“A South African cyclist told me ‘you cricketers are just here to booze and party’,” Herschelle Gibbs said before breaking out into laughter. “He was right. But he didn’t have an answer at the closing ceremony when I showed him my gold medal!”
In Malaysia 24 years ago, 16 nations slugged it out on ropey pitches in Kuala Lumpur, battling stinking heat for matches during the day and, for some players, brushes with the organisers for their antics off the pitch at night.
“It’s not like in those days we were huge on fitness,” former South Africa batter Gibbs, who played 90 Tests and 40 one-day internationals between 1996 and 2010, told BBC Sport.
“The rest of the athletes taking part were in mint condition to perform at their very best. We had a team of young pups, and were all there to enjoy ourselves.”
While runners and swimmers were counting every calorie over their salads in the cafeteria at…
