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South Africa lend to the game of cricket a touch of genius. This is the only side that has made as much a contribution to the spectacle that is cricket from the fielding department as it has from both bat and ball. Theirs are not just cricketers; but luminaries whose skills have added a template of excellence to the game of cricket.
Theirs are not successful cricketers but talents whose successes have immortalised the sport. Whether it's the like of the Pollock brothers or the great Barry Richards or the supreme of them all, Jacquis Kallis, South Africa cannot be imagined in isolation when it comes to the sport.
And more importantly, against the mightiest of opponents, their cricketers have usually always stood up to perform to the peak of excellence. Let us find.
Dale Steyn
Thinking of a great fast bowler who is adept at the art of the fatal in-swing and toe crushing yorkers, think of Bumrah later and Steyn up first. Throbbing veins, wracking nerves and a pompous exceptionally quick run up, Steyn was as fast as the build up to his own run up.
A true champion of the game of cricket and someone who kept up with exellence in the format despite picking several injuries but never giving up, Steyn will always be a great particularly because of his strengths despite playing against stern opponents such as Australia.
He took just 15 Test matches against Australia to pick up 70 scalps - let that sink in.
During this time, he bowled 3200 plus deliveries against a famed batting order and troubled them endlessly.
He is undoubtedly the most successful South African speedster versus the mighty Australian side.
Morne Morkel
Someone like a Steyn would swear by him, as would his captain back in the day, the great Graeme Smith. Morkel was a lanky, kind, committed, cheerful and simple fast bowler who bowled with a lot of heart and clear intent. A thorough gentleman, there was a simplicity about Morkel, whose contributions in the real sense of the word probably deserve more mention than they get.
From 16 Tests against the Aussies, the giant of South African fast bowling picked 58 wickets, a feat that sees him tied to Makhaya Ntini. He also delivered 103 maiden overs against Australia.
Makhaya Ntini
A fast bowler who should have perhaps bagged more wickets than he did and someone who played selflessly for the wins of South Africa, Ntini was a class act back in the day and bowled to some of the most challenging of all Aussie batters, including the great Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, and Ricky Ponting.
He played in plenty of contests against the mighty Australians, against whom he picked 58 wickets from just 15 Test matches. These were audacious numbers considering he bowled not less than 573 overs in the five day games against such an exceptional side. He also took a six-for versus the Aussies back in the day.
Vernon Philander
Philander was the classic template of a great fast bowler who was hardly ever anointed the tag, despite bowling accurately and generating pace on surfaces where it seemed it would be a touch difficult akin to visiting a real Jurassic Park and seeing dinos for real.
One of the most talented and respected fast bowlers of his generation, Philander walked into the sunset during a period of time where one giant South African talent had called time, beginning with Dale Steyn and as seen later, AB de Villiers and even Morne Morkel.
In just 14 Tests played against Australia, the right arm courageous seamer took 53 odd wickets, including a best of 6 for 21 and bowled, in all 111 maidens versus the Aussies.
Trevor Goddard
It's a shame that the modern era fans who are overly obsessed with franchise cricket and leagues mushrooming around the world at a rate faster than Dale Steyn's deliveries haven't heard of Trevord Goddard all that much, or have they?
Back in the day, the finest all round talent from South Africa and yet, someone whose contributions are seldom acknowledged by world cricket or its media, Goddard was daring and kind and spirited to the point of a mistake.
In the famed 1963-64 series against Australia where famously he and his team were dubbed hopeless, he led the Proteas to a series draw back in the day. Actually that particular tour launched the glowing careers of two great South Africans - Peter and Graeme Pollock, undisputed giants of the game.
A left hander, hence elegant by default, here was a techincally correct batter who also applied the best technique as a left arm quick. He took 123 Test wickets in his career for South Africa, 53 of which came from just 18 Tests (34 innings).
