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Profile:
Allan
Donald spearheaded the South African attack for a decade following
the country's return to international cricket against India at
Eden Gardens in 1991. He took five wickets that November day,
shared the man of the match award with Sachin Tendulkar and has
given South Africa an often lethal cutting edge ever since.
It
goes almost without saying that Donald is the finest bowler
produced by South Africa. He joined the elite company of those
with 300 Test wickets in his 63rd Test, when on his home ground in
Bloemfontein he dismissed Shane O'Connor of New Zealand.
A
wonderful athlete, Donald's run-up, gather and delivery,
especially on the first morning of a Test match, was one of the
most thrilling sights in modern cricket. He was all about rhythm
and balance and although there have been occasions when not
everything has been absolutely in sync in what is a finely-tuned
machine and he looked fairly ordinary, for by far the most part he
has been an exceptional performer for country, county and
province.
It
is one of the game's great ironies that some of Donald's great
spells have gone virtually unrewarded. Against Australia in Port
Elizabeth in 1996/97 he bowled superbly for negligible return. In
the Sydney New Year Test of 1998 he subjected the Waugh twins to a
torrid bombardment with the second new ball, but could not force
the breakthrough that might have won South Africa the match. And
famously at Trent Bridge in 1998, his duel with Michael Atherton
verged on epic proportions as only luck and an umpiring decision
allowed Atherton to survive.
Much
of Donald's first-class career has been spent with Warwickshire,
and international commitments have not allowed him to play for
Free State as often as he or his province would have liked. But
every team he has played for knows that they have an advantage
over their opposition.
In
the latter half of his career, Donald has shortened his run-up,
but if anything he has become a more effective bowler with greater
control, and if there has been a slight lessening of pace, it has
not been so much that any batsman has noticed.
Beset
by injuries, Donald announced his retirement from Test cricket in
February 2002, although he indicated his continuing hope of
playing for South Africa when they host the 2003 World Cup.
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