Often nicknamed 'White Lightning' due to his quick bowling, he is considered one of the South Africa national cricket team's greatest pace bowlers of all time.

He is also remembered for his infamous runout during South Africa's loss in the 1999 World Cup semi-final match against Australia.

[6] Donald played cricket, soccer and rugby as a child and completed his primary education at the Technical High School.

In November 1985, he made his first-class debut in the Currie Cup playing for Orange Free State against the Transvaal cricket team at the age of 19 and was included for the match at the last minute as an injury replacement to Corrie van Zyl who injured his foot badly prior to the match.

He was originally supposed to be the twelfth man of the side during the match but was called upon by his captain Chris Broad just ten minutes before the toss.

However, his county career was clouded with confusions yet again as Warwickshire signed Australian batsman Tom Moody for the 1990 season.

Largely, to his relief, the club persisted with Donald by handing him a long-term contract commencing from the 1991 season, despite the consistent performances from Moody in the county championships.

Interestingly, Warwickshire had initially told Donald that the 1995 season would be his last with the club in order to recruit West Indian veteran Brian Lara.

[18] However, he shined with the ball on his test debut picking up six wickets (2–67 and 4–77) for the match inclusive of a four-wicket haul in the second innings.

[24] During a group stage match between the United Arab Emirates and South Africa in the 1996 World Cup, UAE skipper Sultan Zarawani faced Donald without a helmet as he only wore a sunhat on his head, which literally frustrated Donald and the gesture of Zarawani had prompted him to bowl fierce bouncers on the batsman.

[25][26] Sultan came to bat when UAE was reeling at 68/6 in a huge run chase of 322 and was subsequently hit on the head by a fierce bouncer delivered by Donald.

Despite the blow, Zarawani still continued to refuse the offer of a helmet but only lasted six more balls before he was dismissed and taken straight to hospital.

For the quarter-final against West Indies, Donald was left out of the team so that two spinners could be selected, a decision later described as "the single biggest mistake of the tournament".

Michael Atherton was at the crease when Donald began a spell of bowling both would later describe in their respective autobiographies as one of the most intense periods of test match cricket they ever played.

[40][41] In the 1999 Cricket World Cup, South Africa had progressed to the semi-finals, and Donald until then had an excellent tournament, taking 12 wickets in 8 matches.

The game swung back and forth with South Africa eventually needing to score 16 runs off the last 8 balls to win with only one wicket remaining.

Although the match technically ended in a tie, South Africa had previously lost to Australia in the Super-Six phase, and needed to win outright to progress to the final.

His reputation started to take a hit among public following South Africa's exit from the 1999 World Cup as public opinions on him were mostly critical of his approach regarding running between the wickets especially when he engaged in the brainfade runout which cost South Africa a golden chance to reach their first World Cup final.

He was seen as a villain by many South Africans and he received negative publicity due to media bashing him for his blunder during the crucial stage of the semi-final.

He received severe opposition from ardent cricket fans upon his arrival to South Africa from England after the World Cup semi-final.

[54][55] However, it was later revealed that he was forced to give up test cricket due to flow of injuries which started to take a toll on his fitness levels and body.

[58] He retired from all forms of cricket in 2004 after playing in his final home domestic season citing deterioration of physical conditions.

Donald decided not to continue with his coaching role at the end of September 2007, citing the strain of touring and his wish to be with his family.

[65] However a month later as of June 2011, he later reversed his decision and stated he had ambitions in order to secure a coaching position in South African cricket.

[71] He was appointed as the bowling coach of the Pune Warriors India for the 2012 Indian Premier League replacing Geoff Marsh.

[75] In 2016, reports emerged that he would be considered in an interim capacity as a temporary bowling coach of Australia for the test tour to Sri Lanka and home series against South Africa.

He was expected to join the county at the start of the 2017 season but was denied a work permit as he did not, at the time, hold a suitable coaching qualification.

He was successful in obtaining his Level 3 coaching qualification during 2017 and formally joined Kent in early 2018, leading the team during the 2017–18 Regional Super50 competition ahead of the 2018 English season.

[82] In March 2022, he was appointed as the pace bowling coach of Bangladesh national cricket team until the 2022 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

[87][88] Donald was also loyal towards his former captain Cronje whom he referred to as a person with the ability to lead the side with ease and called him as a natural leader.