It was an almost unfathomable feat. It was as close to perfection as a bowler can hope to get. What Graeme Pieter Bouwer, an alumnus of the North-West University’s Vanderbijlpark Campus, accomplished in 1991 was unreal.

Bowling at the Dick Fourie Stadion in Three Rivers, Vereeniging against the Meyerton Cricket Club, Bouwer took five wickets in five deliveries. It was the first time such a feat had been achieved in a first-class game in South Africa.

Speaking to the Vaal Weekly’s Etienne van Rensburg, Bouwer said that he could not remember all his victims, but those five wickets had been immensely satisfying. In addition to that amazing accomplishment, the 50-year-old was a sportsman par excellence. Not only did Bouwer play cricket for the old Western Transvaal, he was also a talented rugby player who represented the Bulls 27 times in Super Rugby at full back.

In addition, he played 45 games for the Vaal Triangle Rugby Union, 34 games for Western Transvaal, 18 for the Free State and a mammoth 94 games for the national Sevens team. He participated five times in five global tournaments.

What a sportsman!