A bull of a man, barrel-chested with a twinkle in his eye and a penchant for a drink, Eddo Brandes achieved world fame in 1996-97 as the chicken farmer who took a hat-trick and twice bowled Zimbabwe to one-day wins over England. But he was more than just a one-series wonder, and his pacy outswingers could also have won Test matches had his fitness record not been so poor. Brandes was also a powerful late-order hitter with a good technique and an even better eye who once scored a first-class hundred in South Africa. He is also remembered for masterminding Zimbabwe's shock World Cup victory over England at Albury in 1992. A gifted allround sportsman, he could hit a golf ball harder than most although he also suffered from more than his fair share of injuries. He briefly coached at the national academy, but fed up with the deteriorating political situation which affected his farm, in 2003 he emigrated to Queensland where he carried on coaching.
Cricinfo staff