Morné Morkel

Personal information
Full name	Morné Morkel
Born	(1984-10-06) 6 October 1984 (age 27) Vereeniging, Transvaal Province, South Africa
Nickname	Tuna
Height	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Batting style	Left-hand
Bowling style	Right-arm fast
Role	Bowler
Relations	JA Morkel (brother)
International information
National side	South Africa
Test debut (cap 300)	26 December 2006 v India
Last Test	23 March 2012 v New Zealand
ODI debut (cap 89)	6 June 2007 v Asia XI
Last ODI	3 March 2012 v New Zealand
ODI shirt no.	65
Domestic team information
Years	Team
2005–present	Titans (squad no. 65)
2008	Yorkshire
2007	Kent
2004–2006	Easterns
2011–present	Delhi Daredevils
Career statistics
Competition	Test	ODI	FC	LA
Matches	36	52	71	75
Runs scored	497	117	1,189	222
Batting average	12.74	9.00	15.24	10.57
100s/50s	0/0	0/0	0/4	0/0
Top score	40	25	82*	35
Balls bowled	7,016	2,573	12,869	3,548
Wickets	129	87	260	115
Bowling average	30.57	24.04	27.49	24.94
5 wickets in innings	4	0	11	1
10 wickets in match	0	n/a	2	0
Best bowling	5/20	4/10	6/43	5/34
Catches/stumpings	11/–	16/–	31/–	21/–
Source: Cricinfo, 23 January 2012

Morné Morkel (born 6 October 1984)^[1] is a cricketer who plays Test and limited overs cricket for South Africa. He is a right-arm fast bowler with "genuine pace" according to former South African fast bowler Allan Donald,^[2] and a useful lower order left-handed batsman. However, after a poor run of form, Morkel was dropped from the Test team in 2009. His elder brother Albie Morkel took his place. He regained his Test place in 2010.

Indian Premier League[link]

In 2012, Morne collected the Purple Cap for the best wicket-taking bowler. His team Delhi Daredevils finished first in the tables but failed to make the Playoff Final.

Career[link]

Debut[link]

Aged 19, Morkel began his first class career with a match for Easterns against the touring West Indians. He took the new ball with older brother Albie, who later played ODI cricket for South Africa, and began by delivering 17 no-balls in a five-over spell costing 54 runs against West Indies' batsmen Chris Gayle, Daren Ganga and Ramnaresh Sarwan. His first batting effort, however, was an unbeaten 44, which included a ninth-wicket stand of 141 with Albie as Easterns posted 313, trailing by 21. He claimed his first top-class wicket by dismissing Ramnaresh Sarwan, caught by Daryll Cullinan for 72, and improved to four no-balls in six overs.

Morkel played three further matches for Easterns in the 2003–04 season, which was Easterns' last in the SuperSport Series before South African domestic cricket was restructured. He continued to struggle with no-balls, bowling 41 in 71 completed overs. He took five wickets in the season, and Easterns won the SuperSport Series shield, for the teams knocked out of the main tournament.

South African domestic career[link]

In the 2004–05 season, Morkel played three more first class matches. Easterns, who had been placed in the second-tier UCB Provincial Cup and replaced by the franchise team Titans from Centurion, did not field Morkel for any of the first four games, but played him in their final game of the season against Border. In that Morkel took his first five-wicket-haul, though Border won by eight wickets after Easterns conceded 383 for nine and 108 for two. He also took nine wickets against the touring Zimbabweans, playing for a Combined XI of Easterns and Northerns, in which rain "rescued" the Zimbabweans from defeat.^[3] Morkel earned the call up to the first-tier Titans for the final game of the SuperSport Series season, and took three for 90 on the first day,^[4] which he improved to five for 122 before their opponents Western Province Boland declared. The Titans drew the match after following on, and Morkel ended the 2004–05 season with 20 first class wickets at a bowling average of 18.20. His no-ball ratio also improved, with 24 from 128.1 overs.

