South Africa Cricket Players
Herschelle Gibbs
Herschelle Herman Gibbs (born 23 February 1974 in Cape Town) is a South African cricketer, more specifically a batsman. He is able to play, amongst other shots the cover drive, the square cut and the leg glance with some style. At backward point, he is considered by some to be the next Jonty Rhodes. Gibbs is said to rarely practice in the nets before a match. It is said he prefers to play on instinct in this case.
Gibbs is remembered for dropping a sitter off Australia's Steve Waugh during the 1999 World Cup, one which would cost South Africa dearly. (Steve Waugh's famous misattribution, "You have just dropped the World Cup, son!", is said to have occurred at this point.) He was also involved in the match fixing affair with former captain Hansie Cronje, who offered him $15,000 to score "less than 20" in the 3rd one day international of a series. He tearfully claimed to the King Commission of inquiry into corruption in South African cricket that he didn't follow through on his side of the bargain, in fact scoring a fine 74. As a result he was banned for only six months. He has since repeatedly refused to tour India fearing arrest and has refused to even speak to Indian Police over the matter.
In the past two series against England and the West Indies he was brought down the order from opening batsman to the middle order due to lack of form. After the move he regained form and looked more comfortable batting against the older ball.
On March 12, 2006, Herschelle Gibbs played a momumental innings against Australia, scoring 175 off just 111 balls leading South Africa to victory in the highest scoring one-day international match in history.
On April 22, 2006, Gibbs paid the price for his recent run-drought, and was dropped for the second and third Tests against the New Zealand cricket team. He has been short of confidence in Test cricket of late, and scored only 6 and 2 in the First Test at Centurion Park. South Africa's chief selector, Haroon Lorgat said, "We had a meeting and agreed that a break and a fresh start next season will do him a world of good." This decision has been widely viewed as a harsh one.
- Full name : Herschelle Herman Gibbs
- Born : February 23, 1974, Green Point, Cape Town, Cape Province
- Batting style : Right-hand bat
- Bowling style : Right-arm bowler
- Test debut : India v South Africa at Kolkata - Nov 27-Dec 1, 1996
- Last Test : South Africa v New Zealand at Centurion - Apr 15-19, 2006
- ODI debut : Kenya v South Africa at Nairobi (Gym) - Oct 3, 1996
- Last ODI : South Africa v Australia at Johannesburg - Mar 12, 2006
