Fanie de Villiers was born in Vereeniging on 13 October 1964. He matriculated at the Heidelberg Volkskool, Heidelberg, in 1982. He was never a member of provincial Nuffield (schools) cricket side and only started competing in his student days at Normaal College, Pretoria. He represented South Africa Schools in javelin.
- Debut – provincial cricket – Northerns – 1985/6 season
- Debut – international cricket – 1989 – English Rebel side
- Debut – County cricket – Kent – 1990
- Holds the record for the most economical ODI bowler in SA cricket
- Only SA player in the history of cricket in SA to have scored a half century and take 10 wickets in the same match
HIGHLIGHTS OF HIS CAREER
- Sydney Test 1994, Australia
Still regarded by the media as the most historical and emotional win ever. Australia needed 111 runs to win the game in the last two days of the test match. SA bowled them out for 106 and Fanie’s return figure was a 10 wicket haul and most fitting he caught and bowled Glenn McGrath, five runs short of the winning total to win the match. Tony Gregg in a television interview said that SA had a million to one chance of winning the game. Receiving the Man of the Match award, Fanie reminded Tony Gregg on international television of his pre-match remark that South Africans never give up.
- SA vs Pakistan at the Wanderers, 1996
10 wickets in the match plus 66 not out, including introducing the reverse sweep against Salim Malik into international cricket.
- One of five judges in the Miss World pageant in 1995 along with Christopher Lee of Dracula fame, Josie Borrain – Calvin Klein model and others.
- Fanie has been raising funds for the deaf. Became involved because of his deaf daughter and brother.
- Cycling from Cape Town to Pretoria, 2600km - R 800 000
- Sitting on floodlights at a cricket test match, receiving pledges - R189 000
- Still actively involved with numerous golf days and fundraising events.
Currently working for Supersport as a cricket commentator and as a host of an Afrikaans sports programme on kyknet and is also a businessman. |
