Pat Symcox is possibly one of the most remarkable success stories of South African cricket. The year before making his international debut, at the age of 33, he was not even a member of the Natal provincial team.
Before that he had played much of his cricket in the relative anonymity of the Bowl competition. Not long after becoming a regular member of the Natal team, "Symo" was selected for the national squad. Selected primarily for his ability as a limited-overs player, the tall off-spinner maintained an exceptional economy rate throughout his international career.
While his sense of humour was legendary, he was highly competitive, making him a formidable opponent. He worked hard on his fitness and agility in order to keep up with his younger team-mates. In the field he would always give 100%, throwing himself around to stop any ball that tried to get past him. His hard, accurate throwing left more than one opponent stranded between the wickets.
Symcox was a strong striker of the ball and at the start of his career he was an opening batsman. He played 20 test matches for South Africa and scored 741 runs. His highest score was 108 and he also scored four 50s. With an average of 28,5 Symcox was often a thorn in the side of bowlers.
He also played 80 one-day internationals, putting together 694 runs at an average of 16,92. He scored three 50s, with a top score of 61.
As a bowler, Symcox had the ability to get through his overs quickly while tying down his opposition. He took 37 test and 72 one-day wickets.
Pat Symcox retired from international cricket in March 1999. He is now a national cricket selector, as well as a cricket commentator for television.
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