Morkel went on tour to Pakistan with South Africa Academy in August 2005, taking six wickets in two four-day matches, which did not have first class status. His wickets included four former Pakistani Under-19 players, all them batsmen or allrounders. He also went through without bowling a no-ball, but that problem returned when he played for the Titans in the International 20:20 Club Championship in Leicester, England in September. Morkel bowled two overs, with three no-balls and two wides, cost 41 runs, and the Titans lost by 67 after getting bowled out in 18 overs.

Morkel did not play in any of the first five first class games for the Titans in 2005–06, and also missed the first four Standard Bank Cup one-day games. However, after taking one for 24 from seven overs on one-day debut, where the team won by six wickets, he was retained for the remaining six games. He was responsible for one of ten four-wicket-hauls in the Standard Bank Cup that season, taking four for 41 as the Titans bowled out Cape Cobras for 189 to win by 19 runs and secured a top-two finish in the league stage. He took nine wickets at an average of 18.22 overall, but was dropped for Ethy Mbhalati in the semi-final, which the Titans won by ten wickets. He was then named in the initial eleven for the final, but he was subbed off for his brother Albie when the Titans were at 86 for six; the Titans lost by two wickets after Albie took three for 13. He was then given all six games for the Titans in Pro20, taking four wickets with an economy rate of 7.63 - largely increased by 60 runs in six overs in his last two matches, the last of which, the semi-final, had been shortened to a 7-over affair. He also played two first class matches in the SuperSport Series, contributing six wickets to the Titans' two victories, but was nevertheless dropped for the final three games and the final.

National recognition[link]

Morkel bowling in the Adelaide Oval nets, January 2009.

The 2006–07 season began with the renamed Standard Bank Cup, now known as the MTN Domestic Championship, where Morkel missed the first four games and instead played provincial cup cricket for Easterns. However, after the Titans had lost three successive games, Morkel replaced Pieter de Bruyn in the eleven, and conceded 17 runs from nine overs as the Titans successfully defended 213 in 45 overs against former internationals Murray Goodwin and HD Ackerman of the Warriors. With Morkel, the team won two and lost three games, but still finished last in the league stage and did not qualify for the semi-finals. However, no bowler in the MTN Championship with more than five wickets had a lower bowling average than Morkel's 19.^[5]

Now recognition came quickly. Having taken six wickets in the one-run victory over Eagles in the SuperSport Series, and also having scored a half-century as the Titans set a target of 178,^[6] Morkel was called up to the Rest of South Africa side to face India two weeks later, thus missing the Titans' clash with Lions in the SuperSport Series. Morkel took four wickets, all of them in the first innings when India fell to 69 for five, and despite Alfonso Thomas' haul of seven for 56 in the second innings, it was Morkel who replaced Dale Steyn to make his Test debut three weeks later, on the 2006–07 Boxing Day Test in Durban against India.^[7]

He made his ODI debut playing for an Africa XI side again their Asian counterparts and took 3 wickets. In the following game he opened the bowling with his brother Albie and this was the first time in ODI history that two brothers have done so.

Morkel was then selected in the South African squad for the inaugural Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa, and went on to become one of the stars of the tournament, despite many feeling Twenty20 was a format with little scope for bowlers. Morkel bowled with consistent pace and accuracy, finishing with 9 wickets at 13.33 and an economy rate of 6.00, considered excellent in this form of the game.^[8] This haul included a matchwinning spell of 4/17 against New Zealand, all wickets being caught behind or bowled, and he was denied his 5th wicket in his final over only due to an incorrect no-ball call when he had clean bowled the batsman.^[9] This would have been the first 5 wicket hall ever taken in international Twenty20 cricket. The host nation may have gone on to be eliminated from the tournament, but Morkel's bowling, along with the big hitting of his brother Albie, was unquestionably one of their biggest positives to emerge from the event.

