Morne Morkel

At 1.96 metres tall, Morne Morkel was the classic hit-the-deck fast bowler - long-limbed, menacingly quick, and capable of extracting bounce from even the flattest surfaces. At his peak he combined pace in the high 140s with sharp lift and late movement, forming a formidable new-ball partnership with Dale Steyn, and later with Vernon Philander, to give South Africa one of the most balanced and feared bowling attacks in the world.

The younger brother of allrounder Albie Morkel, Morne rose through the ranks at Easterns before making his Test debut against India in 2006. Two years later he had established himself with a starring role in South Africa's first Test series win in England since readmission, finishing joint-highest on the wicket-takers' tally for the series. He took 43 Test wickets that year. His height and bounce made Morkel a natural weapon in seaming conditions, but it was his growing control - once considered his weakness - that made him indispensable in all formats.

Morkel's best years came between 2010 and 2015, when he was ranked among the top ten bowlers across formats. He claimed 49 Test wickets in the first year of that span, and he was briefly the No. 1 ODI bowler in the world in 2011. He was South Africa's leading wicket-taker on their 2012 tour of Australia, where South Africa retained their Test No. 1 position, and then at the 2015 World Cup. Though often overshadowed by Steyn's brilliance or Philander's precision, Morkel's hostility and stamina were central to South Africa's rise to the top of world cricket.

He produced several memorable spells: unsettling Michael Hussey repeatedly (he dismissed him eight times, as too he did Andrew Strauss; Alastair Cook was out 12 times to Morkel), roughing up England's top order in 2012, and leading a depleted attack with reverse-swing mastery in India in 2015. Injuries, particularly to his back and ankle, occasionally stalled his rhythm, but he remained a workhorse, often bowling long spells in tough conditions.

Morkel retired from international cricket in 2018 with 544 international wickets across formats, marking his farewell with a home series win over Australia. He then joined English county side Surrey as a Kolpak player, helping them win that year's County Championship, and went on to turn out in the Big Bash League for Brisbane Heat.

After retirement, Morkel turned to coaching, including a stint as Pakistan's bowling coach in 2023, before moving on to the same role for India.