The African XI cricket team is a representative team of the continent of Africa and represents it during the Afro-Asia Cup.

History The African cricket team originated when Jagmohan Dalmiya thought up the Afro-Asian Cup, which was to raise money for both the African Cricket Association and the Asian Cricket Council. The first tournament was held in 2005. The African XI team beat Asia XI by 2 runs, but lost the next match with the last match rained out. Their winless streak continues as they lost to Asia XI 3–0 along with a Twenty20 which did not have Twenty20 International or Twenty20 status in the 2007 tournament.

List of players

A One Day International, or an ODI, is an international cricket match between two representative teams, each having ODI status, as determined by the International Cricket Council. An ODI differs from Test matches in that the number of overs per team is limited, and that each team has only one innings.

Designed as a fund-raiser for the African Cricket Association and the Asian Cricket Council, the Afro-Asia Cup debuted in 2005 and the second tournament is being played in 2007. The list is arranged in the order in which each player won his first ODI cap for the African XI. Where more than one player won his first ODI cap in the same match, those players are listed alphabetically by surname. All the players have represented their respective member teams of the ICC at either Test or ODI level, but only the records of their games for the ACA African XI are listed.

The rules of ODIs have changed since the first Afro-Asia Cup. During the tournament, the ICC experimented with a rule called supersub – where the twelfth man would be allowed to take to the field in the place of one of the players and would be allowed to bat and/or bowl in his place, gaining a full cap in the process. As a result, this meant there were generally 12 capped players per match instead of the regular 11 – even though a player may have not participated in either batting or bowling in a match. For example, Monde Zondeki bowled for Africa XI during the second match, but was substituted for Steve Tikolo during the innings break and Tikolo went on to bat in his place instead; both players are listed as receiving a cap for this match. These rules were not in place for the 2007 Afro-Asia Cup.

Of the six matches to have been played to date, the ACA African XI has only won one match: the inaugural match at Centurion. However, they went on to lose the next ODI, and the final match of the 2005 competition was called off due to rain, leading to the trophy was shared.

In the 2007 competition, the African XI suffered a 3–0 whitewash, losing the first two matches by 34 and 31 runs respectively. Despite half-centuries from AB de Villiers, Justin Kemp and Shaun Pollock in the final ODI they went on to lose by 13 runs.

Shaun Pollock was the first player to score a century in the competition, during the first ODI of the 2007 competition, which led to him being named Man of the Match. He also has the most runs to his name between both African XI and Asian XI players.

Morné Morkel has the highest number of wickets for the African XI with 8, all captured during the 2007 series, and the second most wickets in the Afro-Asia Cup's history.

Statistics are correct as of June 10, following the conclusion of the 2007 series.

African XI ODI cricketers Batting Bowling Cap Name Nationality Debut LaTest match Where a player has retired, their final match is listed. Mat Matches Played. Runs HS Highest score. An asterisk signifies that the batsman was not out. Avg 50 / 100 Half centuries and centuries made. Note: A century made is not listed as an additional half century; ie, Shaun Pollock has made one half-century and one century and so is listed as 1/1, not 2/1. Wkt Best Avg 4I/5I 4 and 5 wickets in one innings, respectively. 1 Nicky Boje v Asia XIAugust 17, 2005 v Asia XIAugust 20, 2005 2 4 3 2.00 0/0 1 1/40 64.00 0/0 2 Mark Boucher v Asia XIAugust 17, 2005 v Asia XIJune 10, 2007 5 163 73 32.60 1/0 – – – –/– 3 AB de Villiers v Asia XIAugust 17, 2005 v Asia XIJune 10, 2007 5 150 70 30.00 1/0 0 0/22 – 0/0 4 Boeta Dippenaar v Asia XIAugust 17, 2005 v Asia XIJune 10, 2007 6 121 67 20.16 1/0 – – – –/– 5 Jacques Kallis v Asia XIAugust 17, 2005 v Asia XIAugust 21, 2005 2 8 4 4.00 0/0 3 3/42 14.00 0/0 6 Justin Kemp v Asia XIAugust 17, 2005 v Asia XIJune 10, 2007 6 141 86 23.50 1/0 3 2/40 33.33 0/0 7 Thomas Odoyo v Asia XIAugust 17, 2005 v Asia XIJune 9, 2007 5 54 39 54.00 0/0 4 3/45 39.25 0/0 8 Justin Ontong v Asia XIAugust 17, 2005 v Asia XIAugust 17, 2005 1 0 0 0.00 0/0 – – – –/– 9 Shaun Pollock v Asia XIAugust 17, 2005 v Asia XIJune 10, 2007 6 298 130 74.50 1/1 4 3/32 18.50 0/0 10 Ashwell Prince v Asia XIAugust 17, 2005 v Asia XIAugust 21, 2005 3 78 78* 39.00 1/0 – – – –/– 11 Dale Steyn v Asia XIAugust 17, 2005 v Asia XIAugust 21, 2005 2 4 3 2.00 0/0 2 1/2 21.00 0/0 12 Steve Tikolo v Asia XIAugust 17, 2005 v Asia XIJune 10, 2007 4 59 43 14.75 0/0 1 1/49 108.00 0/0 13 Jacques Rudolph v Asia XIAugust 20, 2005 v Asia XIAugust 21, 2005 2 17 10 8.50 0/0 – – – –/– 14 Heath Streak v Asia XIAugust 20, 2005 v Asia XIAugust 21, 2005 2 42 28 21.00 0/0 2 2/64 32.00 0/0 15 Monde Zondeki v Asia XIAugust 20, 2005 v Asia XIAugust 21, 2005 2 0 0 0.00 0/0 0 0/64 – 0/0 16 Graeme Smith v Asia XIAugust 21, 2005 v Asia XIAugust 21, 2005 1 0 0 0.00 0/0 – – – –/– 17 Tatenda Taibu v Asia XIAugust 21, 2005 v Asia XIAugust 21, 2005 1 10 10 10.00 0/0 – – – –/– 18 Loots Bosman v Asia XIJune 6, 2007 v Asia XIJune 6, 2007 1 2 2 2.00 0/0 – – – –/– 19 Elton Chigumbura v Asia XIJune 6, 2007 v Asia XIJune 10, 2007 3 51 40 17.00 0/0 6 2/56 36.16 0/0 20 Albie Morkel v Asia XIJune 6, 2007 v Asia XIJune 9, 2007 2 22 13 11.00 0/0 3 2/64 37.66 0/0 21 Morné Morkel v Asia XIJune 6, 2007 v Asia XIJune 10, 2007 3 29 25 29.00 0/0 8 3/50 20.75 0/0 22 Johan Botha v Asia XIJune 9, 2007 v Asia XIJune 10, 2007 2 31 18* 31.00 0/0 0 0/49 – 0/0 23 Vusimuzi Sibanda v Asia XIJune 9, 2007 v Asia XIJune 10, 2007 2 80 45 40.00 0/0 0 0/24 – 0/0 24 Peter Ongondo v Asia XIJune 10, 2007 v Asia XIJune 10, 2007 1 – – – -/- 3 3/35 11.66 0/0

See also Africa XI football team

References