The Great Gamble
There was a time, not too long ago, when the mere mention of money was anathema in sports ~ professionals were allowed in Wimbledon for the first time in 1968, and in the Olympics only from 1988.
Former South Africa batsman Herschelle Gibbs has revealed his all-time Proteas XI. He picked the same team for both Test and ODI formats.
While no spinner could make a cut to the side, the biggest surprise was the inclusion of former left-arm fast bowler Brett Schultz who played nine Tests and one ODI between 1992 and 1997 as his career was blighted by injury.
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Graeme Smith and Gary Kirsten were picked as openers, followed by Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, Daryll Cullinan and AB de Villiers. Mark Boucher was picked as the wicketkeeper. And the bowling unit consists of Shaun Pollock, Dale Steyn, Allan Donald and Schultz.
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“Team is for both Tests and ODIs,” Gibbs wrote on Twitter while revealing his best South Africa XI.
“Can’t have all right-arm bowlers. No variety, so you need Schultz and he was devastating in all conditions,” he added while justifying his selection of Schultz.
Gibbs, who played in 90 Test matches, 248 ODIs and 23 T20Is for his country between 1996 and 2010, has also put up the bat — used during his team’s record-breaking chase of 434 against Australia in 2006 — for auction in order to raise funds for fight against coronavirus.
Herschelle Gibbs’ best Proteas Test and ODI XI: Graeme Smith, Gary Kirsten, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, Daryll Cullinan, AB de Villiers, Mark Boucher, Shaun Pollock, Dale Steyn, Allan Donald, Brett Schultz
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