indies v South Africa - Second One Day International

Hendrik Human Dippenaar, famously known as Boeta Dippenaar, scored 1,708 runs at an average of 50.23 as an opener for South Africa between 1999 and 2006.

The right-handed batsman, who concentrated more on first-class cricket in comparison to his international career, hit four centuries and 13 half-centuries at the top of the innings.

Dippenaar brought up his highest ODI score of 125* against Sri Lanka during the 2006 VB Series at Adelaide.

#6 Andrew Hudson

PORTRAIT HUDSON

Andrew Hudon was a regular member of South Africa's Test and ODI sides for six years between 1992 and 1998.

Between 1991 and 1997, Husdon opened the innings in 88 ODIs, scoring 2559 runs at an average of 29.41.

South Africa's 'crisis man' hit two tons in his ODI career with 161 being his highest score that came during the 1996 World Cup against the Netherlands at Rawalpindi.

#5 Quinton de Kock

3rd Momentum ODI: South Africa v India

ICC's ODI Cricketer of the Year 2016, Quinton de Kock, made his fifty-over format debut in January 2013 against New Zealand and since then, he has opened the innings in 85 matches for South Africa.

The fastest South African and joint fastest in the world to score 1,000 ODI runs, amassed 3,722 runs at an average of 46.52 as an opener.

The fastest batsman in the world to reach 4th, 5th,10th and 12th ODI hundred, got his highest score of 178 at the top of the batting order in 2016 against Australia at Centurion.

#4 Herschelle Gibbs

South Africa v West Indies - ICC Twenty20 World Championship

Herschelle Gibbs, the hard-hitting opening batsman, who made his ODI debut against Kenya in October 1996, scored 6,103 runs at an average of 35.69 in 183 matches.

The second South African to score more than 1,000 runs in World Cups after Jacques Kallis, Gibbs hit 18 tons and 24 fifties as an opener.

Gibbs, who became the first player to hit 6 sixes in an over in an ODI against the Netherlands in 2007, got his top score of 153 at Potchefstroom against Bangladesh in 2002.

#3 Gary Kirsten

Gary Kirsten of South Africa

Gary Kirsten, the calm and composed left-handed opening batsman, opened in 175 ODIs for South Africa between 1993 and 2003, scoring 6,647 runs at an average of 41.80.

The World Cup-winning coach of Team India hit 13 tons and 45 fifties as an opener for South Africa.

The gritty batsman got his highest ODI score of 188* against UAE during the 1996 World Cup at Rawalpindi.

#2 Graeme Smith

England v South Africa: 4th NatWest Series ODI

Graeme Smith, who took over the reigns of South African cricket after the 2003 World Cup at a young age of 22, was a strong and an outright attacker of the ball.

Between 2002 and 2013, Smith opened the batting in 195 ODIs for South Africa and scored 6,974 runs at an average of 38.31.

The tall, left-handed opener hit 10 ODI tons with 141 being the highest, that came in 2009 against England at Centurion.

#1 Hashim Amla

Sri Lanka v South Africa - ICC Champions Trophy

The epitome of dedication and class, Hashim Alma is undoubtedly the best opening batsman in the world right now.

The 34-year-old, who made his ODI debut in 2008 against Bangladesh, has opened the innings for South Africa in 153 matches, scoring 7,351 runs at an average of 51.76.

The first South African to hit 25 ODI centuries, Amla got his highest score of 159 against Ireland during the 2015 ICC World Cup at Canberra.

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Edited by Tanya Rudra