THE cricket career and life of Herschelle Gibbs has taken a turn for the worse.

At 34 years of age, Gibbs seems intent on playing Russian roulette with both. Gibbs’ actions for a long time have been that of someone crying out for help.

He has become bigger news off the field, while the job of scoring runs on it have been few and far between.

At a time when he should be playing his best cricket, taking full advantage of all the money and opportunities world cricket has to offer, he is in free-fall and on the verge of self-destruction. Having initially played with him while still schoolboys, and later touring the world together playing cricket and sharing a room with him on one occasion, I could only but like Gibbs.

A mischievous sense of humour and a go-lucky attitude, masks the character that is a sensitive and caring man, who gives things much more thought than he is given credit for.

Sadly, taking responsibility for who he is and the talent he has been blessed with has not come easy to Gibbs. He played first-class cricket from a young age and following South Africa’s readmission to international cricket, it was only a question of time before he would be ready to take on the world’s best.

He was good enough not to need the race card foisted on him, but it was strategically used when necessary. Influenced by former Proteas captain, the late Hansie Cronje, he was sucked into throwing a match.

In that game he did not lose his wicket when he was supposed to, and on the strength of this excuse, he got off leniently.

He then violated his six-month probation while on a tour with the Proteas to the West Indies, when he was caught smoking dope.

But despite the indiscretions, Gibbs was kept on the field.

As a professional sportsman to have survived such serious violations with no more than a slap on the wrist, you have to start believing you are infallible. We live in a country with important agendas and a sporting system where there are rules for some and not for others.

Sadly, good intentions can also carry with them unexpected consequences. Sure, you can’t entirely blame the system for the predicament in which Gibbs finds himself. Personal responsibility is an important factor, but in the case of Gibbs, the system has fed a tragic and fallible personality. I sincerely hope Gibbs will get his life together again and come back and give it one last go.

He will have plenty of support. And I hope it will be the right support from those who have only his good intentions at heart.

Gibbs has provided us with so much enjoyment for so long and cricketing memories that will live forever. For this at least, he deserves our full support and best wishes.