Johan Botha

Johan Botha was the quintessential limited-overs player, who did several things well, adding value as a thrifty offspinner, a useful lower-order batter, and a fine fielder.

Botha started out as a medium-pacer but switched to bowling spin. In the late 2000s he was a regular in South Africa's white-ball squads, though his brand of economical offspin was considered too limited for Test cricket, where he only played five matches.

As a bowler Botha varied his pace and length well, and he was able to bowl at any stage of an innings. Between 2007 and 2011, he played 66 ODIs and took 64 wickets at an economy rate of 4.53. In the 2011 World Cup his economy rate was just a shade over 4. That year was his peak in T20s too - he made 636 runs and took 30 wickets in 33 games, including 3 for 6 and 45 runs from No. 3 in a game against Mumbai Indians for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL.

Botha led a number of his sides. He did not lose an ODI series he captained in, and the high point of his leadership came in 2009, when a powerhouse South Africa under him notched up a 4-1 ODI series win against Australia in Australia. In T20Is he led South Africa to five series wins in seven, including against Pakistan, India and Australia.

During his career he was up there among the most travelled journeymen on the scene. He played 27 games for Adelaide Strikers in the first four seasons of the BBL, where he captained in three.

Through his career Botha was plagued by question marks over his bowling action. It was cited on his Test debut in 2006, and following testing at the University of Western Australia, he was banned by the ICC. He reworked his action but it was confirmed once again in September that year that he bent his arm more than 15 degrees, but he was cleared after another review in November. In 2013, he underwent biomechanical analysis and was cleared by Cricket Australia after being reported in a domestic one-day match.