In this quiz, you have to answer ten questions on South African spinners.
South Africa have had some of the most remarkable spinners. Athol Rowan’s left knee was seriously damaged when a bomb exploded during the Second World War. Most would have given up cricket, but he merely switched to off-breaks. When the pain became unbearable, he bowled with his leg in an iron brace. He could never land his left foot properly again.
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He created a Test career virtually on one leg. He took 54 wickets in 15 Tests between 1947 and 1951 before quitting at only 30. Despite the injury, Rowan bowled almost 58 six-ball overs per Test. This included a spell of 60 overs (80 six-ball overs) at Port Elizabeth in 1948/49.
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In the 15 Tests they played together, he dismissed Len Hutton (the best batter of the era) 11 times, including five times in a row. It could have been 12, but Hutton prevented wicketkeeper Russell Endean from taking a catch and became the first to be given out obstructing the field in Test cricket.
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Take our quiz to test your knowledge on South African spinners from Aubrey Faulkner to Cyril Vincent to Hugh Tayfield to Paul Adams to Keshav Maharaj.
Quiz! How well do you know the South African spinners?
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