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The story of Kepler Wessels, who became a cricketing peripatetic until
returning to South Africa as it headed towards democracy, is long,
convoluted, and begins well before his first official Test in 1982. He
had played for South Africa as a promising left handed bat during
isolation, playing in unofficial Tests against an International
Wanderers side. Tony Greig took him to Sussex, where he played from
1976-80. From there he was headhunted to join World Series Cricket,
which was no surprise at the time.
It was a surprise, however, when he
turned up as opening bat for WSC Australia, and the management were
accused of a cynical exploitation of the rules to strengthen a weakness
in their most attractive side. Wessels opened with Bruce Laird against
the West Indies, but lost his place on the return of Rick McCosker. Not
until 1982 was he eligible for the full Australian side, and he made 162
against England on his debut at Brisbane. That was followed by 141
against Sri Lanka at Kandy, 179 against Pakistan at Adelaide in 1983-84,
98 and 70 at Adelaide against the West Indies followed by 173 at
Sydney.
In England in 1985 he made 64 at Headingley and 83 at Edgbaston.
He returned to South Africa in 1986-87 for the second 'rebel'
Australian tour, being caught by Brian McMillan for 0 in his first
innings but scoring 135 in the Port Elizabeth Test. In the World Cup of
1983 he made 76 for Australia against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge. (Bob
Harragan)
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