93 Facts About Allan Donald

Allan Anthony Donald was born on 20 October 1966 and is a South African former cricketer who is the current bowling coach of Bangladesh national cricket team.

Allan Donald was an important, integral and crucial member of the South African team in its resurgence into international cricket since readmission and played an influential role as a frontline genuine seam bowler to boost South Africa to new heights since its readmission to international cricket.

Allan Donald is known for his duels with some of the best batsmen of his generation including the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Michael Atherton and Steve Waugh.

Allan Donald is best remembered for his infamous iconic runout during the 1999 World Cup semi-final match between South Africa and Australia which eventually dented South Africa's golden run in the global showpiece.

Allan Donald became the first South African to take 300 test wickets.

Allan Donald is known for his bromance and friendship with Shaun Pollock especially when they used to be regular bowling partners for South Africa during their playing careers.

Allan Donald featured in four World Cup tournaments for South Africa in 1992,1996,1999 and 2003.

Allan Donald was one of the 10 South African cricketers to make their test debuts during their one-off test tour to the West Indies in 1992.

Allan Donald was part of South Africa's first ever ODI team as well as South Africa's first ever World Cup team.

Allan Donald had picked up a total of 38 wickets in across the four World Cup tournaments he played and is currently the second all-time leading wicket taker for South Africa in World Cups, after Imran Tahir.

Since retiring Allan Donald has been a coach with a number of teams, including international sides.

In 2019, Allan Donald was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.

Allan Donald used to be in a dilemma during his early life as a clueless youngster on which sport to choose among rugby and cricket.

Allan Donald revealed that he used to play as a flyhalf and as a fullback in his early days and later he joined the army but he quickly realized rugby is for big men and decided to quit the sport and took up cricket.

Allan Donald completed his primary education at the Technical High School.

Allan Donald subsequently missed out the opportunity to play on the Nuffield Week and missed out on a golden opportunity of potentially being picked for South African schools cricket side.

Allan Donald had to wait one more year following the injury to make his first-class debut in 1985.

Allan Donald was originally supposed to be the twelfth man of the side during the match but was called upon by his captain Chris Broad just ten minutes before the toss.

Allan Donald managed to pick up just the sole wicket of Jimmy Cook on his first-class debut at Transvaal, Johannesburg.

Allan Donald became an integral member of the Warwickshire County Cricket Club and was a mainstay of the club for several years.

Allan Donald joined the Warwickshire club in 1987 as an overseas player.

Allan Donald played an important part in helping the club to win the 1989 NatWest Bank Trophy by picking up 14 wickets in the tournament, the most by any bowler in that tournament.

The club released Merrick following the end of 1989 season which paved way for Allan Donald to become a regular fixture in the side.

Largely, to his relief, the club persisted with Allan Donald by handing him a long-term contract commencing from the 1991 season, despite the consistent performances from Moody in the county championships.

Allan Donald repaid the faith nearly helping Warwickshire to win the 1991 County Championship with his bowling prowess capturing 83 wickets at 19.68 as he was behind only Pakistan's Waqar Younis in terms of the bowling averages during that championship.

Allan Donald was a crucial member of the side which claimed two trophies including the 1995 NatWest Trophy and 1995 County Championship in a single English season in 1995.

Allan Donald picked up a tally of 89 wickets in 1995 for the club.

Allan Donald was the joint highest wicket taker during the 1995 NatWest Trophy picking up 11 scalps along with Anil Kumble.

However, Lara pulled out due to personal reasons and as a result Allan Donald was handed a further two-year contract with the club.

Allan Donald later joined Worcestershire County Cricket Club for the 2002 season.

Allan Donald made his T20 debut for Eagles against Dolphins at the 2004 Standard Bank Pro20 Series.

Allan Donald made his ODI and international debut for South Africa against India on 10 November 1991 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata which turned out to be South Africa's comeback return to international cricket after serving years long ban from international cricket due to apartheid.

