Who was the first bowler to claim five wickets in a one-dayer in South Africa?
(15 October 2001)

The date is among the most decisive in world history. It was on December 7, 1941, that Japanese warplanes launched what in hindsight was a kamikaze bombing of the US naval base at Pearl Harbour. That single act contributed indirectly to the annihilation of Hitler and his fascist allies.

Exactly fifty-one years later, a South African cricketer, who was also to show a kamikaze streak, marked out his name in cricketing history for the first time. The 23-year-old Hansie Cronje was playing in the first one-dayer on South African soil in Newlands, Cape Town, when he accomplished the above-mentioned feat.

India, after winning the toss, had got off to a steady start and were 92 for no loss in the 28th over when Cronje first struck. Indian opener Raman who was bowled became the first batsman to fall to a bowler in an official one-dayer in South Africa. Bowling his brand of gentle medium-pace, Cronje also went on to snare Ajay Jadeja, Sanjay Manjrekar, Pravin Amre and Kapil Dev, bowling his side to victory.

Cronje was though the second South African to claim five wickets in a one-dayer. Allan Donald, who claimed five for 29 in South Africa's first ever one-dayer, was appropriately the first, considering that he was to become South Africa's most successful bowler ever.

A Born Again Christian from Free State, Cronje, as we all know, went on to become one of cricket's finest captains and ambassadors, before that fateful cell-phone call to Sanjeev Chawla...

For more details on all the above facts check out [ StatsGuru ]

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