[3] He later played for the South African provincial sides Eastern Province and Orange Free State.

[4] A tall and elegant right-handed batsman, Bland broke into the South African Test team in 1961, and was a regular until 1966–67.

His spectacular run out of Ken Barrington in the Lord's Test of 1965, followed by a similar dismissal of Jim Parks, may have prevented England from establishing a match-winning first innings lead, the match eventually being drawn.

"[7] Bland was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1966;[1] he is one of only two players so honoured (the other is Stuart Surridge) to be depicted in the accompanying portrait fielding, rather than batting, bowling or keeping.

When Wisden asked Peter van der Merwe in 1999 to name the five outstanding cricketers of the twentieth century, he included Colin Bland, saying, "He revolutionised the attitude to fielding, and set a standard not yet equalled.