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10 greatest South African cricketers of all time

Aubrey Faul
Aubrey Faulkner (R) with teammate Jimmy Sinclair

Despite missing out on international cricket for two decades (1970-1991), South Africa has remained a strong team in Test cricket. Ater Australia, South Africa has retained the ICC Test Championship title for the longest period (42 months).

Also, the Proteas have a phenomenal overseas Test record and until a few years back they were considered as a strong touring team in world cricket. These glorious achievements in Test cricket are a result of tremendous hard work by their cricketers who stirred the cricket world with their sensational performances.

Here we take a look at the ten all time great South African cricketers who made their mark in record books and also in the hearts of cricket fans with their consistency and sheer brilliance.


#10. Aubrey Faulkner

With a batting average of 40.79 and bowling average of 26.58 in Tests, Aubrey Faulkner was arguably one of the finest all-rounders in Test cricket. However, his career spanned only 25 Tests.

In 1910/11 he routed Australia with a sensational double hundred at Melbourne while his probing bowling at Leeds pulverized England in the third Test and he ended with six wickets in 17 runs. His leg break bowling included googly which was a rare weapon of that era.

Faulkner was one of the first leg-spinners to use googly accurately but his greatest achievement came in 1921 when he first scored 153 and then claimed six wickets against Australia to stamp his dominance.

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