South Africa has produced some of the best batsmen in the world, with AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla dominating the recent ICC rankings. Previous teams and generations have included their own legends. But who are the greatest of them all? Following the success of their book Jacques Kallis and 12 Other great South African all rounders, Ali Bacher and David Williams now turn their attention to South Africa’s top batsmen. The book features early legends such as Herby Taylor and Dudley Nourse; the world-beating Graeme Pollock and Barry Richards, whose careers were cut short by isolation; the unshakeable Gary Kirsten and Jacques Kallis, who built the foundation of the Proteas’ postisolation success; the big-scoring captain Graeme Smith and his South African-born England counterpart Kevin Pietersen; and the swashbuckling Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers, who dominate the current game. It also considers two players who, but for apartheid, might have been their equals in the Test-match arena. South Africa’s greatest batsmen provides fascinating insights about each man’s background and career, his batting technique, and his main achievements at the crease. Based on new interviews, the book will take the reader down memory lane as former and current players reminisce about their most important innings, the bowlers they most feared and the teammates they most respected. Written by cricket legend Ali Bacher and top journalist David Williams, this is a book that no cricket fan can be without.

South Africa has produced more great cricket all-rounders than any other country, and Jacques Kallis and 12 Other Great South African All-Rounders, a first on these remarkable players, is based on records, articles and interviews with living players as well as archival research of early players.

Over a hundred years ago, there was Jimmy Sinclair, the first man to score a century and take six wickets in an innings in a test match. More recently was the brilliant era of Eddie Barlow, Tiger Lance, Mike Procter and Clive Rice, as well as Tony Greig and Basil D’Oliveira, South Africans who played for England. A great tradition was established for the modern era: since re-admission in 1992 there has been Brian McMillan, Shaun Pollock, Lance Klusener and, the greatest of them all, Jacques Kallis. Jacques Kallis and 12 Other Great South African All-Rounders is about the 13 men each of whom were worth two or three players in one, worth their place as batsmen or bowlers, adored by the fans, and capable of changing a game with either of their skills.

With a readable mix of anecdotes, commentary and statistics, Jacques Kallis and 12 Other Great South African All-Rounders is the first book about these multitalented heroes of cricket. A very special feature of the book is the inclusion of the careers of four black allrounders who were unable to play for national teams because of their race.