Andre Nel performed his closing first-class match for Surrey in July 2010
There was a time when Andre Nel was one of the feared and unpredictable quick bowlers in world cricket.
The South African blamed his aggressive on-field behaviour on an alter ego known as Gunther.
He as soon as informed the BBC: “Gunther lives within the mountains in Germany. When he was a child, there was a scarcity of oxygen going to his mind, so one thing went flawed in his thoughts.”
Now 45, Nel has joined Chelmsford Cricket Membership and made his debut in a second XI recreation in opposition to Upminster final weekend.
For a participant with 446 first-class wickets, 123 of them in Take a look at matches, figures of 0-22 from seven overs might counsel that Gunther has calmed down a bit of bit.
“My thoughts needs to get indignant however my physique cannot again it up and it is pointless now,” Nel informed BBC Essex.
“Folks may say issues [to me] and hit me for 4 however I’ve obtained nothing to show. I performed worldwide cricket, for me it is [now about] the pleasure and privilege of serving to the children and making them higher.”
Shaking up England at Centurion
‘Gunther’ provides Andrew Strauss the attention throughout a Take a look at at Edgbaston in 2008
Nel made his Take a look at debut in opposition to Zimbabwe in 2001, the identical 12 months when he revealed a softer facet by being decreased to tears after knocking out Allan Donald with a bouncer throughout a provincial recreation.
However it was 4 years later that he made England sit up and take discover with first-innings figures of 6-81 in a drawn match at Centurion, when his victims included Andrew Strauss and Graham Thorpe.
He didn’t face England once more till the very finish of his Take a look at profession when he once more dismissed Strauss, together with Alastair Prepare dinner after which captain Michael Vaughan at Edgbaston on the opening day to assist the Proteas to a five-wicket win.
It was a distinct story in his closing Take a look at at The Oval when he was wicketless as England turned the tables with a six-wicket victory.
Nel’s worldwide profession additionally included 106 wickets in 70 one-day internationals and two T20 appearances and…
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