The only batsman to not bag a duck in ODIs despite 100-plus appearances

No batsman in the world would like to score a duck. However great you are, irrespective of all the accolades that you might have piled up in your career, going back to the pavilion without even troubling the scorers is definitely not a proud feeling for any willow wielder. But then, how would it be, if you never scored a duck in your entire ODI career?

Ask Kepler Wessels, and he can exactly tell you how it feels. The South African played 105 innings in ODI cricket, but he always got off the mark whenever he took guard in coloured clothing. In fact, in 30 innings out of the 105 that he played in the ODI format, Wessels bagged a single-digit score. But he always opened his account whenever he held the bat in hand in the ODI format.

Wessels is also one of the very few cricketers to have played ODI cricket for two countries. And, he made sure that he rendered his services to both the teams that he turned out for, in an equal manner. While he played 55 ODI matches for South Africa, he played 54 ODI games for Australia.

While he could never get the chance to lead Australia in ODI cricket, Wessels captained South Africa in 52 matches and scored 1416 runs at an average of 30.12. Wessels has also featured in two ODI World Cups, one each for Australia and South Africa. In his entire ODI career that spanned more than a decade, the left-hander scored 3367 runs and scored his runs at an average of 34.36.

Wessels played his last ODI match in October 1994 against Pakistan. In his final appearance, the left-hander scored a sedate 51 off 97 deliveries against a bowling attack consisting of the likes of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Aaqib Javed.

And finally, while he might not have accumulated incredible numbers in ODI cricket, the fact that he never scored a duck in spite of featuring in as many as 105 innings is an achievement to be celebrated, isn’t it?