Cricinfo - Players and Officials

Full name Gary Kirsten
Born November 23, 1967, Cape Town, Cape Province
Current age 40 years 171 days
Major teams South Africa, Western Province
Batting style Left-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm offbreak
Other Coach
Education Rondebosch BHS; University of Cape Town
Relations Father - N Kirsten, Brother - P Kirsten, Half-brother - PN Kirsten, Half-brother - AM Kirsten

Batting and fielding averages
	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	4s	6s	Ct	St
Tests	101	176	15	7289	275	45.27	16813	43.35	21	34	922	12	83	0
ODIs	185	185	19	6798	188*	40.95	9436	72.04	13	45	659	20	61	1
First-class	221	387	42	16670	275	48.31			46	79			171	0
List A	294	289	27	9586	188*	36.58			18	58			97	1

Bowling averages
	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w
Tests	101	15	349	142	2	1/0	1/0	71.00	2.44	174.5	0	0
ODIs	185	3	30	23	0	-	-	-	4.60	-	0	0
First-class	221		1727	836	20	6/68		41.80	2.90	86.3		1
List A	294		138	112	3	1/25	1/25	37.33	4.86	46.0	0	0

Career statistics
Test debut	Australia v South Africa at Melbourne, Dec 26-30, 1993 scorecard
Last Test	New Zealand v South Africa at Wellington, Mar 26-30, 2004 scorecard
Test statistics
ODI debut	Australia v South Africa at Sydney, Dec 14, 1993 scorecard
Last ODI	South Africa v Sri Lanka at Durban, Mar 3, 2003 scorecard
ODI statistics
First-class span	1987/88 - 2003/04
List A span	1988/89 - 2003/04

Profile

Perhaps it was the hairstyle, but Gary Kirsten always seemed a little older than he was. Then again, it might just be that he became so established at the top of the batting order that it's almost impossible to think how South Africa will cope without him. It's probably fair to say that Kirsten was never blessed with the flair and the almost pure technique of his half-brother Peter. But when it comes to determination, the ability to concentrate for long periods and a burning desire to score runs, there was little to choose between them. A left-hander with a relatively unique technique, Kirsten simply worked out his strengths and weaknesses and based his game around them. In this respect he was probably the most organised batsman to play for South Africa since their readmission. Calm and level-headed, he brought a healthy degree of common sense to the art of batting, which possibly explains why off the field and in the dressing room the dafter side of his personality came out. Periodically, Kirsten endured patches when he persistently got out in similar fashion - chopping the ball on to his stumps, for instance, or getting himself caught down the leg side. Each time this happened, though, Kirsten worked through the problem, made the adjustments and played himself back into form. He enjoyed particular success on the sub-continent - where other players have floundered against the turning ball. Kirsten, though, was drawn on patience and soft hands to see him through. And if there was any player likely to score a big hundred, then it was Kirsten. His best of 275, a result of batting for over 14 and a half hours as South Africa followed on against England at Kingsmead in 1999-00, still stands as the second-longest innings (in terms of duration) in Test history. He then returned to haunt England in 2003 and gutsed out a crucial 130 in the Headingley Test, which South Africa won by 191 runs. His good form in that series persuaded him to postpone his retirement until the end of the New Zealand tour in 2003-04. Fittingly, he scored a century in the first Test of that series - his 99th - and scored a typically gritty 76 in his final game to help South Africa tie the series. After retiring, he spent some time with the Warriors as a consultant batting coach and, in 2006, set up his own academy in Cape Town. In December 2007, he signed a two-year deal to coach India.
Peter Robinson / Cricinfo Staff December 2007

Apr 5, 2008

Gary Kirsten shakes hands with Mark Boucher
© Getty Images

Mar 30, 2008

Makhaya Ntini has a hearty laugh with Gary Kirsten
© Getty Images

Mar 24, 2008

Gary Kirsten watches Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble train
© AFP

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