Gerald Coetzee was born on April 17, 1973, in Bloemfontein, South Africa. He is the son of Gerald Coetzee Sr., a former South African cricketer, and Anne Coetzee. Coetzee has one older brother, David, who also played cricket professionally.
Coetzee attended St. Andrew's School in Bloemfontein, where he excelled in both cricket and rugby. He captained the school's cricket team to victory in the national schoolboy cricket championships in 1990. After graduating from high school, Coetzee attended the University of the Free State, where he studied law.
Coetzee is married to former South African model and actress, Kim Engelbrecht. The couple has two children, a son named Noah and a daughter named Jessica.
Coetzee is known for his private and reserved nature. He rarely gives interviews and prefers to stay out of the spotlight.
Coetzee made his first-class cricket debut for the Orange Free State in 1991 at the age of 18. He quickly established himself as one of the most promising young bowlers in South Africa. In his first season, Coetzee took 30 wickets at an average of 26.20.
In 1993, Coetzee was selected for the South African under-19 team that toured England. He was the leading wicket-taker for the South Africans, taking 22 wickets in five matches.
Coetzee made his international debut for South Africa in a One Day International (ODI) against Australia in 1996. He took two wickets in the match, which South Africa won by 7 wickets.
Coetzee made his Test debut for South Africa against India in 1997. He took five wickets in the match, which South Africa won by 329 runs.
Coetzee played 204 ODIs for South Africa, taking 234 wickets at an average of 26.76. He was one of the most successful bowlers in the history of South African ODI cricket.
Coetzee was a member of the South African team that won the 1998 Cricket World Cup. He was the leading wicket-taker for the South Africans in the tournament, taking 14 wickets in 11 matches.
Coetzee played 14 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) for South Africa, taking 12 wickets at an average of 26.67. He was a late bloomer in the T20I format, making his debut at the age of 35 in 2008.
Coetzee played 37 Tests for South Africa, taking 113 wickets at an average of 28.25. He was a successful Test bowler, but his career was hampered by injuries.
Coetzee's best performance in Test cricket came against Australia in 1998 when he took 10 wickets in the match. He also took seven wickets in a Test match against England in 2001.
Coetzee is the leading wicket-taker for South Africa in ODI cricket. He is also the leading wicket-taker for South Africa in the Cricket World Cup. Coetzee was a member of the South African team that won the 1998 Cricket World Cup. He was named the South African Cricket of the Year in 1998. Coetzee was inducted into the Cricket South Africa Hall of Fame in 2013. Awards and Honors
South African Cricket of the Year (1998) Cricket South Africa Hall of Fame (2013) Captaincy Stints
Coetzee captained South Africa in 13 ODIs and one Test match. He was a successful captain, winning 11 of his 13 ODIs and his only Test match.
Coetzee was involved in a few controversies during his career. In 2003, he was fined for using foul language on the field. In 2005, he was banned for two matches for bowling a beamer.
Coetzee retired from international cricket in 2007. He continued to play domestic cricket until 2009.
Coetzee is one of the most successful bowlers in the history of South African cricket