Morkel was subsequently selected for the tour of Pakistan, but unfortunately suffered a broken bone in his foot in the warm up match preceding the first test. Further opportunities are sure to lie ahead. The injury wasn't too severe and Morkel picked up five crucial wickets as Pakistan collapsed to 248 all out. He stated that he still felt more was to come from him ^[10]

England[link]

Morkel has played in England for Kent and began the 2008 season deputising for Rana Naved at Yorkshire. Rumours that he had been part of the second round of auctioning for the Indian Premier League, and signed a $60,000 contract with Rajasthan Royals, initially put Morkel's move to Yorkshire into doubt. However, Yorkshire were assured that he had not signed a contract to play in the IPL.^[11]

On his Yorkshire debut against Nottinghamshire, Morkel picked up a hamstring injury which meant his time with Yorkshire was cut short.^[12] He played in only one County Championship game for Yorkshire.^[1]

Personal life[link]

Morné hails from an Afrikaner family, who are big cricket fans. Morné is the youngest of three children of Albert and Mariana Morkel, making Albie the second of three children.

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Morne Morkel

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Template:South Africa Squad 1999 ICC World Twenty20

v t e South Africa squad – 2009 ICC World Twenty20 Semi-Finalists 1 Smith (c) 2 Abdulla 3 Botha 4 Boucher 5 de Villiers 6 Duminy 7 Gibbs 8 Kallis 9 A. Morkel 10 M. Morkel 11 Ontong 12 Parnell 13 Peterson 14 Steyn 15 van der Merwe Coach: Arthur

v t e South Africa squad – 2010 ICC World Twenty20 1 Smith (c) 2 Bosman 3 Botha 4 Boucher 5 de Villiers 6 Duminy 7 Gibbs 8 Kallis 9 Kleinveldt 10 Langeveldt 11 A. Morkel 12 M. Morkel 13 Steyn 14 Theron 15 van der Merwe Coach: van Zyl

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (April 2008)

Simon Hill
Born	(1967-11-02) 2 November 1967 (age 44) Manchester, England
Occupation	Football broadcaster

Simon Hill is an Australian-based association football commentator.

British-based work[link]

After graduating from the University of Portsmouth in 1990, Hill began his work in the field of journalism, initially writing for newspapers as a freelance author while studying for the NCTJ Pre-Entry Course in Newspaper Journalism.

He landed his first job at a district radio station in south Wales. Soon after, Hill's career progressed to BBC local radio and eventually BBC World Service and BBC Radio Five Live, working as both a presenter and commentator on Premiership and European Football.

Hill began his television career at BBC, working on the digital channel BBC News 24 before he was approached to work as a presenter and reporter the new ITV Sport Channel.

Simon then moved in to freelancing roles for various TV and radio channels – including Capital Gold Radio

Australian-based work[link]

After more than a decade working in radio and television in the UK, Hill joined SBS Sport in Australia.

He was the local studio host for SBS's Ashes Cricket coverage (the main program was a relay from Channel 4 in the UK) in 2005 (Australia's tour of England).

He also commentated the 2006 FIFA World Cup as well as being a regular on Toyota World Sport and The World Game.

On 29 July 2006 he joined Fox Sports on a three year deal as its main commentator for the A-League as well as Fox Sports's weekly soccer show called Total Football. Hill also gives half time and full time analysis of the Premier League matches and supports Manchester City Football Club. On joining he said "For any true follower of football, Fox Sports is an absolute must, and for me it's a great fit."^{[citation needed]}

Career Journalistic or Commentary Coverage achievements[link]

• 1995 Toyota Cup - Japan
• 1996 European Football Championship - England
• 1998 African Cup of Nations - Burkina Faso
• 1998 FIFA World Cup - France
• 2004 Olympics - Athens, Greece
• 2005 Ashes Series - England
• 2005 World Cup Qualifier - Sydney, Australia and Montevideo, Uruguay
• 2006 FIFA World Cup - Germany
• 2006 onwards - Hyundai A-League and English Premier League
• 2007 AFC Asian Cup - Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam

Notes[link]

