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Full name Lance Klusener
Born September 4, 1971, Durban, Natal
Current age 36 years 256 days
Major teams South Africa, Dolphins, Kolkata Tigers, KwaZulu-Natal, Middlesex, Natal, Natal Country Districts, Nottinghamshire
Batting style Left-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm fast-medium

Batting and fielding averages
	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	4s	6s	Ct
Tests	49	69	11	1906	174	32.86	3187	59.80	4	8	236	20	34
ODIs	171	137	50	3576	103*	41.10	3977	89.91	2	19	293	76	35
First-class	187	269	56	8768	174	41.16			19	43			97
List A	318	262	100	6559	142*	40.48			3	34			82
Twenty20	37	34	14	814	111*	40.70	585	139.14	1	3	65	32	12

Bowling averages
	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10
Tests	49	84	6887	3033	80	8/64	8/139	37.91	2.64	86.0	2	1	0
ODIs	171	164	7336	5751	192	6/49	6/49	29.95	4.70	38.2	1	6	0
First-class	187		31153	15130	505	8/34		29.96	2.91	61.6		20	4
List A	318		13319	10381	330	6/49	6/49	31.45	4.67	40.3	4	8	0
Twenty20	37	30	642	936	23	2/13	2/13	40.69	8.74	27.9	0	0	0

Career statistics
Test debut	India v South Africa at Kolkata, Nov 27-Dec 1, 1996 scorecard
Last Test	Sri Lanka v South Africa at Galle, Aug 4-8, 2004 scorecard
Test statistics
ODI debut	South Africa v England at East London, Jan 19, 1996 scorecard
Last ODI	South Africa v West Indies at The Oval, Sep 18-19, 2004 scorecard
ODI statistics
First-class debut	1993/94
Last First-class	Leicestershire v Northamptonshire at Leicester, May 13-16, 2008 scorecard
List A debut	1991/92
Last List A	Warwickshire v Northamptonshire at Birmingham, May 11, 2008 scorecard
Twenty20 debut	Western Province Boland v Dolphins at Cape Town, Apr 7, 2004 scorecard
Last Twenty20	Northamptonshire v Somerset at Northampton, Jul 6, 2007 scorecard

Profile

Few would figure Lance Klusener to be a No. 11, but that's where he batted after breaking into first-class cricket as a fast bowler. A childhood spent among Zulu children on a sugar-cane farm and three years in the army contributed to a straightforward approach to bowling: hit the batsman's head if you can't hit his stumps. He spent a couple of years bowling just two lengths before a serious ankle injury in 1998 forced him to drop his pace and develop further skills. He was a revelation in his debut Test, ending with match-winning figures of 8 for 64 against India in Calcutta. He showed glimpses of his big-hitting in the years leading to the 1999 World Cup. His baseball-style backlift and thunderous hitting symbolised the tournament and his heroics nearly took South Africa to the final.

Around 2000 he began fulfilling the role of second spinner, bowling medium-pace cutters off just six paces that many batsmen find impossible to score from. Few would pencil Klusener in at the top of the order either, especially after his dismal form in West Indies (2000-01) and Australia (2001-02). But as his run of poor form became prolonged he lost his place in the side, and a recall for the 2003 World Cup failed to kick-start his career. His subsequent omission for the 2003 tour of England put his international career in doubt, and led to a bout of legal wrangling. However, after both parties settled their differences, he was recalled for the one-day series against West Indies in 2003-04, kept his place for the following series in New Zealand, and earned a Test recall to the tour of Sri Lanka in 2004. However, it was a short-lived comeback and he left international cricket for good to join the African influx at Northants under Kepler Wessels.

Contrary to his reputation as an unrefined slogger, set in stone at the 1999 World Cup, Klusener is one of the most skillful players in the game - which makes him one of the most adaptable. While his heavy bat sends the ball arcing to all fields, he is introspective by nature and happiest holding a fishing rod. Not talking to the media is another hobby of his, although when he breaks his silence he does so with quiet intelligence and impressive clarity of thought.

Klusener was one of the high-profile signings in the unofficial Indian Cricket League in 2007, and enjoyed reasonable success with the Kolkata Tigers.
Neil Manthorp March 2008

Apr 16, 2008

Lance Klusener gets into a tangle against a short ball
© Getty Images

Apr 3, 2008

Lance Klusener clattered a 57-ball 91
© ICL

Mar 30, 2008

Lance Klusener takes a run during his 62 not out
© ICL

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