Ant Botha

Who is Ant Botha?

Anthony Greyvensteyn Botha is a South African former cricketer who played for the cricket teams of Natal B, Natal, South Africa Academy, KwaZulu-Natal B, KwaZulu-Natal, Easterns, Derbyshire and Warwickshire.

Botha was born in Pretoria, Transvaal Province, South Africa and he made his domestic debut for Natal B in the UCB Bowl of 1996 and a month later was representing the South African Under-19s cricket team in a tour of India, picking up three Youth Test appearances. He played for the full Natal team in the same year, helping them to third place in the Standard Bank League of 1996/97.

His breakthrough to England was to come in 2003, when he first represented Sussex Second XI, though he was quickly to move to Derbyshire, making his debut in April 2004. Out for a golden duck in his first innings, his blushes would be saved at the expense of fellow South African James Bryant, who retired hurt in the second innings. Late in 2005, Botha hit 158 against Yorkshire, batting at number eight in the lineup, with a calculated mixture of brave and fearless shots.

In 2007, Botha with Derbyshire took part in the Twenty20 Floodlit cup.