Piet Rinke - Zimbabwe - Batting Allrounder

Rinke was a steady, unpretentious wobbler of a seam bowler, possessed with tenacious accuracy, a useful in-swinger and an excellent slower ball. His stop-start international career can be separated into two distinct phases. After making a nervous debut as a 20-year-old on the 1996-97 Pakistan tour, he spent seven years as a fringe player, performing steadily but never quite making the most of his opportunities. He was overlooked for the 2003 World Cup and then failed to make an impact in the Nat-West Series in England.

Rinke then allied himself with the 15 rebel players whose dispute with the Zimbabwe board lead to their dismissal in 2004, and it seemed that this had brought his international career to an end. He received an unexpected recall during the Champions Trophy in India in 2006-07, however, beginning a second, productive phase during which he played the role of elder statesman and most experienced player in a weakened side.

The added responsibility proved to be a boon for him, and in his first international season back in the side - Rinke picked up 19 wickets. He grew increasingly frustrated with the attitude of the national selectors and limited international opportunities, however, and gave notice on his contract in 2008, expressing a desire to pursue a coaching career in England.