Allan Donald: Cricket Legend

Cricket legend Allan Donald shares world class fast bowling insights, elite performance lessons and leadership perspectives shaped by a record breaking Proteas career and global cricket excellence.

Quick Facts:

Highlights:
  • One of South Africa’s greatest fast bowlers and the first Protea to reach 300 Test wickets
  • Retired with 330 Test wickets at 22.25 and 272 ODI wickets at 21.78
  • Known worldwide as White Lightning for his pace, aggression and trademark sunscreen streak
  • Played key roles in South Africa’s successful return to international cricket
  • Renowned for longevity, sustaining 90mph+ pace well into his thirties

Formats:

Sports speaker and elite performance storyteller


Audiences:

Corporate teams, sports organizations, leadership groups and events seeking lessons on resilience, pressure performance and team culture.


Outcomes:
  1. Elite performance insights drawn from world class cricket experience.
  2. Practical lessons on teamwork, discipline and competitive mindset.
  3. Inspirational stories illustrating resilience, leadership and peak execution.
Reading time: 2 min
Reviews: (0 reviews)
  • Travels from: Bloemfontein

Keynote Topics

Talent Short Bio

Allan Donald, known globally as White Lightning, is one of South Africa’s greatest cricketers and one of the finest fast bowlers in the history of Test cricket. Born in Bloemfontein in 1966, he attended Grey College High School and Technical High School Bloemfontein before rising through the domestic system to become a central figure in South Africa’s return to international cricket.

Donald made his Test debut in 1992 and quickly established himself as a fearsome, technically brilliant fast bowler capable of extreme pace, bounce and relentless aggression. His trademark white sunscreen streak became an iconic image of his competitive fire. He became the first South African to take 300 Test wickets, finishing with a remarkable 330 wickets at an average of 22.25. In one day internationals he claimed 272 wickets at 21.78, placing him among the era’s most dominant bowlers alongside names such as McGrath and Akram. His ability to consistently bowl at 90mph+ well into his thirties underscored both his longevity and world class conditioning.

Across his career he played pivotal roles for the Proteas and for Warwickshire, where he contributed to trophy winning seasons and later reflected on team culture, leadership and the dynamics surrounding players such as Bob Woolmer, Dennis Amiss, Dermot Reeve and Brian Lara. Today Allan Donald is recognized not only as a cricket legend but also as a respected voice on performance, teamwork and the mindset required to excel at the highest level.

Known as ‘white lightning’, Allan Donald – Cricket Legend is remembered as a fearsome fast bowler, scowling and aggressive, with a famous horizontal white line of sunscreen across his cheeks and nose.

Allan Anthony Donald was born on October 20, 1966, in Bloemfontein. He attended Grey College High School and Technical High School Bloemfontein and completed his matriculation from the latter.

Allan was one of South Africa’s best ever cricketers, specifically one of their finest bowlers. The first Protea to capture 300 test wickets.

He was also regarded as one of the finest genuinely fast bowlers ever seen in Test Cricket, capable of electric pace and bounce. His longevity was also admirable as well into his thirties was he producing 90mph+ deliveries, and remained in a short line with Glenn McGrath, Wasim Akram and others as the finest fast bowler in the world.

He made his Test debut on 18 April 1992 alongside fellow debutante Hansie Cronje.

Known as ‘white lightning’, he is remembered as a fearsome fast bowler, scowling and aggressive, with a famous horizontal white line of sunscreen across his cheeks and nose.

He finished his career as South Africa’s record wicket-taker with 330 Test wickets at an average of 22.25, and claimed 272 one-day international wickets at an average of 21.78 and was one of the main reasons why South Africa’s return to international cricket was so successful

In this text, Allan Donald reviews his relationship with key players and backroom staff – including Bob Woolmer, Dennis Amiss, Dermot Reeve and Brian Lara – and contrasts the unique team spirit during Warwickshire’s trophy winning seasons with the later rifts that developed over the selection of Lara as the county’s overseas player.

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