Cricket World cup records: Netherlands vs South Africa cricket team

• Netherlands cricket team and South African cricket team have played two matches against each other in world cups. Both of the matches have been won by South Africa by big margins.
• In all two matches, South Africa scored more than 300 runs which shows South Africa’s dominance over Netherlands in ODIs.
• In 1996 Cricket World Cup, South African batsman Andrew Hudson scored 161 while in 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup Jacques Kallis scored 128 not out against Netherlands.
• Netherlands is considered a very weak team but still they have managed to play matches against South Africa without being bowled out.
• In 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup, former South African all rounder Shaun Pollock took 1 wicket for 4 runs in 6 overs with 3 maidens.
• Netherlands have a weak bowling attack against South Africa as they have managed to get only 6 wickets in two matches.
• South Africa scored 328 and 353 in 1996 and 2007 cricket world cup respectively.
• Netherlands have till now played in 1996, 2003 and 2007 world cup. South African did not played any match against the Dutch team in 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup.

Popular cricket players of South Africa: Morne Morkel

Born in the Transvaal Province, South Africa in 1984, Morne Morkel has evolved into a very useful all rounder who is a consistent member of the South African cricket squad. Known for his blistering pace and scintillating hard hitting, this tall, cricket player has risen in the cricketing ranks in a relatively short span of time.

Morne made his ODI debut back in 2007 when he played against the Asia XI side. It turned out to be an impressive outing as the right-handed speedster sent three batsmen back to the pavilion. In the 38 ODIs that Morne Morkel has represented South Africa thus far, he has bagged 65 wickets at more than a decent average of 24.06. His best bowling figures thus far in this form of the game are 4/21, however he received his real recognition during the inaugural T20 world cup in South Africa. Even though the hosts did not perform up to expectations but Morkel certainly was a revelation with exceptional performances in every department of the game.

A lot of the cricketing experts are terming this fiery all rounder to be the trump card for the South African team in the 2011 Cricket World Cup which is being held in the sub continent. Not only do the pitches suit his style of bowling where by he likes to use the hardness of the track and generate as much bounce as possible but more so using his 6 ft 5 inch frame to blast the cricket ball all around the park in crucial stages.

So, every unbiased cricket fan should keep a watch out for Morne Morkel for his is a time bomb that is ready to explode this year in the sub continent. If this happens, the gold laden trophy would very well be on it’s way to South Africa for the first time.

 

Famous South African cricket players: Dale Steyn

Having made his ODI debut against Australia in 2006, Dale Steyn of South African cricket team has been a consistent performer in world cricket for over 5 years now. His claim to fame is his outrageously fast right-arm bowling which coupled with an awesome sense of swing and seam has seen batting sides melt like wax models.

Born in the Transvaal Province, South Africa in 1983, the chiseled faced Steyn holds the record for reaching the fastest 100 wickets in test cricket by a South African. In the ODI arena he has not been as impressive but still has managed to bag 69 wickets in the 48 matches that he has represented his national side in. He averages just under 30 runs per wicket and has the best bowling figures of 4/16 against Bangladesh in 2008. Steyn has never had a regular run with the South African ODI side since his roller coaster career within this form of the game. However, in the Test cricket arena he seems to be a totally different customer altogether and it was his fantastic year in 2007-2008 that won him the ICC Test Cricketer of the year award in 2008.

Dale Steyn could not make it into the 2007 Cricket World Cup squad that traveled to the Caribbean and this was indeed disappointing for the hard working speedster who regularly clocks speeds in excess of a 150km/hr.

A recent string of good performances has been Steyn’s ticket to the 2011 Cricket World Cup being held in the sub-continent and with his current form, very few bet their money against this magnificent speedster who can change the course of a cricketing match in a matter of a few overs.

 

Famous cricket players of South Africa: Graeme Smith

A tall, well structured, left-handed opener, Graeme Smith was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1981. Replacing the legendary Gary Kirsten at the top of the order of South African cricket team was a difficult job but the cricketing experts feel that Smith has done good job of it and commands respect globally as one of the most solid openers in the game today.

Having made his debut against Australia back in 2002, Graeme Smith has represented his national side in a 165 matches to date in which he has scored 6097 runs at a very good average of 39.84. In this journey, he has picked up 8 centuries and 43 fifties on the way. Graeme Smith enjoys a top score of 141 and is considered to have the safest pair of hands on the cricketing circuit as he has 89 catches to his name as well.

After being handed over the daunting task of captaining the South African side at the young age of 22, a few would raise questions at the way Graeme Smith has led his team to a well gelled unit and a winning concern. Although his side never made it to the finals of the 2007 Cricket World Cup as expected, the tournament itself was a fairly decent one for him personally. He scored 4 fifties in the first four matches that he played in the tournament, something which no other captain has achieved thus far.

With the 2011 Cricket World Cup being his last outing as the captain of his national side, Graeme Smith would like to ensure that he goes out all guns blazing and leads his side from the front to win a tournament that has eluded them for years now.

 

Famous cricket players of South African cricket team: AB de Villers

Very few batsmen can pull of the chip shot through the cover and be a master of shots at both sides of the wickets as AB De Villiers of South African cricket team. Within a relatively short career, ‘AB’ as he often referred too, the right-handed South African batsman has become a prized wickets for many a bowlers on the cricket circuit.

Born in Pretoria, South Africa in 1984, ‘AB’ has enjoyed his position as the top batsman in the world by the ranking administered by the cricket’s governing body, ICC. He has a simple batting style and has every shot in the book in his weaponry. Having made his ODI debut against England in 2005, he has represented his national side in a 114 matches thus far in which he has scored 4170 runs at a implausible average of 43.89. ‘AB’ has a total of 9 centuries and 25 fifties to his name with a top score of a 146. Another thing of note over here is his supreme ground fielding skills which make him an asset for his side any given day. ‘AB’ is a lively character and well liked by all his team members, in all he is a complete cricketer with some exceptional talent.

Having played only the single World cup i.e. 2007 Cricket World Cup, his highest score of 146 came against the West Indies in which he hammered the Caribbean attack to all parts of the ground and scored his runs greater than a run a ball. To his standards though, the tournament did not finish as well as he would have expected personally.

With the 2011 on it’s way, AB De Villiers would be pumped up and try to make sure that he makes his mark on the most talked about tournament in the world and help South Africa taste success for the first time at this highest level!

 

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