Craig Russell Matthews is a former South African cricketer born on February 15, 1965. Craig Matthews, a blonde South African, was the perfect seam bowler. He was flat-footed, ran in on well-worn footmarks, was always on a length, and nagged and nagged. He made it hard for batters to hit the ball while surprise bowlers like Donald and Pollock blew them out of the game. He was the kind of bowler you would expect to grow up in South Africa. He missed South Africa’s return to big cricket at the 1992 World Cup, but he was quickly added to their team when India came to visit in 1992–93. He took four wickets on his debut in the Second Test when he bowled 49 overs that only cost 64 runs, and then 3–32 in Cape Town.
Matthews rarely played in a series, but he did tour Australia in 1993-1994. He took 3-68 in Perth, where South Africa won by the narrowest of margins, then 5-80 in Cape Town and 4-65 in Durban in the return series later that same season. In 1995, he went to England for a tour. In the second innings at Lord’s, he took 3-25, and England was bowled out for 99. At Headingley, he scored an unexpected but essential 63, not out.
In 1994-1995, he took 5-42 against New Zealand at Johannesburg, and in 1995-1996, he took 3-31 against England at Durban, when only five wickets fell before rain stopped the Test. His victims were Alec Stewart, Robin Smith, and Jack Russell. He was South Africa’s low-cost new ball bowler during the 1996 World Cup. In Rawalpindi, he took 2-30 with the new ball against England.
Craig Matthews Biography:
- Real Name: Craig Russell Matthews
- Other/Nickname: Matthews
- Profession: Former cricketer
- Famous for: All-rounder
- Batting Style: Right-handed
- Bowling Style: Right-arm fast-medium
- Best Performance: 4/10, South Africa v Australia at Kingsmead, Durban on February 24, 1994
- Craig Matthews Net Worth: $5 Million
- Craig Matthews Instagram Handle: @craigmatth
Craig Matthews Physical Status:
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- Height: 6 ft 4 in
Craig Matthews Personal Life:
- Date Of Birth: February 15, 1965
- Place Of Birth: Cape Town, South Africa
- Nationality: South African
- Hometown: Cape Town, South Africa
Craig Matthews Career Statistics:
Test Debut: vs. India at The Wanderers Stadium, November 26, 1992
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ODI Debut: vs. India at Captain Roop Singh Stadium, November 12, 1991
Craig Matthews Achievements:
- Craig Matthews, who served as Hansie Cronje’s right-hand man, or “Captain Sensible,” for the first two years of his presidency, played a critical but often overlooked role in South Africa’s prosperity in the mid-1990s.
- His passion for cricket extended beyond the field, and after retiring from first-class play, he was hired as Western Province’s marketing manager.
Here are some of the lesser-known facts about Craig Matthews:
- Matthews, the epitome of cool under fire, came to the aid of the impulsive young Cronje on multiple occasions in the early years of Cronje’s term. He was content to bowl the most overs for the fewest runs while facing uphill and against the wind as part of the team’s four-person pace attack.
- Former South African cricketer Craig Russell Matthews played in 18 Tests and 56 ODIs between 1991 and 1997.
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