Spin bowlers of genuine potential are a rarity in South Africa, much less the jewels who can hold a bat as well as field with attacking intent. Peterson, a left-arm finger spinner from Eastern Province, fills all three vacancies more than competently. At first glance he seems an overly orthodox slow bowler, but he turns the ball appreciably given help from the pitch and is invariably a tidy operator with a steadily developing understanding of flight. Peterson has also cultivated an unusual delivery that turns into the right-handed batsmen.He was part of the South African Under-19 team that took on Pakistan and England, and he played the Under-19 World Cup in 1998. Peterson made his Test debut in 2003 against Bangladesh, taking five wickets and scored 61. It was in Bangladesh where he took his first five-wicket haul as well, on the 2008 tour.

Given more chances in ODIs, Peterson has failed to grab the opportunities. With his bowling hardly a threat to the opposition batsmen, it is not surprising that one of his ODI career highlights is his winning boundary - an outside edge past slip - in South Africa's one-wicket victory over Sri Lanka at Providence during the 2007 World Cup.
Neil Manthorp/Jamie Alter March 2008

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Dec 8, 2008 Robin Peterson slides into Ashwell Prince © Getty Images

Mar 3, 2008 Andre Nel congratulates Robin Peterson for taking his five-for © AFP

Mar 2, 2008 Robin Peterson is congratulated by his team-mates after taking a wicket © Getty Images

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