Allan Donald picked up a five-wicket haul on his ODI debut including the priced wickets of Ravi Shastri, Sachin Tendulkar, Navjot Singh Sidhu and despite his heroics with the ball, South Africa lost the match by three wickets.

Allan Donald's fifer gave a glimmer of hope for Proteas as South Africa gave good fightback against a strong Indian batting line-up in its attempt to defend a meagre total of 177.

Allan Donald became the first South African bowler to take a fifer on ODI debut as well as the first South African to take a five-wicket haul for South Africa in ODI history.

Allan Donald was included in South African squad for the 1992 Cricket World Cup which marked South Africa's maiden appearance in a World Cup tournament.

Allan Donald ran through the Aussie top order but he was largely unsuccessful and unlucky to create a breakthrough in his first over.

Allan Donald would have claimed a wicket off his first ball in the match when a peach of a delivery by Donald which shaped away from Geoff Marsh but his wicket taking opportunity was denied when the umpire Brian Aldridge did not hear anything despite what seemed to be a clear outside edge off Marsh's bat which went straight into the wicketkeeper's hands.

Allan Donald could have gained a unique distinction and could have been in an elite list of bowlers to have taken a wicket off his first delivery in a World Cup match had the umpire signaled it as out.

Allan Donald would be part of the South African side which enjoyed a tremendous run by reaching the semi-final stage of the tournament before going down to England in the semis under the most unfortunate circumstances due to controversial rain rule.

Allan Donald picked up 13 wickets in 1992 World Cup at an impressive average of 25.3 and at an economy rate of 4.21.

Allan Donald made his test debut on 18 April 1992 at the age of 26 against the West Indies in the one-off test tour to the West Indies at Barbados, a test match which marked the historic occasion of being South Africa's first test in nearly 22 years since their readmission.

Allan Donald picked up the priced wicket of Brian Lara.

Allan Donald was part of the South African test squad which made a historic tour to England in 1994 to play their first test series in English soil after a gap of 29 years and remarkably their first series in England post-apartheid era.

Allan Donald immediately made a big impact on the tour as he inspired South Africa to a famous 356 run win at iconic Lord's over England in the first test of the three match test series with a crucial fifer in the first innings.

Allan Donald became the first South African bowler in 39 years since Hugh Tayfield to pick up a five wicket-haul at Lord's and he sealed his spot in the Lord's honours boards.

Allan Donald featured in South African ODI and test squads for the historic home series against England in 1995 as it marked the first instance of England touring South Africa to play a test series since South Africa's readmission to cricket scene.

Allan Donald won the man of the series award for his brilliant display with the ball as he picked the joint most wickets in the series from either sides along with Dominic Cork with a tally of 19 wickets.

Atherton had to deal and cope up with the hostile pace attack of Allan Donald and spent whopping 643 minutes at the crease for over two days to secure a thrilling draw.

Allan Donald was part of the South African squad which reached quarter-finals of the 1996 Cricket World Cup.

Allan Donald recorded in his autobiography that he feared initially that he had killed him.

Allan Donald was the leading wicket-taker for South Africa during the 1996 World Cup with eight wickets.

Allan Donald was the leading wicket-taker of the tournament with 18 scalps.

Allan Donald was being hit around the park by Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid in the final as Dravid top-scored for India with 84.

Allan Donald received media backlash for possibly using racial languages during his spat with Dravid.

Allan Donald led the bowling charts in test cricket for the year 1998 as he ended up as the leading wicket taker in across all test matches for the calendar year 1998 with a tally of 80 wickets.

Allan Donald was one of the key players to miss out the inaugural edition of the ICC KnockOut Trophy in 1998 as he alongside Klusener and Roger Telemachus were undergoing a mandatory forced period of rest as per the player management policies, guidelines and directive of CSA.

Allan Donald subsequently missed the 50 over cricket tournament at the 1998 Commonwealth Games.

Allan Donald was part of the South African squad in their tour of England in 1998 featuring in both test and ODI squads.

Allan Donald would make a substantial impact in the historic five match test series by picking up a tally of 33 wickets, the highest by any bowler from either teams during the series.

