Now we will be talking about the best performances of a batter that was one of the most prolific in South Africa cricket history and especially in the last 25 years with the amount of runs and the match winning innings that he has played for South Africa over the years. He has scored a total of 14000+ international runs for South Africa in all international cricket and he was an attraction whenever he batted. All the fans of South Africa cricket loved watching him and Graeme Smith open the Innings. We will talk about his records below.
Herschelle Gibbs played international cricket for South Africa from 1996-2010 and in those 14 years he was a legend of world cricket not just South Africa cricket and he has played such innings that will be on this list that people still remember to this day. He played 90 test matches for South Africa and in those Matches he scored 6167 runs at an average of 41.95 with 14 Test hundreds and 2 double hundreds. In ODIs he played 240 ODIs for South Africa and he made 8094 runs at an average of 36.13 with 21 ODI hundreds which makes it 35 international hundreds in his career. Let’s see the Top 5 Best Performances of Herschelle Gibbs.
211* vs New Zealand (1999)
This was his first test hundred as well as first double hundred and what an innings to play for your first score over 100 in test cricket when the batting is tough and the bowling attack is very good. Herschelle Gibbs played for 468 balls in a marathon innings which had 23 fours and 3 sixes meaning a total of 110 runs in boundaries. He struck at 45.09 and he was not out from over number 1 till over number 162 and not a lot of batters can say that for themselves. This was a statement that he had arrived in world cricket.
Also Read | Greatest South African Cricketers of all time
228 vs Pakistan (2003)
The second double hundred in the career of Herschelle Gibbs and this one was totally different to the first double hundred he hit against New Zealand and this was a Pakistan team that had the best bowling attack in the world. Herschelle Gibbs only took 240 balls to hit a brutal 228 in which he hit 29 fours and 6 massive sixes which means a total of 152 runs in boundaries. He was striking at 95 and it looked like an ODI innings in a test match and this allowed South Africa to win this test match easily by an innings and 142 runs. Herschelle Gibbs was in dominant form and nobody was stopping him that day.
Also Read | Top 5 Best Graeme Smith Innings
175 vs Australia (2006)
This is probably the greatest ODI innings ever played by a South African cricketer in the history of ODI cricket as it came in the match where South Africa were chasing 435 to win and Herschelle Gibbs came out to bat and went berserk against the best team in the world. He only took 111 balls and hit 21 fours and 7 huge sixes in this innings of his meaning a total of 146 runs out of 175 runs in boundaries. This epic innings was the catalyst that allowed South Africa to make history and chase the highest ODI total in history at 435. It is still the highest chase in ODI history.
Also Read | Shaun Pollock – South Africa’s Leading Wicket Taker
125 vs West Indies (1999)
This is the first ODI hundred in the career of Herschelle Gibbs and it came in 1999 vs West Indies and it was a match winning knock. South Africa were batting first in this ODI and Herschelle Gibbs played 146 balls and he hit only 9 fours in this innings meaning he rotated the strike very well and took lots of Singles and doubles. It was a classy innings and he was still striking at over 85 and his innings resulted in South Africa winning that ODI by 99 runs.
Also Read | Jacques Kallis – Greatest All-Rounder of All Time
196 vs India (2001)
The last performance on my list is her another brilliant test match innings that he played against India in 2001 and at this time Herschelle Gibbs was gaining lots of traction in the press and in this innings South Africa were batting first and ne played for 354 balls in this massive innings and he hit 25 fours and 1 six which means a total of 106 runs in boundaries. He was striking at 55.37 and although he missed his double hundred by 4 runs it was a special innings by a very special player. This would keep him motivated to do better in the coming matches.
Also Read: Jonty Rhodes - Born to Field
