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War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy.
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South Africa Cricket Team
Ruling Body: Cricket
South Africa
Captain: AB de
(Test & ODI); Faf du Plessis (T20)
Coach: Russell Domingo
Granted Test status: 1889
Current&international ranking: Official
ICC rankings
-&P 400, W
145, L 134,&D
558, W 342, L
91, W 54, L
36,&T 0, NR
highest test totals:
- 637/2d v England (2012)
- 627/7d v England (2016)
- 580/4d v Sri Lanka&(2012)
highest ODI totals:
- 439/2 v West Indies (2015)
- 438/4 v India (2015)
-&411/4 v Ireland (2015)
highest T20 totals:
- 231/7 v West Indies (2015)
- 229/4 v England (2016)
- 219/4 v India (2012)
players: 324
players: 115
players: 64
individual score: 311* (HM Amla)
individual score:
188* (G Kirsten)
individual score: 119 (F du Plessis)
career runs: 13,206
(JH Kallis)
career runs: 11,579
(JH Kallis)
career runs: 1,654*
(J-P Duminy)
bowling (innings):&9/113
(HJ Tayfield)
bowling: 7/45
(Imran Tahir)
bowling: 5/19
(R McLaren)
bowling (match):&13/132
career wickets:&&421
(SM Pollock)
career wickets:&393
(SM Pollock)
career wickets: 58*
(DW Steyn)
team inns:&682/6
v England - 2003
team inns:&439/2
v West Indies - 2015
team inns: 241/6
v England - 2009
run chase achieved:
&414/4 v Australia - 2008
run chase achieved:&&438/9
v&Australia - 2006
run chase achieved:& 208/2
v West Indies - 2007
run-scorers
13206 - JH Kallis
de Villiers
11549 - JH Kallis
de Villiers
J-P Duminy
AB de Villiers
F du Plessis
wicket-takers
421 - SM Pollock
387 - SM Pollock
L Klusener
58 - DW Steyn
43 - Imran
WD Parnell
Partnership
ND McKenzie/GC Smith
2nd - 315*
- HH Gibbs/JH Kallis
3rd - 429*
JA Rudolph/HH Dippenaar
4th - 308 -
HM Amla/AB de Villiers
5th - 338 -
GC Smith/AB de
6th - 271 -
AG Prince/MV Boucher
- DJ McGlew/ARA Murray
8th - 150 -
ND McKenzie/SM Pollock
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
G Kirsten/M Zondeki
9th - 195 -
MV Boucher/PL Symcox
10th - 107*
- AB de Villiers/M Morkel
HM Amla/RR Rossouw
2nd - 247 -
HM Amla/F du Plessis
- HM Amla/RR Rossouw
- DJ Cullinan/JN Rhodes
5th - 256*
DA Miller/JP Suminy
WJ Cronje/SM Pollock
7th - 114 -
MV Boucher/L Klusener
8th - 138*
JM Kemp/AJ Hall
- DA Miller/RK Kleinveldt
10th - 67*
- JA Morkel/M Ntini
GC Smith/LE Bosman
2nd - 129 -
Q de Kock/RR Rossouw
3rd - 133*
- RE Levi/AB de Villiers
4th - 105*
-&JP Duminy/F Behardien
5th - 66 -
F du Plessis/F Behardien
MV Boucher/JA Morkel
7th - 57* -
SM Pollock/JA Morkel
WD Parnell/J Theron
- J Botha/DW Steyn
10th - 10*
- Imran Tahir/LL Tsotsobe
As at August 16, 2016
A not particularly strong English touring team, consisting of 7
county-standard players and 6 of good clubs standard, and that Altham
compared to a weak English county, played an extremely weak nascent
South African team. These games were not recognised as Tests by England
at the time. Wisden's Cricketers Almanack noted that "it was never
intended, or considered necessary, to take out a representative English
team for a first trip to the Cape". The England team did, however,
include some stars such as Briggs and Abel, and George Ulyett, who
replaced a player who had to return from South Africa due to a family
bereavement.
Although the English team is said not to have paid its
expenses, it was otherwise financially successful. The cricketers were
warmly welcomed. England were led by Aubrey Smith, who became the most
widely known of England's cricket captains as a result of becoming a
"B" list Hollywood star. They played all their matches, except the two
that later came to be regarded as Test matches, against odds, and lost
some of them too! Of the 19 games they played, they won 13, including
the 2 that later became recognised as Test matches, losing 4 and
abandoning 2.
