Fanie de Villiers, national cricket hero and well known sporting personality, established himself as a South African sports hero with his winning match performance against Australia in Sydney in 1993/4, a game still regarded by the media as the most historical and emotional win ever. Fanie de Villiers is a tireless performer who overcame language prejudice and the blinkered view that his talents were not fit for test cricket. Never among the more naturally blessed or technically correct of cricketers, De Villiers evolved into one of the most canny bowlers in the game. He went on to play international cricket until he retired in 1998. Better known a 'Vinnige Fanie', he is no stranger when it comes to working hard for success and overcoming adversity.
Fanie was never a member of a provincial Nuffield (schools) cricket side and only started competing in his student days but he did represent South Africa Schools in javelin.
* Debuts: Provincial cricket Northerns 1985/6; international cricket 1989 English Rebel side;County cricket Kent 1990.
* Holds the record for the most economical ODI bowler in SA cricket.
* Only SA player in history of cricket to have scored a half century and taken 10 wickets in the same match.
His personal highlights include:
SA vs. Pakistan at the Wanderers, 1996: 10 wickets plus 66 not out, including introducing the reverse sweep against Salim Malik into International Cricket.
He was one of five Judges in the Miss World Pageant in 1995 along with Christopher Lee of Dracula Fame, Josie Boraine - a Calvin Klein model - and others
Fanie de Villiers has been raising funds for the Deaf, having become involved because of his deaf daughter and brother. He cycled from Cape Town to Pretoria, 2600km and raised R800 000.00 and sat on the floodlights at a Cricket Test Match to generate pledges and in that way he raised R 189 000. He also started his own charity to raise funds for Cochlear Implants.
Fanie currently works for Supersport as a cricket commentator and as the host of an Afrikaans Sports Programme on Kyk-Net.