South Africa has been one of the most consistent teams in cricket and has levelled up its game to a great extent in recent years. South Africa generally has conditions favourable to bowlers, and hence the Proteas have had some excellent bowlers, especially fast bowlers. In this article, we will look at some of the South African bowlers to take a wicket on the first ball of Test innings.
1. Shaun Pollock In 2000
Shaun Pollock was a right-arm fast medium bowler and a right-handed lower-order batter from Port Elizabeth, Cape Province. Pollock first played a Test match for South Africa in 1995 against England at Centurion. In 2000, in a Test match against Sri Lanka at Asgiriya Stadium, he took the wicket of Marvan Atapattu on the first ball of the innings.
2. Dale Steyn In 2010
Dale Steyn was a right-arm fast bowler for South Africa from 2004 to 2019, appearing in a total of 93 Test matches. Steyn picked up 439 wickets in 171 innings at an average of 22.95, with his best bowling figures of 7 for 51. In 2010, in a Test match against England at the Wanderers Stadium, he took the wicket of Andrew Strauss on the first ball of the innings and the match.
3. Morne Morkel In 2017
Morne Morkel was a right-arm fast medium bowler who came from Vereeniging, Transvaal. From 2006 to 2018, Morne played in 86 Test matches and took 309 wickets at an average of 27.66. In 2017, in a Test match against Zimbabwe at St. George’s Park, he took the wicket of Hamilton Masakadza on the first ball of the innings.
4. Allan Donald In 2001
Next on the list is Allan Donald, a right-arm fast bowler from Bloemfontein who was one of South Africa’s most celebrated cricketers in the early 1990s. Allan played in 72 Test matches and took 330 wickets at an average of 22.25. He took a wicket on the first ball of the innings against the West Indies in 2001 at Sabina Park. Leon Garrick was the batter to get dismissed.
5. Kagiso Rabada In 2021
Kagiso Rabada is a right-arm fast bowler for South Africa from Johannesburg and a current member of the South African side in all formats. Kagiso Rabada’s first Test match was against India at Mohali in 2015, and since then he has been a permanent face in the Proteas side. In 2021, he picked up the wicket of Carlos Brathwaite on the first ball of the innings at the Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium.
6. Fanie De Villiers In 1994
Fanie De Villiers was a right-arm fast medium bowler from Transvaal who played his first Test match in 1993 against Australia at Melbourne. Until 1998, he played in 18 Test matches and picked up 85 wickets. In 1994, in a Test match against New Zealand at the Wanderers Stadium, he took the wicket of Darrin Murray on the first ball of the innings.
7. Shaun Pollock In 2003
Next on our list is Shaun Pollock again! Yes, one of South Africa’s most prolific right-arm fast bowlers features on our list twice. This time he is on the list for a Test match he played against England at Trent Bridge in 2003. Pollock dismissed the left-handed opening batter of England, Marcus Trescothick, on the first ball of the inning.
8. Sibley Snooke In 1906
Sibley John Snooke was a right-arm fast medium bowler for South Africa during the 1910s. Snooke's first Test match was against England in Johannesburg in 1906. In 1906, in a Test match against England at Old Wanderers, he took the wicket of Pelham Warner on the first ball of the innings and became the first-ever South African bowler to do so.
9. Dale Steyn In 2013
Next, we have on our list Dale Steyn, the only one after Shaun Pollock to appear twice on our list. In 2013, in a Test match against Pakistan at SuperSport Park, Steyn picked up the wicket of Mohammad Hafeez on the first ball of the innings. In all, Steyn has achieved this feat three times during his Test career.
10. Albert Vogler In 1907
Albert Vogler was a right-arm leg-break bowler from Queenstown, Cape Province. From 1906 to 1911, he played in 15 Test matches for South Africa and took 64 wickets at an average of 22.73. In 1907, in a Test match against England at Kennington Oval, he took the wicket of Thomas Hayward on the first ball of the innings.