Peter Kirsten

Peter Kirsten was almost 37 by the time he made his Test debut, because of South Africa's omission from the Test arena in the 1970s and '80s. At that time Kirsten, a wristy, uncompromising batsman and a glorious fielder, was a prolific runscorer for Western Province and Derbyshire. In 1976-77 he hit five centuries in consecutive innings, and six in seven. His talents were fading by the time he played Test cricket, but he battled doggedly, not least at Adelaide in 1993-94. South Africa had to draw to take the series against Australia, but Kirsten's 79 (in 310 minutes) and 42 (in 259) were agonisingly in vain. He made his only Test hundred at Headingley in 1994, in his penultimate Test. His half-brother Gary became South Africa's most capped player and top Test runscorer.
Rob Smyth