Michael Atherton was at the crease when Allan Donald began a spell of bowling both would later describe in their respective autobiographies as one of the most intense periods of test match cricket they ever played.

Allan Donald bowled multiple bouncers to Atherton, but he survived several close chances to remain not out at the end of the day.

The third ball was a dot, and Allan Donald narrowly escaped getting run out when he backed out too far and tried to get back to his crease.

In 2014, Klusener stated in an interview that Allan Donald was not to blame for what happened.

Allan Donald finished the 1999 World Cup tournament as the second leading wicket taker for South Africa with 16 scalps just one wicket behind Klusener.

Allan Donald's reputation started to take a hit among public following South Africa's exit from the 1999 World Cup as public opinions on him were mostly critical of his approach regarding running between the wickets especially when he engaged in the brainfade runout which cost South Africa a golden chance to reach their first ever World Cup final.

Allan Donald was seen as a villain by many South Africans and he received negative publicity due to media bashing him for his blunder during the crucial stage of the semi-final.

Allan Donald received severe opposition from ardent cricket fans upon his arrival to South Africa from England after the World Cup semi-final.

Allan Donald announced his retirement from test cricket in January 2002 soon after playing the first test match of the three match home series against Australia at Johannesburg.

Allan Donald broke down with emotions as South Africa endured a crushing defeat in the hands of Australia by an innings and 360 runs.

Allan Donald featured in his fourth and final World Cup tournament in 2003 which was a home World Cup for himself as the tournament was jointly conducted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya.

Allan Donald retired from ODI cricket and from international cricket following South Africa's disastrous 2003 World Cup campaign where South Africa were knocked out from group stage for the first time.

Allan Donald retired from all forms of cricket in 2004 after playing in his final home domestic season citing deterioration of physical conditions.

In May 2007, Allan Donald was appointed as a temporary bowling consultant for the England cricket team.

Allan Donald's involvement impressed many, and was praised by several players.

Allan Donald decided not to continue with his coaching role at the end of September 2007, citing the strain of touring and his wish to be with his family.

Allan Donald was a coach at Warwickshire County Cricket Club, and in partnership with fellow coach Ashley Giles helped the county to win the Second Division of the County Championship in 2008.

Allan Donald coached the reigning Zimbabwean domestic champions, Mountaineers, in 2010.

Allan Donald served as the bowling coach for the New Zealand cricket team for the ODI series against Pakistan, and the 2011 Cricket World Cup.

In July 2011, Allan Donald was drafted into Gary Kirsten's coaching team as bowling coach to the South African cricket team.

Allan Donald was the bowling coach of South Africa under head coach Domingo; he was replaced by Charl Langeveldt.

Allan Donald was the bowling coach of Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League.

Allan Donald was appointed as the bowling coach of the Pune Warriors India for the 2012 Indian Premier League replacing Geoff Marsh.

Allan Donald was later promoted as the head coach of the Pune Warriors India for the 2013 Indian Premier League.

Allan Donald stepped down from the position of South Africa bowling coach post the 2015 Cricket World Cup.

Allan Donald was appointed assistant coach at Kent County Cricket Club in early 2017.

Allan Donald was expected to join the county at the start of the 2017 season but was denied a work permit as he did not, at the time, hold a suitable coaching qualification.

Allan Donald subsequently left Kent at the end of the 2019 season.

Fellow South African seamer Nantie Hayward who used to admire Allan Donald and consider him as his role model stated that he had probably played in the wrong era due to the presence of Allan Donald.

Allan Donald conceded that his international career was cut short due to South Africa penetrating with Donald and Makhaya Ntini but recalled the Donald's epic spell to Atherton in the 1998 test as something he was glad to have witnessed it and he insisted that it was one of the best bowling spells that he has ever seen.

Nantie added that there is nothing better to watch than Allan Donald running in like that.

Allan Donald was loyal towards his former captain Cronje whom he referred to as a person with the ability to lead the side with ease and called him as a natural leader.

In July 2019, Allan Donald was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.