Herschelle Gibbs

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Herschelle Gibbs
South Africa (SA)
Herschelle Gibbs
Batting style Right-handed batsman (RHB)
Bowling type Right-arm Medium (RM)
Tests ODIs
Matches 77 185
Runs scored 5599 6117
Batting average 44.79 35.77
100s/50s 14/21 16/25
Top score 228 175
Balls bowled 6 -
Wickets - -
Bowling average - -
5 wickets in innings - -
10 wickets in match - N/A
Best bowling - -
Catches/stumpings 68/- 77/-

As of 6 May 2006
Source: Cricinfo.com

Herschelle Herman Gibbs (born 23 February 1974 in Cape Town) is a South African cricketer, more specifically a batsman. He is able to play, amongst other shots the cover drive, the square cut and the leg glance with some style. At backward point, he is considered by some to be the next Jonty Rhodes. Gibbs is said to rarely practice in the nets before a match. It is said he prefers to play on instinct in this case.

Gibbs is remembered for dropping a sitter off Australia's Steve Waugh during the 1999 World Cup, one which would cost South Africa dearly. (Steve Waugh's famous misattribution, "You have just dropped the World Cup, son!", is said to have occurred at this point.[1]) He was also involved in the match fixing affair with former captain Hansie Cronje, who offered him $15,000 to score "less than 20" in the 3rd One-day International of a series. He tearfully claimed to the King Commission of inquiry into corruption in South African cricket that he didn't follow through on his side of the bargain, in fact scoring a fine 74. As a result he was banned for only six months. He has since repeatedly refused to tour India fearing arrest and has refused to even speak to Indian Police over the matter.

However, Gibbs was named in the South African squad to tour India in the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy, and as a result, he will have to meet with Indian Police over his involvement in the match-fixing scandal. [2]

In the past two series against England and the West Indies he was brought down the order from opening batsman to the middle order due to lack of form. After the move he regained form and looked more comfortable batting against the older ball.

On March 12, 2006, Herschelle Gibbs played a monumental innings against Australia, scoring 175 off just 111 balls leading South Africa to victory in the highest scoring one-day international match in history.

On April 22, 2006, Gibbs paid the price for his recent run-drought, and was dropped for the second and third Tests against the New Zealand cricket team. He has been short of confidence in Test cricket of late, and scored only 6 and 2 in the First Test at Centurion Park. South Africa's chief selector, Haroon Lorgat said, "We had a meeting and agreed that a break and a fresh start next season will do him a world of good." This decision has been widely viewed as a harsh one.

Gibbs, in India in October 2006 for the Champions Trophy, travelled to Mumbai, India with his attorney and was questioned by the New Delhi police on 12 October in connection with his alleged role in a 2000 cricket match-fixing scandal.

Herschelle Gibbs' career performance graph.
Enlarge
Herschelle Gibbs' career performance graph.


South Africa South Africa squad - 2003 Cricket World Cup South Africa

1 Pollock | 2 Boucher | 3 Boje | 4 Dippenaar | 5 Donald | 6 Gibbs | 7 Hall | 8 Kallis | 9 Kirsten | 10 Klusener | 11 Langeveldt | 12 Ntini | 13 Peterson | 14 Rhodes | 15 Zondeki