Arnoldus Mauritius Blignaut Profile
Earmarked as a youngster destined for greatness, Blignaut’s career has seen more lows than highs and a large chunk of the blame has to be attached to the problems that have marred Zimbabwe cricket for so long.
The Salisbury born Blignaut who made his ODI debut when he was only 21, went on to play his first Test two years later. On debut, he ripped through Bangladesh’s top order in the first innings to pick up a well deserved five wicket haul. However midway through 2001, disillusioned with some elements in Zimbabwe cricket, he decided to quit but reversed his decision towards the end of 2002 and capped it with a sensational return against Pakistan with 8 wickets. He also earned plaudits for his big hitting abilities and was also instrumental in playing several crucial innings down the order on occasions when the top order failed to click. A brilliant, athletic fielder, Blignaut’s powerful arm also meant that batsman would think twice before taking him on.
With an open chested action and a jump before the landing crease, Blignaut’s ability to swing the ball at a serious pace also made him a player who could provide vitality in all three departments. However he continued to remain a bundle of nervous energy who could run riot one day but be absolutely pedestrian in the next. In 2005, Blignaut joined a long list of Zimbabwe players to be sacked for refusing to ply with the board’s high-handedness and remained virtually untraceable for the next four years before returning to the national team in 2010 with compatriots Grant Flower and Raymond Price.
