Peter Kirsten

Peter Noel Kirsten (born 14 May 1955 in Pietermaritzburg, Natal) is a former cricketer who represented South Africa in 12 Tests and 40 One Day Internationals from 1991 to 1994.

Cricket career

Kirsten first attended Selborne Primary in East London, and in 1966 scored his first century at the age of ten. In 1967 the family moved to Cape Town and Kirsten was enrolled at the oldest school in the country, South African College School, also known as SACS. Kirsten represented Western Province at schools level in both rugby (Craven Week 1972-73) and cricket (Nuffield Week 1971-72-73). Kirsten made his debut for Western Province in first class cricket while still at school, scoring 72 runs in the second innings. At the end of the 1973 Nuffield Week, he was selected for the South African Schools team. In the subsequent match against the Northern Transvaal first class team he scored a century. He became only the fifth schoolboy to achieve this feat.

After enrolling at Stellenbosch University he played for S.A. Universities in 1976 and 1977, scoring centuries in both matches he played in. In 1978 he played for Western Province against S.A. Universities, again scoring a century. During the 1976-77 South African first class cricket season he scored six centuries in seven innings. Kirsten became a professional cricketer in 1978. He played for Derbyshire from 1978 to 1982 in 106 matches, scoring 7,722 runs at an average of 49.50. In South Africa he played for Western Province in 133...
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