Full name Kepler Christoffel Wessels
Born September 14, 1957, Bloemfontein, Orange Free State
Current age 63 years 130 days
Major teams Australia, South Africa, Eastern Province, Griqualand West, Northern Transvaal, Orange Free State, Queensland, Sussex, Valley District Cricket Club, Western Province
Batting style Left-hand bat
Other Umpire, Referee, Coach
Relation Son - MH Wessels
Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | BF | SR | 100 | 50 | 4s | 6s | Ct | St | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tests | 40 | 71 | 3 | 2788 | 179 | 41.00 | 5998 | 46.48 | 6 | 15 | 304 | 3 | 30 | 0 |
ODIs | 109 | 105 | 7 | 3367 | 107 | 34.35 | 6088 | 55.30 | 1 | 26 | 263 | 2 | 49 | 0 |
First-class | 316 | 539 | 50 | 24738 | 254 | 50.58 | 66 | 132 | 268 | 0 | ||||
List A | 337 | 331 | 30 | 12503 | 146 | 41.53 | 15 | 90 | 151 | 0 |
Mat | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w | 10 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tests | 40 | 6 | 90 | 42 | 0 | - | - | - | 2.80 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 |
ODIs | 109 | 23 | 749 | 666 | 18 | 2/16 | 2/16 | 37.00 | 5.33 | 41.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
First-class | 316 | 1416 | 574 | 13 | 2/25 | 44.15 | 2.43 | 108.9 | 0 | 0 | |||
List A | 337 | 1321 | 1120 | 36 | 4/24 | 4/24 | 31.11 | 5.08 | 36.6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Test debut | Australia v England at Brisbane, Nov 26-Dec 1, 1982 scorecard |
Last Test | England v South Africa at The Oval, Aug 18-21, 1994 scorecard |
Test statistics | |
ODI debut | Australia v New Zealand at Melbourne, Jan 9, 1983 scorecard |
Last ODI | Pakistan v South Africa at Faisalabad, Oct 28, 1994 scorecard |
ODI statistics | |
First-class span | 1973/74 - 1999/00 |
List A span | 1974/75 - 1998/99 |
Kepler Wessels was a cricket itinerant and boxing aficionado who, before opening for Australia for four years, played in his native South Africa, in England and in World Series Cricket. He subsequently played for an Australian rebel team in South Africa, and then became SA's first Test captain of the modern era. A fit, lean, brave and slightly ungainly left-hand bat, he made 162 on debut for Australia and averaged 56 in a series against West Indies, no mean feat then. A seemingly severe man, Wessels enjoyed only qualified popularity among Australians, who were unsurprised to see him return to South Africa, but with an average of 43 in 24 Tests, he did give Australia stout service at a difficult time. He went into coaching after retiring, and while he was initially successful at Northants, he found it hard to drive a side operating on a shoestring and he left by mutual consent midway through the 2006 season.
Greg Baum
Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1995