Daryll Cullinan: 8 interesting things to know about the former South African batting mainstay

Daryll Cullinan is a former South African batsman who was a vital member of the side throughout the 1990s.

Daryll John Cullinan, born March 4, 1967, is a former South African batsman who was a vital member of the side throughout the 1990s. Cullinan is the eighth-highest run-scorer for South Africa in Test cricket. On his birthday, Shiamak Unwalla looks at 8 interesting things to know about the man who held the middle order together after South Africa’s reintroduction post their apartheid ban.

1. Impressive stats

Cullinan sits at No. 8 on the list of South African run-scrorers in Tests, and narrowly misses out on the top 10 in terms of South Africa’s Test batting average (with a 1,000-run cut-off). He is also joint fifth on the list of South Africa’s Test centurions.

2. Domestic traveller

Cullinan has played First-Class cricket for as many as eight teams: Border, Western Province, Transvaal, Gauteng, Easterns, Titans, Derbyshire and Kent.

3. A six in fried calamari

In a First-Class match in February 1995, Cullinan — playing for Border against Boland — hit pace bowler Roger Telemachus for a six that sailed over the ropes and into the pan of a spectator cooking fried calamari. The match had to be halted while the ball was retrieved and cooled, but it was eventually replaced for being too greasy. It remains one of the few occasions when sea food has interrupted play.

4. Record-breaking triple century

Cullinan was hailed from an early age as a potential mainstay in South Africa’s batting line-up. In fact in his early days he was even compared to the great Graeme Pollock. While he was quite successful, Cullinan never quite delivered on that early comparison. However, Cullinan gave a perfect display of his talent when he scored a nigh chanceless 337 for Transvaal against Northern Transvaal in 1993. It was then the highest First-Class score by a South African. The record is currently held by Stephen Cook, who made 390 for Lions against Warriors in 2009. Cullinan also once held the record for highest Test score by a South African when he scored 275 not out against New Zealand. His record was broken when Graeme Smith scored 277. The current record-holder is Hashim Amla, with 311 not out.

5. Tormented by Shane Warne

As good a batsman as Cullinan was, he had his problems against Australia, Pakistan, and Zimbabwe. He averaged less than 20 against those three teams. His average in those three countries fell to less than 10. A major reason for his failure against Australia was the presence of Shane Warne. Cullinan never seemed to be able to survive Warne, and the champion leg-spinner went out of his way to sledge and intimidate the batsman. Warne once said, “I didn’t care how many I got, so long as I got Cullinan.”

It eventually got so bad for Cullinan that he sought help from a sports psychologist. Warne responded to this by asking Cullinan the colour of the psychologist’s couch the next time they faced off. After retiring Cullinan said of Warne, “Quite simply, Warne was too good for me. In hindsight, the focus on me was a compliment. I, however, only caught on towards the end that I did not do the simplest of things well – and that is watch the ball out the hand. But by then it was too late.”

6. Part-time Wicket-taker

Cullinan rarely bowled in international cricket, but he managed to take two Test wickets with his part-time off-spin, getting rid of Nuwan Zoysa and Mervyn Dillon. He had more success in ODIs, picking up five wickets: Alistair Campbell, Mark Ealham, Matthew Fleming, Adam Gilchrist, and in what must have been his most satisfying moment, Shane Warne.

7. ICL coach

Cullinan coached Indian Cricket League (ICL) team Kolkata Tigers.

8. Honours

Cullinan was named South African Cricket Annual Cricketer of the Year three times, in 1989, 1996, and 1999. He was also named Indian Cricket Cricketer of the Year in 1997.

(Shiamak Unwalla is a former reporter with CricketCountry.A self-confessed geek who loves cricket more than cricketers,his Twitter handle is @ShiamakUnwalla)