Lance Klusener

International career

Lance Klusener, born on 4 September 1971, is a former South African cricketer. He was known for his aggressive batting and swing bowling. He was one of the top all-rounders in the 1990s and early 2000s. His batting skills, especially at the end of innings, made him a key player for South Africa. Klusener was also good at taking wickets in crucial moments. His fluency in Zulu led to his nickname, “Zulu”. After retirement, he occasionally worked as a commentator in Zulu and Xhosa.

In 2019, Klusener became the head coach of the Afghanistan national cricket team. He started coaching after completing a Level-three course in 2010. From 2012 to 2016, he was the head coach of the Dolphins. He had a dispute about his contract with the team when it ended. He also worked as the batting coach for Zimbabwe from 2016 to 2018.

In 2018, he became the head coach of the Rajshahi Kings in the Bangladesh Premier League. He also coached the Lyca Kovai Kings in the Tamil Nadu Premier League and worked with Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals in the IPL. In 2019, he assisted South Africa as their assistant batting coach. Klusener also coached in T10 and BPL leagues. As of 2023, he is the head coach of the Tripura cricket team in India.

1996

• ODI Debut: January 19, 1996, against England at East London.
• Test Debut: November 27, 1996, against India at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
• In his debut Test match, Klusener took 8 wickets for 64, which became the best bowling figures by a South African on debut.

1997

• Test Century: In January 1997, Klusener scored a century off 100 balls against India at Cape Town. This was the fastest Test century by a South African at that time.

1998

• He was selected for the Commonwealth Games team but withdrew from the tournament.

1999

• 1999 World Cup: Klusener was a key player throughout the tournament, excelling with both bat and ball. He remained not out in five consecutive innings and became the top-ranked all-rounder in the ICC rankings.
• He was named Man of the Tournament in the 1999 World Cup and won four Man of the Match awards.
• In the semi-final against Australia, Klusener almost led South Africa to the final with a dramatic finish. He hit two consecutive boundaries, but the match ended in a tie, causing South Africa to be eliminated.

2000

• Klusener played in the 2000 ICC KnockOut Trophy but struggled to find consistent form on tours to the West Indies and Australia.

2001

• He continued to face challenges with form and was dropped from the team for a period.

2002

• ICC Champions Trophy: Klusener was brought back into the team for this tournament but continued to struggle with consistency.

2003

• 2003 ICC World Cup: Klusener played in the World Cup, but South Africa exited in the group stage.
• Legal Dispute: After being left out of the 2003 England tour, Klusener took legal action against the United Cricket Board of South Africa. This stemmed from a broken promise about his place in the team.
• After resolving the issue, he returned to the team for the West Indies series.

2004

• Final International Appearance: Klusener played his last Test match against Sri Lanka at Galle in August 2004 and his final ODI against the West Indies at The Oval in September 2004.
• He retired from international cricket after the 2004 season, ending a distinguished career.

Test Career

• Matches Played: 49
• Runs Scored: 1,906
• Batting Average: 37.91
• Wickets Taken: 80
• Best Bowling: 8/64

ODI Career

• Matches Played: 171
• Runs Scored: 3,576
• Batting Average: 41.1
• Wickets Taken: 192
• Best Bowling: 6/49

Leagues Participation

Lance Klusener did not play in leagues. After his playing career, he became a coach. He worked in various leagues, helping teams and players by sharing his skills and knowledge.

Domestic career

Lance Klusener started his domestic career with KwaZulu-Natal (Nashua Dolphins) from 1991 to 2004. He made his first-class debut in the 1993/94 season. Denis Carlstein, the Natal manager, spotted his potential and recommended that he join the provincial nets. Klusener was mentored by the West Indian fast bowler Malcolm Marshall.

In his domestic career, Klusener played across various formats, including List A, T20, and first-class matches. His debut in List A came in the 1991/92 season. His last match was for Mountaineers against the Eagles in Harare in 2010. In T20 cricket, he debuted in 2004 for the Dolphins against WP Boland and played his final match for Rocks against Mountaineers in 2010.

In 2004, Klusener signed with Northamptonshire County Cricket Club. He played there until 2008, impressing with his seam bowling and aggressive batting. However, due to personal reasons and family issues, his contract was not renewed after the 2008 season. In 2007, he also played for Kolkata Tigers in the Indian Cricket League's T20 tournament.

Records and achievements

Lance Klusener had a great cricket career with some standout performances. Here are some of his key records and achievements:

• 1996: Took 8 wickets for 64 in a Test match against India at Eden Gardens.
  • ODI Career: Took five-wicket hauls in matches against India, Australia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Kenya.
• 1999 Cricket World Cup:
  • Named Player of the Tournament after taking 17 wickets and scoring 250 points in eight matches.
  • Won Best Player of the Match four times during the tournament as South Africa won consecutive matches.
  • Led the ICC ranking for all-rounders with 521 points.
• 2000: Awarded Wisden Cricketer of the Year.
• 1999 World Cup:
  • Set a record for the highest number of runs in consecutive innings in a World Cup match—5.
  • Took 17 wickets and was named Player of the Tournament.
• 1999: Scored 174 runs from 221 balls against England in Port Elizabeth.

Personal life

Lance Klusener enjoys fishing and hunting. He married Isabelle Potgieter on May 13, 2000. They have two sons. Klusener works as a goodwill partner for the Cricket Foundation, a blockchain-based platform in Singapore.

Family

Klusener grew up on a sugarcane farm near Empangeni. He attended Kwambonambi primary school, studying with Zulu children.

Finance

As of 2025, Lance Klusener's net worth is estimated to be around $10 million. His wealth comes from his cricket career, coaching, and business activities.

Scandals

Klusener had a public disagreement with South African captain Graeme Smith. Smith called him a "destructive force" for young players. The two later resolved their issues. In 2016, the Dolphins cricket team informed Klusener that they would not extend his contract. He thought the decision was unfair and took the matter to a dispute resolution committee, which ruled in favor of the club. In the same year, Robbie Freilinks reportedly hit former teammate Ayu Mioli during an argument. Klusener held a team meeting to address the situation.

Fans

Fans often remember Klusener for his performances in the 1999 World Cup in England. His play helped South Africa nearly reach the final. He was named Player of the Tournament after scoring 281 runs and taking 17 wickets.