Cricket: Jacques Kallis
Brad Morgan
It's a toss-up between Jacques Kallis and Shaun Pollock as to who is the best all-rounder in world cricket. If your leaning is more towards a batsman, then Kallis would be your choice; if you lean towards a bowler, then Pollock would be your pick. Kallis is, however, the more popular choice.Kallis and Pollock are arguably the most valuable players in South Africa's national cricket team, and it is beyond a doubt that the wicket most prized by the opposition is that of Kallis.
Considering the start that Kallis made to his test career, that is an amazing statement to make.
Slow Start
He made his test debut in December 1995 against England, managing only one. His next seven test innings produced only 57 runs, leaving him with an average of 7.13. In his next test a knock of 61 against Pakistan saw his average 'rocket' to 13.11.
Kallis was then selected for South Africa's tour of Australia, hardly the place to tour if you're looking to improve on your record. Playing in front of a massive Melbourne Cricket Ground Boxing Day crowd, Kallis made 15 in the first innings of the first test against the Australians, but in the second innings, with the Proteas set an improbable 381 for victory, Kallis showed magnificent fight and mental toughness to occupy the crease for three minutes shy of six hours in making 101.
That effort saved the test for South Africa, and became the turning point in Kallis' career.
Since that day in December 1997, he has become the cornerstone of South Africa's batting, lifting his average continually so that by the completion of the series against the West Indies in April 2005 he averaged 56.87, whilst having become South Africa's all time leading test run scorer with 7 337 to his name. He also topped the LG ICC test batting rankings, which showed how remarkably he had improved since his less than impressive start in test cricket.
After his breakthrough series against Australia, Kallis, admittedly, still did not play up to his potential, averaging 31.80 in a series in Pakistan and then 21.33 against Sri Lanka, but the signs were there that better things were to come from the talented all-rounder. Matters improved against England, when he averaged 42, but it was in the next series against the West Indies that Kallis truly became a star.
All round brilliance
The Caribbean islanders visited South Africa for a five-test series in November 1998, and Kallis was the undoubted star of the show. He tallied 485 runs, over 100 runs more than the next highest aggregate by a batsman, with an average of 69.28, over 22 runs better than the next best offering. In addition, Kallis claimed 17 wickets at the very decent average of 17.58, a performance narrowly bettered by Shaun Pollock and Allan Donald.
In the fourth test at his home ground, Newlands, Kallis delivered one of the greatest all-round performances in test history. In South Africa’s first innings he made 110 and then followed that up with 2 for 34 as the Proteas took a first innings lead of 194. Batting a second time he finished unbeaten on 88 as South Africa declared on 226 for 7, leaving the West Indies requiring an unlikely 421 for victory.
With Allan Donald having injured himself, Kallis, despite spending almost eleven-and-a-half hours at the crease while batting, was called on to open the bowling with Shaun Pollock. He responded magnificently, sending down 27.4 overs and capturing 5 for 90. There was no doubt who the man of the match was, and Kallis went on to be named man of the series.
SA faced their neighbours Zimbabwe in Novermber 1999 and Kallis sparkled in the only test, scoring 115 in South Africa's total of 462, which was enough to take the team to an overpowering victory by an innings and 219 runs.
When England toured South Africa in 1999/2000, Kallis averaged 49.05 in the five-test series, scoring 105 in fourth test at Newlands, which the Proteas won by an innings and 37 runs, on their way to a 2-1 series triumph.
South Africa toured India early in 2000. Playing a two-test series, the side recorded a rare series victory on Indian soil, sweeping the hosts 2-0. In the first test Kallis played a crucial innings of 36 not out on a spiteful pitch to help SA to a four-wicket win, while in the second test he made 95 as the touring team won by a huge margin of an innings and 71 runs.
In Sri Lanka, in mid-year, Kallis had one of his less successful series, averaging only 31.82 as South Africa drew the test series 1-1.
New Zealand toured South Africa in November 2000. Kallis lifted his game for the challenge of the Black Caps, sharing the man of the match award with Makhaya Ntini in Bloemfontein, as his first innings of 160 played a vital role in a South Africa victory by five wickets. He finished the series with an average of 71.75
The Kiwis struggled to remove Kallis in the ODI series as he finished unbeaten three times, to help the Proteas to a 5-0 thrashing of the tourists. He tallied 235 runs at 78.33, including 93 in a match-winning stand of 172 with Gary Kirsten in the fourth one-dayer.
