GIBBS MAKES CENTURION FANS JOLLY WITH SA20 ICE LOLLY

Some fans arriving at Centurion for the sold out Pretoria Capitals and Paarl Royals rematch were in for a special treat on a warm Sunday afternoon as ex-Proteas batter Herschelle Gibbs was handing out SA20 ICE lollies.

During his Proteas career, the now 49-year-old played 22 matches at Centurion with some memorable performances.

The swashbuckling top-order batter scored his first fifty for South Africa at the ground, a 51 in a Test against West Indies almost exactly 25 years ago today – 15 January 1999.

Five years later, when Gibbs was in his pomp he thrilled the locals by scoring 192 in another Test against the selfsame West Indies.

All told, he scored 677 international runs at Centurion and claimed 21 catches too, but would not have anticipated he’d one day be making fans ‘jolly’ for another reason.

“I’m keeping people jolly, by giving them a lolly," Gibbs told SA20 Media. "With the SA20 Lolly campaign we’re just here to talk to people and keep the kids smiling - and give the people a lot of lollies. We’re here to enjoy the SA20 experience.”

With his jovial character, Gibbs joked that he had made some of the lollies himself (disclaimer: he didn’t) before being approached by another adoring fan aiming to have a chat about his career.