• SBS Profile of Simon Hill
• Hill and Harper join FOX Sports team

AB de Villiers

Personal information
Full name	Abraham Benjamin de Villiers
Born	(1984-02-17) 17 February 1984 (age 28) Pretoria, Transvaal Province, South Africa
Nickname	AB, Abbas
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Batting style	Right-handed
Bowling style	Right–arm medium
Role	Batsman, Wicket-keeper, South African ODI and T20 captain
International information
National side	South Africa
Test debut (cap 296)	17 December 2004 v England
Last Test	23 March 2012 v New Zealand
ODI debut (cap 78)	2 February 2005 v England
Last ODI	29 February 2012 v New Zealand
ODI shirt no.	17
Domestic team information
Years	Team
2008-2010	Delhi Daredevils
2004–	Titans (squad no. 17)
2003-2004	Northerns
2011-present	Royal Challengers Bangalore
Career statistics
Competition	Test	ODI	FC	LA
Matches	74	127	97	157
Runs scored	5,457	4,998	7,200	6,188
Batting average	49.16	49.00	48.97	48.34
100s/50s	13/29	13/28	16/42	15/37
Top score	278*	146	278*	146
Balls bowled	198	12	228	12
Wickets	2	0	2	0
Bowling average	49.50	–	66.50	–
5 wickets in innings	0	0	0	0
10 wickets in match	0	n/a	0	n/a
Best bowling	2/49	0/22	2/49	0/22
Catches/stumpings	99/1	99/3	144/2	122/3
Source: Cricinfo, 17 March 2012

Abraham Benjamin de Villiers (born 17 February 1984, Pretoria, Transvaal Province, South Africa) more commonly known by his initials AB is a South African cricketer and captain of the South African One Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 teams,^[1] having succeeded Graeme Smith in both roles after the 2011 Cricket World Cup. He is also part of Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League.

De Villiers is a right-handed batsman, who, in a very short space of time, has accumulated many runs in Tests including centuries against England, India, the West Indies and Australia. He has been dismissed in the 90s on five occasions in Tests. He still holds the record for most Test innings without registering a duck (78),^[2] before being dismissed for nought against Bangladesh in November 2008. He also holds the record for the highest individual score by a South African batsman in an innings, with 278*. He is an occasional wicketkeeper for the South African cricket team, and is commonly regarded as one of the best fielders currently in international cricket. AB de Villiers blasted the seventh fastest century in ODI cricket, in 58 balls, when he slammed an unbeaten 102 off just 59 balls against India in Ahmedabad in February 2010. He reached the top of the Test Batting rankings in March 2012.

Cricket career[link]

De Villiers (who played for Carrickfergus Cricket Club in Northern Ireland as a youngster) became the second youngest and second fastest South African to reach 1000 test runs after Graeme Pollock and in his test career so far De Villiers has batted, bowled and kept wicket as well. He is a talented sportsman and has excelled in golf (playing off scratch despite playing infrequently^[3]), rugby, cricket and tennis. However, he chose to pursue a career in cricket and, after a spell in the South Africa U19 team, he made his debut for the Titans in 2003/4.

He made his test debut as a 20 year old on 16 December 2004 against England at Port Elizabeth. He made an impression opening the batting, but was dropped down the order for the second test and also handed the wicket-keeping gloves. In this match, he made a match saving half century from number seven. However, he found himself at the top of the order again for the final test of the series and has played the majority of his tests there. Since then he has not missed a Test match and has also batted down the order in some tests leading to speculation that he may possibly take the place of Mark Boucher as the wicket-keeper/batsman when Boucher retires, although de Villiers has himself expressed a preference for playing as a specialist batsman only.^[4]

Despite a good tour of the Caribbean where he scored 178 to help South Africa seal a test series win, his rapid progress was halted on the tour of Australia in 2005. Despite playing Shane Warne well, he struggled and made just 152 runs in 6 innings. De Villiers holds the record for scoring most Test runs before getting out for a duck.

He has been used in a similar fashion to Jonty Rhodes in ODIs, opening the innings, although he currently bats in the middle order. The 2005 ODI tour to India represented a 'coming of age' for De Villiers as a cricketer as he scored his second ODI half century on 24 October 2006, batting 5th in a partnership with Mark Boucher, playing against an impressive Sri Lankan side. De Villiers gave the selectors a sign by producing his then highest one-day score of 92 not out, which included 12 fours and one six, from 98 balls against India in the 2006 winter series.

