The South African cricket team, also known as the Proteas, has produced some of the greatest bowlers of all time. From lethal pace bowlers to wrist spinners, South African bowling is considered one of the most dangerous bowling attacks in cricket. In this article, we will revisit the mayhem created by South African bowlers in 'Top 10 bowling spells by South African Bowlers in Test Cricket.'
1. Dale Steyn
Dale Steyn was one of the most lethal cricket bowlers who had the ability to bowl fiery swinging deliveries that could dismantle any line-up. In one such spell, he destroyed the Indian batting line-up on a flat track at Nagpur in the 1st test against India in 2010, where he took 7-51 in an amazing display of outstanding reverse swing. South Africa won that match by an inning and six runs. This spell is considered one of the best by fast bowlers in Asian conditions.
2. Allan Donald
Allan Donald is one of the greatest bowlers in Test cricket. He used to bowl at lightning speed and create trouble for batters. In one such devastating spell against England, he took 5-32 at Lords in the 2nd Test in 1998. His pace was too hot to handle for English batters as he ran riot through the batting line-up of England, bundling them out for just 110 and winning the match by 10 wickets.
3. Makhaya Ntini
Ntini bowled a wonderful spell at Lords against England in the 2nd test of the 2003 SA tour of England, where he took 5-75 in the 1st innings, picking up important wickets of Trescothick, Vaughan, and Flintoff. He also picked up a 5-fer in the second inning, became the first South African to have a 10-W haul in the Lords, and registered his name on the Lord’s Honours Board.
4. Shaun Pollock
Often regarded as one of the best all-rounder in world cricket, Pollock produced a magical spell at Trent Bridge against England in the 2nd inning of the 3rd test match between South Africa and England, where he took 6-39. In reply to England’s 445, SA was bundled out for 362. That’s where Pollock took matters into his own hands and wrecked havoc in the English line-up as they got all out for just 118. However, South Africa failed to chase 202; this spell was still one of the finest spells bowled by a South African bowler.
5. Dale Steyn
In a wonderful display of fast bowling, Steyn destroyed the Pakistan batting line-up in the first test of the 2013 test series, picking 6-8. Steyn was too good for the Pakistani batter, as they had no answers for Steyn’s fire bolt, and Pakistan eventually got all out on 49. South Africa won this game by 211 runs, courtesy of a fiery spell by Steyn.
6. Vernon Philander
Vernon Philander picked 5-7 in a devastating spell against New Zealand in the first test of the 2012–13 NZ tour of South Africa. Philander displayed a great masterpiece of seam bowling on a wicket that was supportive of fast bowlers. Due to his heroics, New Zealand was bundled for a mere score of 45, with South Africa eventually winning the match by an innings and 27 runs.
7. Shaun Pollock
Pollock displayed his control and mastery of his accurate bowling on a flat Adelaide track by picking 7-87 in the 1st inning of the 3rd test match in the South Africa tour of Australia 1997–98. SA posted a total of 517 in the 1st inning; in reply, Aus were all out for just 350 courtesy of a fine spell from Pollock, who bowled 41 over, giving away just 87 runs and taking 7 wickets. The match ended in a draw as Mark Waugh scored a century, saving AUS on the final day.
8. Makhaya Ntini
Ntini produced a magical spell against the West Indies, picking up his career-best figure of 7-37 in the 2nd test of the South Africa tour of the West Indies in 2004–05. West Indies posted 347 on board in the 1st inning, and in reply, SA were bowled out for 398, and that’s when Ntini produced one of the brilliant displays of fast bowling by picking 7 wickets, and West Indies were all out for just 194. Such was the catastrophe caused by Ntini that only three batters reached double digits for the West Indies, and SA won that match by eight wickets.
9. Dale Steyn
It’s always a challenge to face Steyn in any condition; however, with a pitch-assisting fast bowler, even a little bit, Steyn could get as lethal as anyone. In one such spell in the 2008 test series at Ahmadabad, he destroyed the Indian batting line-up; picking 5-23 as India were bowled out for just 76 runs. SA went on to win the match by an inning and 90 runs. This was one of the best spells ever, as Wisden picked it as one of the Top 5 spells of the 2000s.
10. Fanie de Villiers
Fanie was one of the most laborious bowlers of his time, and he produced a magical spell against the Aussies in an historic win for Africa on Australian soil in the 1994 SA tour of Australia. In a chase of just 117, Australia were once 1/51, and it was when Fanie de Villiers showed a wonderful display of his bowling ability by picking up three wickets in quick succession and derailing Australia’s chase by reducing them to 56/4 and eventually bowling them out for 111. This was one of the finest test spells bowled by an African bowler.
