In Australia I just worried about my batting but as captain of South Africa there was more responsibility

Kepler Wessels

Wessels made 162 on his Test debut against England

"I'd qualified through the Sheffield Shield and people knew me pretty well," Wessels says. "It was a question of weight of runs forcing my selection."

Wessels took to the Test stage in style, scoring 162 against England at his adopted home of the Gabba in Brisbane.

In the 23 Tests that followed he averaged 42.95 with the bat, including innings of 90,98 and 173 against Clive Lloyd's all-conquering West Indians.

Heading home

But in 1985/86, Wessels retired from Test cricket, at the age of 28.

The player himself says he began to think about a career after cricket and accepted an offer to return to the Republic and captain Currie Cup underdogs Eastern Province.

But the Australian Cricket Board line was that its adopted son was suspected of organising a rebel tour of South Africa.

SA captain Jimmy Cook opposed Wessels' return

Unfortunately for Wessels, captain Jimmy Cook was among them. He scored one in the first innings, and two in the second his only Test, and withdrew from the side.

"The players who were part of a previous era were not too kind," he recalls now.

"I tried to just get on with my game but it was difficult."

Experience needed

That rebel tour was cut short, though. The political landscape of South Africa was changing and its national sporting sides would soon be rehabilitated.

Although veteran Clive Rice led the side back from isolation in a one-day series in India in 1991, and Cook opening the innings, there was a feeling that the two were simply being given the opportunity for their years of service to unofficial national sides.

The South African hierarchy knew that what they needed to lead the side back into the international fold was a man with Test experience, and there was only one of those in the side.

A man with experience was needed to lead a young side

Hastily added to the programme for the 1992 World Cup, South Africa reached the semi-finals under Wessels, and could have gone on to face Pakistan were it not for a rain rule, which allowed England to progress to the final.

The side went straight from Australia to the Caribbean for a one-off Test with the West Indies, a display of new-found harmony.

The tourists were given no chance in Bridgetown, especially after being thrashed in three one-day internationals, but they were to surprise many.

Opener Andrew Hudson may have hit 163 in the first innings, but it was Wessels, the aggressive number three in the order, with 59 from 75 balls, who drove his partner on.

Wessels led the way in the second innings, with 74, chasing just 201 for victory, but the rest of the order fell victim to Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh, bowled out for 148.

Wessels says he cannot compare his feelings playing Test cricket for two different nations.

"The situations were totally different," he explains.

"In Australia I just worried about my batting but as captain of South Africa there was more responsibility.

No regrets

If there had been no sporting isolation for his home country, he feels he would never have needed to emigrate.

But he most certainly does not regret the path he followed.