In December, the Sri Lankans headed for South Africa. On home soil, the Proteas dominated, winning the test series 2-0 and the one-day series 5-1. Kalli suffered through a poor test series, scoring only 92 runs in four innings, but he fared better in the one-dayers, winning the man of the match award for an unbeaten 100 in the third ODI, as South Africa took an eight-wicket victory.
Zimbabwe tackled South Africa in September 2001. They couldn't contain Kallis as he scored 157, 42, and 189 without being dismissed once in the test series. He added scores of 83 and 26 in the ODI series.
In November 2001, South Africa took on India at home. In the two tests Kallis averaged over 100 as he topped 200 runs, which helped SA win the
series 1-0.
In December 2001/January 2002, SA visited Australia. Again, Kallis was the Proteas' top batsman, making 245 runs at 49.00, and missing out on a deserved century when he was run out for 99 in the second test.
1 000 Test runs in a calendar year
Kallis' performances in 2001 firmly established him among the elite of world cricket. He managed the rarely achieved 1 000 Test runs in a calendar year, compiling 1 120 runs at an average of 70. Australian captain Steve Waugh, a man who rarely praises opponents, said of the Western Province star: "We've tried simply everything against this guy, but we can't find a weakness in his game".
Early in 2002, Australia, the top team in the world, visited South African shores. By his standards, Kallis was admittedly a little quiet with the bat, scoring only 184 runs in six innings (one not out) and averaging 36.80. His bowling, however, was sound. He was SA's leading wicket taker, dismissing 11 Aussies.
In the one-day series, Kallis fared better, making two fifties, including a blistering unbeaten 80 off only 59 deliveries in Port Elizabeth.
In November 2002, he was a cornerstone of South Africa's two-nil test series victory over Sri Lanka. In the first test - won by SA by an innings and 64 runs - Kallis scored 84 and captured 3 for 35 in the tourists' first innings.
In the second test he tallied 84 in the second innings and also knocked over 4 for 39 and 3 for 71 with the ball.
He finished the series as the Proteas' second highest wicket-taker and was also third in the batting averages at 55 per innings.
Since that time and up until February 2002, Kallis has played in 14 series. In nine of those he averaged over 50 with the bat. Twice he narrowly missed that mark, averaging 49.50 against England in 1999 and 49 against Australia in 2001.
1 000 Test runs in a calendar year
Kallis’ performances in
2001 firmly established him among the elite of world cricket. He managed the rarely achieved 1 000 Test runs in a calendar year, compiling 1 120 runs at an average of 70. Australian captain Steve Waugh, a man who rarely praises opponents, said of the Western Province star: "We've tried simply everything against this guy, but we can’t find a weakness in his game".
Kallis’ primary weapon may be his mental strength. If the Australians cannot get to him, there is no reason to believe any other side can. Besides this, he has shown on many occasions the ability to grind out an innings, spending hour upon hour at the crease, refusing to give his wicket away despite the onslaught of fatigue. He has the ability to construct an innings ball-by-ball, playing each delivery on its merit, no matter what is happening to the rest of the batsmen in the team.
Kallis is a majestic player with a solid technique and this, together with an unflappable temperament, makes him a top-class test batsman. He has at times been criticised for a perceived inability to accelerate his scoring rate as a one-day batsman, but it appears that he is improving in this area. His limited-overs average is nearly as high as his test average, which today (31 January) is just over 50, the mark of a batsman of the highest quality. In the Test cricket ratings as of 31 January 2003 he was ranked third amongst batsmen and seventh among bowlers. Is there any doubt who the best all round cricketer is in the world today?
Superb record
Up until the end of the two-Test series against Pakistan in December 2002 and heading towards the 2003 Cricket World Cup, Kallis had scored 11 centuries and 25 fifties, an excellent conversion rate, demonstrating his ability to turn good scores into excellent scores. In limited-overs internationals Kallis has eight tons to his name, as well as 42 fifties and should barring a catastrophe of incredible proportions pass 6 000 in ODIs
during the World Cup. He reached the milestone of 3 000 runs and 100 wickets in one-day internationals faster than any other player in history.
As a fast-medium bowler he has the ability to surprise batsmen with his pace. His stock ball is the outswinger, and he can also bowl a vicious bouncer capable of unsettling the best of players. Besides his ability with both bat and ball, Kallis is also a top-class slip fielder, reminding one of Brian McMillan, who used to be such a star for South Africa in the slip cordon.
He is a cricketer respected by friend and foe alike, and a world-class player with a wonderful attitude to the game.
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