Profile: Shaun Pollock

As part of South Africa’s most prominent cricketing family, Shaun Pollock had a lot to live up to: father Peter was the Proteas’ premier fast bowler in the 1960s and Don Bradman considered uncle Graeme the best left-handed batsman ever. Shaun did not disappoint, taking more wickets than any other South African in Test match history (at a remarkable average of 23.11) and scoring 3,781 runs including two centuries, making him one of the greatest all-rounders the game has ever seen. He is one of the only six players to have taken 300 wickets and scored 3,000 runs in Test cricket.

Pollock made his first class debut in the 1991-92 season and his first Test Match came at the end of 1995 against England when he took three wickets. He quickly graduated to the new ball, forming a potent partnership with Allan Donald. Pollock’s unerring accuracy brought him 421 wickets, but he also exhibited phenomenal stamina, bowling 41 overs to take 7-87 against the Australians in Adelaide in 1998.

In One Day International (ODI) cricket Pollock found similar success, scoring more than 3,500 runs and taking 393 wickets at an average of 24.5. In his final ODI, against West Indies, Pollock signed off in style, hitting the winning runs.

He was made captain of South Africa in 2000 and led his country 26 times, winning 14 Tests. Pollock led South Africa in the 2003 World Cup on home soil, although the team failed to live up to expectations.

Pollock retired from Test and ODIs in early 2008 and currently represents the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League.

He is the newest member of MCC’s World Cricket Committee.