De Villiers has a reputation as an outstanding fielder, typified by a diving run-out of Simon Katich of Australia in 2006, when he dived to stop the ball, and while still lying on his stomach facing away from the stumps, he tossed the ball backwards over his shoulder and effected a direct hit. This has also led people to make further comparisons of him to Jonty Rhodes as he was also one of the finest fielders of his generation.

In 2009 He was nominated for ICC Cricketer of the year and ICC Test Player of the year.

On June 6, 2011, New SA coach Gary Kirsten announced that AB de Villiers will be South Africa's new limited-overs captain, at a news conference. "I'm very excited but I'm also inexperienced. But I've learnt a lot the last seven years from an unbelievable captain," De Villiers, who has never captained a team at first-class level, said. "It's a big responsibility, but there'll be a fresh look in the side, which is good.

World Cup 2007[link]

Coming into the 2007 Cricket World Cup he was in career best form in ODIs having hit four 50s during the South Africa vs India/Pakistan(2007) matches.

In the early stages of the tournament his form was poor with three failures including a duck against the Netherlands in a match where his team broke various records for batting. His talent was shown in a 92 in the first round against Australia which was made in a high pressure situation. Indeed it was around the time De Villiers got out (run out from the boundary by Shane Watson) when South Africa lost their way and went on to lose the game.

His highest innings to date in ODIs came in the Super 8 game against West Indies on 10 April. He made his maiden ODI hundred, 146 from just 130 balls including 5 sixes and 12 fours. This was despite batting with a runner for the latter stages of his innings and seemingly finding every shot painful due to a combination of cramps, heat exhaustion and dehydration. His innings consisted of a second wicket partnership of 170 with Jacques Kallis and a third wicket partnership of 70 with Herschelle Gibbs the latter of which was dominated by De Villiers batting on one leg. De Villiers innings set-up a total of 356/4 from 50 overs.

2008[link]

On 4 April 2008 he became the first South African to score a double century against India with his top score of 217*.

De Villiers scored an obdurate 174 that helped set up a ten-wicket win for South Africa in the second Test against England at Headingley Carnegie in Leeds in July 2008. This was followed by a 97 at The Oval before he came down the wicket trying to smash Panesar for a boundary and was clean bowled.

Tour of Australia 2008/09[link]

In the first Test in Perth, De Villiers scored a matchwinning century to help South Africa chase down the second highest ever fourth innings target of 414 with six wickets in hand. This was South Africa's first Test victory in Australia in 15 years and appeared to go a long way towards tilting world cricket's balance of power after over a decade of Australian dominance. De Villiers also took four diving catches in the course of the match, including one to dismiss Jason Krejza, a stunner at backward point.^[5]

De Villiers only scored 11 runs though in the second Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and made another low score in the first innings of the final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground. In the second innings of that Test though, De Villiers scored a patient half-century as South Africa almost held on for an against-the-odds draw.^[6]

In the 4th ODI in Adelaide he played as wicketkeeper after Boucher was ruled out. He then scored 82 not out from 85 balls with 6 fours and a six to win the series and was named man of the match.

Return Series, Johannesburg 2009[link]

In the first Test at the Wanderers Stadium, De Villiers provided lone resistance in the first innings against a bowling attack led by pace bowler, Mitchell Johnson, scoring 104* of 185 balls with 9 fours and 1 six, whilst his teammates all fell for under 50. But in the second innings he made only 3 of 7.

In the third test, after centuries from Ashwell Prince and Jacques Kallis, de Villiers became the third centurion of the innings with a score of 163 off 196 balls with 12 fours and 7 sixes. This knock also tied the record of most sixes in an over as de Villiers, off a McDonald over, hit four consecutive sixes.

In the following 5 game ODI series, de Villiers played consistently, although starting badly in the first game, scoring only 2 runs. However, he went on to make 36*, 80, 84, and 38, and was named Player of the Series at the conclusion of game 5.

Series against Zimbabwe October 2010[link]

He was rested for the two-match Twenty20 series against Zimbabwe and because Mark Boucher was injured as well Heino Kuhn donned the keeping gloves. de Villiers returned for the series against and also took over the gloves a still recovering Mark Boucher and did well against Zimbabwe scoring two centuries out of the three ODI's as South Africa won the three match series 3-0 comfortably.

