Where does 'White Lightning' rate amongst the greats of the game?

Donald was at the fore of South Africa's readmission to international cricket, when he took 5 for 29 versus India on his limited overs international debut.

And despite mediocre success in the 1991-92 World Cup, he returned to form in the home series against India, where he bowled South Africa to victory, taking 12 wickets at Port Elizabeth.

But time has taken its toll and the 35-year-old could do little to stem the tide as South Africa suffered an innings and 360 runs defeat in Johannesburg.

Rate South Africa's finest fast bowler.

I was lucky enough to see Allan Donald play when I lived in South Africa. He is probably the greatest fast bowler I have ever seen so far in my life. The guy is amazing and I for one hope to see him in the World Cup next year and it would be magnificent and totally deserved if Allan could be on the winning side.
Leigh, England

I saw plenty of him in action in his early days at Warwickshire - terrifying from 70 yards away. Unquestionably the quickest white bowler I have seen in the flesh (probably quicker than Thomson).

He was capable of making quality players look fools. He has clearly played with injury for most of his Test career and rates higher for that.
Martin Fletcher, United KIngdom

He wasn't the best but he definitely was among the best and it was a pure delight to see someone racing up to the stumps with a smooth run up and nasty pace.
Saleh Majid, Pakistan

Allan Donald is and will be regarded as one of the finest fast bowlers of all time. His smooth and stylish action along with some breath taking spells of fast bowling takes him to the list of the all time finest. I wish him luck for his upcoming days.
Parash, Nepal

It is time that Donald should go. Not because he has out lived his use but that he needs to think of his future fitness. He still has a lot to offer the world of cricket but he cant be expected to do it form a wheel chair. These past three or so years are a tribute to his dedication and desire and he should try and leave on the best of note! It was an honour to be a part of the decade of the White Lightening
Francis Sales, Canada

He is a good bowler but not a 'great'.
Keisha Pritchard, Trinidad

I saw a picture of Donald bowling absolutely flat out in the Windies a few years back and the caption read "Blisteringly Quick". That struck a chord with me - he was fast, accurate and often verging between aggressive and nasty. A perfect fast bowler.
Jono, England & USA

I would rank Donald as one of the finest pace bowlers of recent years, but not quite the greatest of all time. Of the players that I've been privileged to see, I would give Malcolm Marshall that honour.
John, England

Unlike football or rugby when it is a lot easier to see just how good players are in cricket history. To look at Allan Donald's figures would put him in the top ten of all time bowlers. What people however forget to mention is that the man spent until the age of 25 not being able to play international cricket.

Those who saw him play in this country before his international exile ended know he would have had taken more international wickets than any other bowler ever. To miss the best years of your career and still get so many wickets is a testament to the greatest bowler in cricket history.
Nick Halpern, UK

A measure of the man was the commitment he showed whilst playing for Warwickshire despite his heavy international workload. A great cricketer, a great competitor and a great man.
Chris, UK

Allan was one of the greatest bowlers in the world. You could probably ask anyone at Warwickshire!! He would have been the highest wicket taker of all time if South Africa had been playing a few years earlier.
Rug,UK

At his best, Allan Donald had no equal in terms of fast bowling. It was his ability to get wickets on the flattest of pitches that separated him from others. It was a pity that he was nowhere near his best against Australia in the recent Test series. Nevertheless, he will always be remembered as a great servant of South African and World cricket.
Shaneel Patel, UK

Pace, aggression, control and stamina, what more could a captain ask from a strike bowler? In his prime, Donald had all these in spades.
Alan Smith, UK

Allan Donald was right up there. Accurate, consistent and quick - his figures speak for themselves. It's a pity that he didn't get the send off that he deserved.
Greg, Australia

Donald is one of the greats, a fantastic player to watch even when he was making inroads in to your own teams batting line up. He will be sorely missed by South Africa and the millions of people across the cricket watching public that enjoyed watching him.
Wattsy, Bristol, UK

Allan Donald was arguably the finest fast bowler this decade along with probably Wasim Akram and Glenn McGrath. The hostile spell he bowled at the Waugh twins at the SCG must rate as of the best exhibitions of aggressive fast bowling you will ever see against two of the top batsmen in world cricket. Arguably among the top three fast bowlers of the 90s along with probably McGrath and Akram. Good luck, Allan it's been great watching you play test cricket
Shyam, India

Yes, he was right up there with Lillee and Marshall as the greatest fast bowlers ever to play the game. Still remember with awe the ball he bowled Tendulkar with in 1996 (in Durban?). Incidentally, he ranks it as his best ball in his entire career! Even on flat Indian pitches he would generate tremendous pace, he was quite deadly! His shoes will take some filling.
Surya, India

One of the modern greats he is very well respected in Australia. His decision to bat while injured in an inevitable Test defeat speaks volumes for his character.
Andrew S, Australia

Allan Donald in full flow was one of the most magnificent sights in cricket. He was the most breathtaking fast bowler in the last twenty years. Apartheid denied him Test cricket until he was in his twenty sixth year. Had it not done so he would surely be retiring with nearly five hundred wickets to his name?

The World Cup has thus far been his personal tragedy. Who will forget his tears after the scandalous defeat to England in the semi-final in Sydney ten years ago? In 1996 he was left out of the starting eleven for the quarter final defeat against the West Indies because of the benign nature of the pitch, and of course in 1999 his last gasp run out ruined three years of careful planning and preparation and destroyed the spirit of a nation.

One feels that he will be fulfilling his destiny if he is able to lead South Africa to World Cup glory next year. Good luck Allan.
Omar Mirza, UK

He has one of the most beautiful combinations of run-up and delivery style in the history of cricket. He is the only one bowler apart from Ambrose had some sort of respect from Sachin Tendulkar even though he admitted Tendulkar is the best batsman he ever bowled to. Who can forget the delivery, which shattered the stumps of Tendulkar in Kingsmead?

He is a genuine fast bowler in every sense. Style is not often associated with fast bowling. But the world of cricket will miss one of the most stylish fast bowlers. He is one bowler I truly admire and rate ahead of McGrath.
Uthams, USA

Allan Donald is not technically the best bowler I have ever seen, but his record in Tests is just outstanding. I put this down to three things: the pace and power he generates from his bowling, the accuracy of his bowling, and his hunger for competition (typified by his memorable duel with Michael Atherton in 1998).

He will go down as one of the greatest ever bowlers in Test cricket, and I wish him a happy international retirement.
Chester Barton, England

Allan Donald was a true competitor. He lived up to his White Lightning nickname. I was honoured to be present on that wonderful day when he and Atherton locked their respective leather and willow horns. A true competitor. South Africa will without a shadow of a doubt be less of a force without him.
Phill Thorne, UK

In his prime he was right up there with the best. Don't forget, England tempted him before SA were allowed back into world cricket. Fantastic control and persistance.
Ryan S, South African in UK