
	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	4s	6s	Ct
Tests	90	154	7	6167	228	41.95	12270	50.26	14	26	887	47	94
ODIs	244	237	16	8038	175	36.37	9647	83.32	21	37	923	126	106
T20Is	20	20	1	359	90*	18.89	277	129.60	0	3	43	10	3
First-class	188	324	13	13166	228	42.33			31	58			169
List A	366	350	28	11230	175	34.87			25	59			163
Twenty20	65	63	6	1483	98	26.01	1216	121.95	0	12	151	45	31

Bowling averages


	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10
Tests	90	1	6	4	0	-	-	-	4.00	-	0	0	0
ODIs	244	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
T20Is	20	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
First-class	188		138	78	3	2/14		26.00	3.39	46.0		0	0
List A	366		66	57	2	1/16	1/16	28.50	5.18	33.0	0	0	0
Twenty20	65	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Career statistics

Test debut	India v South Africa at Kolkata, Nov 27-Dec 1, 1996 scorecard
Last Test	South Africa v West Indies at Durban, Jan 10-12, 2008 scorecard
Test statistics
ODI debut	Kenya v South Africa at Nairobi (Gym), Oct 3, 1996 scorecard
Last ODI	South Africa v Australia at Johannesburg, Apr 17, 2009 scorecard
ODI statistics
T20I debut	South Africa v New Zealand at Johannesburg, Oct 21, 2005 scorecard
Last T20I	Pakistan v South Africa at Nottingham, Jun 18, 2009 scorecard
T20I statistics
First-class debut	1990/91
Last First-class	Cape Cobras v Eagles at Cape Town, Feb 26-Mar 1, 2009 scorecard
List A debut	1990/91
Last List A	South Africa v Australia at Johannesburg, Apr 17, 2009 scorecard
Twenty20 debut	Western Province Boland v Dolphins at Cape Town, Apr 7, 2004 scorecard
Last Twenty20	Pakistan v South Africa at Nottingham, Jun 18, 2009 scorecard

Profile

Summoned from the school classroom as a 16-year-old to make his first-class debut in 1990, Herschelle Gibbs's feet moved beautifully at the crease but struggled to find the ground in real life. Admitting that a Test debut in front of 70,000 at Eden Gardens wasn't as nerve-wracking as sitting his final exams, as well as the fact that he reads little outside of magazines and comics, contributed to a reputation for simplicity. In fact, Gibbs can be a warm and generous person. His passion for one-liners and verbal jousting continues to hamper his advancement as a serious professional, and his brush with career death in the Cronje match-fixing scandal added to the impression of a man who had failed to grasp the magnitude of his impact on the nation's youth. A life-skills programme with the former Springbok rugby legend Morne du Plessis during the 2001 off-season was designed to address the matter.

At the crease, however, Gibbs can be invincible. There is no shot beyond his compass, while Test-match opening has not tempered his desire for explosive entertainment. The speed of his hands is hypnotic, frequently allowing him to hook off the front foot and keep out surprise lifters. His trademark is the lofted extra-cover drive, hit inside-out with the certainty of a square cut. Sporting comparisons can be odious, but in the field - at backward point - he really is the next Jonty Rhodes. Arguably his most famous innings came in a record-breaking one-day contest against Australia at Johannesburg when South Africa chased down an improbable 434 in 49.5 overs. Gibbs' contribution was a 111-ball 175 to power the hosts to a 3-2 series win in perhaps the greatest cracker of all. Having avoided touring India since 2000, Gibbs made himself available for the Champions Trophy in October 2006 and was selected in South Africa's 14-man squad. A lean trot continued into late November, but Gibbs showed glimpses of a return to form with a match-winning unbeaten 93 in a series clincher against India at home.

Gibbs was banned for two Tests by the ICC after being was charged under Level 3.3 of the ICC's Code of Conduct for making abusive comments about a section of the crowd during the Test series against Pakistan in early 2007. He was showing a return to somewhere near his best during the 94 at Centurion Park, which formed a rare period of bat-dominated action. His future appears to be in the middle order, unless the desperation for an opener forces him up. On March 16, 2007, during a World Cup game against Netherlands, Gibbs smashed himself into the record books. His six sixes off Dan van Bunge's fourth over was a record for international matches and he managed 342 runs, with four half-centuries, in the tournament. In 2008 he signed for Glamorgan's Twenty20 side.
Neil Manthorp/Jamie Alter April 2008

Notes

Western Province debut same season

Education: Diocesan College

Junior Representative Cricket: WP Nuff 1989-92, SA Schools 1991-92