Against Pakistan in October 2010[link]

His major challenge came against Pakistan where for the two Twenty20 matches he was in charge of the gloves. In the first match he was out for a second-ball duck courtesy of a superb delivery by Shoaib Akhtar. In the second T20I he scored 11 runs. He then participated in the five-match ODI series where South Africa were chasing 203 to win and he scored 51 before he was caught and bowled by Saeed Ajmal. In the second ODI he scored 29 as he was bowled by Shahid Afridi in the same match a flamboyant Abdul Razzaq played the greatest innings of his life to lift Pakistan to an unbelivable victory. During the third match he scored 19 before he was stumped by Zulqarnain Haider it turned out to be a mistake by the umpire as he had pressed the wrong button. In the fourth match he missed out on a half-century while on 49 when he gifted his wicket to the fielder at point. His good form in the series continued when he scored 61 in the final ODI as South Africa won by 57 runs and the series 3-2.

Indian Premier League[link]

In the fourth season of Indian Premier League, he was contracted by Royal Challengers Bangalore for US$1.1 million. He played for the Delhi Daredevils in the previous seasons.

ICC World Cup 2011[link]

AB de Villiers scored two successive centuries in the 2011 World Cup. He became the first South African to score two centuries in a single World Cup and the fifth batsman after Mark Waugh, Saeed Anwar, Rahul Dravid and Matthew Hayden to score two consecutive centuries in a single World Cup tournament. He also became the 16th batsman to score two or more centuries in one World Cup tournament. AB de Villiers' strike rate of 136.73 is the highest among South African batsmen who have scored centuries in World Cup matches. With his third player of the match award in World Cups, de Villiers is joint second with Jacques Kallis on the list of South African players with most match awards in World Cups. Lance Klusener heads the list with five awards.

2011–present[link]

In the 2011–12 South African summer, de Villiers featured in the home series against Australia and against Sri Lanka. In the latter, he scored a century (160 not out) in South Africa's win in the third and deciding Test of the series. He was named the player of the series, having scored 353 runs at an average of 117.66.^[7] He then led South Africa for his first series since being appointed captain of the One Day International team. In his first match as captain, South Africa inflicted the heaviest defeat in Sri Lanka's history, with a 258-run win in Paarl on 11 January 2012.^[8] It was also the largest margin of victory (by runs) in an ODI match between two Test-playing teams.^[9] South Africa went on to win the ODI series, and de Villiers was named player of the series, having scored 329 runs at an average of 109.66,^[10] including a century (125 not out) in the fifth and final match in Johannesburg.^[11]

Statistics[link]

Career Best Performances[link]

	Batting				Bowling
	Score	Fixture	Venue	Season	Figures	Fixture	Venue	Season
Tests	278*	South Africa v  Pakistan	Abu Dhabi	2010-	2/49	South Africa v  West Indies	St. John's	2005
ODI	146	South Africa v  West Indies	St. George's	2007	n/a
T20I	79*	South Africa v  Scotland	The Oval	2009	n/a
FC	278*	South Africa v  Pakistan	Abu Dhabi	2008	2/49	South Africa v  West Indies	St. John's	2005
LA	146	South Africa v  West Indies	St. George's	2007	n/a
T20	105*	Delhi Daredevils v Chennai Super Kings	Durban	2009	n/a

Test analysis[link]

Record against opponents[link]

Opponent[12]	Matches	Innings	Not out	Runs	High Score	100	50	Average
Australia	14	25	2	1024	163	3	8	44.52
Bangladesh	4	5	1	69	46	0	0	17.25
England	13	23	1	1022	174	2	6	46.05
India	11	19	1	675	217*	2	1	37.50
New Zealand	8	12	0	428	127	0	3	35.66
Pakistan	7	13	3	487	278*	1	1	48.70
Sri Lanka	5	8	1	570	160*	1	4	81.42
West Indies	10	18	5	1037	178	4	5	79.76
Zimbabwe	2	2	0	145	98	0	1	72.50
TOTAL	74	125	14	5,457	278*	13	29	49.72

Records by location[link]