Six South African bowlers have been included on a list of the 50 best bowlers of all time.
Allan Donald is the highest-ranked Protea (seventh), with Shaun Pollock (16th) and Dale Steyn (18th) cracking the top 20 of the list compiled by the Stadium Talk website.
“Donald was South Africa’s first superstar in the post-apartheid era,” the site said. “He bowled with serious pace and threatened even the best batsmen of his generation.
“Donald’s fiery spell against Mike Atherton in 1998 at Trent Bridge was a pure exhibition of fast bowling. The South African’s short-pitch deliveries at express pace were too much to handle for Atherton.
“His ODI bowling average, 21.78, is the best among bowlers who have picked up 200-plus wickets. Also, his ODI bowling strike rate was the fifth best of bowlers with 200-plus wickets.”
Donald has taken the fourth-most Test wickets for South Africa (330 in 72 Tests at an average of 22.25), behind Makhaya Ntini (390 in 101 Tests at an average of 28.82), Pollock (421 in 108 Tests at an average of 23.11) and Steyn (439 in 93 Tests at an average of 22.95).
Ntini is ranked 33rd on the list, with Morne Morkel 36th and Vernon Philander 48th.
No South African bowler who played Test cricket before 1991 was included, with the likes of Hugh Tayfield, Neil Adcock, Peter Pollock and Mike Procter all overlooked.
Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who took 800 wickets in 133 Tests at an average of 22.72, was voted No 1, followed by Australia fast bowler Glenn McGrath and spinner Shane Warne.
Top 10:
1. Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka)
2. Glenn McGrath (Australia)
3. Shane Warne (Australia)
4. Wasim Akram (Pakistan)
5. Richard Hadlee (New Zealand)
6. Joel Garner (West Indies)
7. Allan Donald (South Africa)
8. Curtly Ambrose (West Indies)
9. Dennis Lillee (Australia)
10. Malcolm Marshall (West Indies)
