What happened to Dewald Pretorius?

[popepouri]

The SA fast bowler with so much potential. The last time I heard about him was around 2005. Did he retire shortly afterwards?

 

[Richard]

Never entirely convinced me TBH. There was some good stuff about him - he had decent height, decent pace and could bowl good outswingers. But too often he sprayed it.

I honestly wouldn't have a clue whether or when he retired, but he was certainly not someone I had big hopes for as an international cricketer.

 

[Isolator]

Really smooth action, if I remember right.

 

[Richard]

Good, but nothing particularly remarkable. Quite a bit of arm-work and a very obvious "effort" action, rather than someone like a Donald who it simply looked like he'd been born to use that action of his, or Holding for whom it barely looked like he was even bowling.

 

[FBU]

The last I heard he had his own business back in South Africa.

 

[Matteh]

Great player imo.

 

[chaminda_00]

Pretty sure he struggled to get a game for his franshise once they were introduced and lost passion for game playing in the SAA Provincial Challenge. He looked into other areas outside cricket. Warwickshire though killed him, like they do to many decent cricketers, worse county.

 

[Matteh]

Pffffffffffffffft

 

[LongHopCassidy]

Spanked by Langer in 2001-02 and never quite found his feet in Tests as a result.

 

[Richard]

I really don't think it's remotely likely that this significantly altered his prospects.

Had said spanking in 2001/02 not happened, I am still wholly sceptical he'd have made a Test-class bowler.

 

[Craig]

Call me crazy I thought he retired due to injury/injuries?

 

[chaminda_00]

Call me crazy I thought he retired due to injury/injuries?

If a player retires at the age of 27/28 it usually a little bit more then an injury. Especially if they were only playing Test cricket a couple years before hand and seen to have some potential to reach that level again. Also unless I'm mistake I don't think he was one of those fast bowlers that broke down continously either.

 

[Craig]

If a player retires at the age of 27/28 it usually a little bit more then an injury. Especially if they were only playing Test cricket a couple years before hand and seen to have some potential to reach that level again. Also unless I'm mistake I don't think he was one of those fast bowlers that broke down continously either.

Ah ok, it is something that has been mentioned on here though. It is all rather vague with no details on Cricinfo or on the internet anywhere.

 

[popepouri]

Spanked by Langer in 2001-02 and never quite found his feet in Tests as a result.

He came back in '04 and bowled decently against England. Didn't think he had the mental toughness at the highest lvl when he played. That could be have been rectified though. He certainly had the pace and talent.

Pretty sure he struggled to get a game for his franshise once they were introduced and lost passion for game playing in the SAA Provincial Challenge. He looked into other areas outside cricket. Warwickshire though killed him, like they do to many decent cricketers, worse county.

That sounds possible.

 

[Richard]

He came back in '04 and bowled decently against England.

2003 TBH.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

I only saw him bowl live once at Lords in 2003. From what I recall he hardly bowled in either innings but I can't remember if he was injured or just not used.

 

[Richard]

He was barely used in the first-innings as England were bundled-out, and was injured for most of the second, as I recall.

 

[TT Boy]

**** knows what he is doing now but Dewald was a pretty awful test bowler. He arrived at a time when South Africa’s pace bowling cupboard was pretty bare and don’t think no one had much hope for him, especially the media who were pretty tough on his and Charl Willoughby’s presences in the test team.

 

[Andre]

Dig.

Was reading his story earlier - Murder, domestic violence, police brutality: Pretorius's epic journey - Telegraph

Pretty serious childhood he had. Anyone know what happened to him post-cricket?

 

[benchmark00]

Ended up competing at both the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.