Role Cricketer Name Thami Tsolekile | 1998–2004 Western Province Batting style Right-handed | |
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Full name Thami Lungisa Tsolekile Current teams Highveld Lions cricket team (#10), South Africa national cricket team (#10) | ||
South African cricketer Thami Tsolekile and three others banned for match fixing
Thami Lungisa Tsolekile (born 9 October 1980) is a South African cricketer who has played three Test matches for South Africa as a wicketkeeper in 2004–05. He was educated in Cape Town at Pinelands High School. He failed to pass 25 runs with the bat, and though his glove work has been described as sound by Cricinfo journalist Neil Manthorp, it was not enough to keep his place against established wicketkeeper Mark Boucher. Tsolekile's selection over Boucher also prompted commentaries in the press that positive discrimination had gone too far.
In First Class cricket, Tsolekile was a regular wicketkeeper and captain of the Cape Cobras. At the beginning of the 2009/10 season, Tsolekile moved up to Johannesburg to go play for the Highveld Lions, after losing his place in the Cape Cobras side to Ryan Canning. During the season so far, he has scored his second First Class century and improved his highest First Class score to 151 not out in a drawn match against Warriors at East London. He was involved in a South African record partnership of 365 for the sixth wicket with opener Stephen Cook, who went on to make a record 390.
He also played hockey for his country at international level, scoring on debut, and played football during his childhood.
On 11 July 2012, Tsolekile was selected to play in South Africa’s Test squad against England.
On 8 August 2016, Tsolekile was handed a 12-year ban for his role in numerous match-fixing violations in 2015. Jean Symes (7 years), Ethy Mbhalati (10 years), Lonwabo Tsotsobe (8 years) and Pumelela Matshikwe (10 years) also received similar bans from Cricket South Africa for their involvement in the various match-fixing activities.