In the first Test, which was played on a green matting wicket,
England beat South Africa on matting by 8 wickets by 3.30 p.m. on the
second day. Around 3,000 spectators attended the first day.
Monty Bowden became England's youngest ever Test captain aged
23 in the Second Test, replacing an injured Smith. England scored 292
and then dismissed South Africa for 47 and 43 to record a comprehensive
victory. Bowden died 3 years later after being trampled by his own oxen
after falling from his cart. He had stayed in South Africa. His death
was possibly the result of an epileptic fit. He may not have known he
had ever played Test cricket. It is said that his body, which was taken
to Umtali hospital, had to be protected from marauding lions before
being interred in a coffin made from old whiskey cases.
England in South Africa 1888/9. Match length: 3
days. Balls per over: 4. Series result: England win 2-0.
Second England tour to South Africa 1891-92
This match was not considered by anyone at the time to be a Test, but
was subsequently elevated to Test match status. The main England winter
tour was still ongoing in Australia. As a result, Walter Read's two
Test match victories as captain leave him as one of the two with a 100%
record while captaining England in more than one Test. The main points
of note are that this game Billy Murdoch and JJ Ferris, both of whom
had previously played for Australia and had now settled in England,
played for the English tourists. Similarly, Frank Hearne, who had
previously played Test cricket for England against South Africa before
settling in South Africa, played for South Africa, while his two
brothers, Alec Hearne and George Gibbons Hearne, and their cousin, John
Thomas Hearne, all played for England.
England in South Africa 1891-92. Match length: 3
days. Balls per over: 5. One-off Test. Result: England won
England's third tour of South Africa 1895-96
Lord HawkeEngland's third tour of South Africa was a
very one-sided series that was not elevated to Test status till later.
England fielded 10 new caps throughout the series (8 in the first
Test). The captains, a baronet and a lord, were chosen for their roles
more because of their status than their cricketing ability.
The highlight of the first Test was South Africa's dismissal
for a record low of 30 in their second innings, with George Lohmann
taking 8 wickets for 7 runs, including a hat-trick. He had match
figures of 15 for 45.
Lohmann followed this with 9 wickets for 28 runs in the first
innings of the second Test, the first time a bowler had taken 9 wickets
in a single Test innings. In the third Test, Lohmann took his haul of
wickets to 35 at an average of 5.8.
England in South Africa 1895-96. Match length: 3
days. Balls per over: 5. Series result: England won 3-0.
Hawke in South Africa 1898-99
Lord Hawke led a second tour to South Africa. Again, the England side
was at far from full strength, with 9 Test match debuts for England in
the series, most notably that of future English cricket captain Plum
Warner, who carried his bat through England's second innings in the
first Test for 132. The first Test was South Africa's best to date, and
they were set 132 to win. But Albert Trott, who also played three Tests
for Australia, took 5 for 49 to dismiss them for 99.
South Africa had a chance to record their first Test victory
in the second Test, after dismissing England for 99, then scoring 177
themselves. 330 from England set them a challenging 246. But the South
Africans collapsed again and were bowled out by Schofield Haigh (6 for
11) and Trott (4 for 19) for a feeble 35 off only 114 balls.
Murray Bisset, who was a little under 23 years old, was the
youngest Test captain at time and remained so for more than 50 years.
He later became the chief justice of Rhodesia and earned a knighthood.
England in South Africa 1898-99. Match length: 3
days. Balls per over: 5. Series result: England won 2-0.
International tours of South Africa to 1914
England 1888-89
1st Test at St George’s Park Cricket Ground, Port Elizabeth –
England won by 8 wickets
2nd Test at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town – England won by an
innings and 202 runs
England 1891-92
1st Test at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town – England won by an
innings and 189 runs
South Africa won the toss and batted first. They were soon all out for
97, with John Ferris taking 6 for 54. In reply 134 from Henry Wood saw
Walter Read's side total 369, a lead of 272 that South Africa were
never likely to catch. Ferris's 7 for 37 helped dismiss the South
Africans for 83 in their second innings.
The game is more interesting for some historical oddities.
Billy Murdoch and Ferris, who had both previously played for Australia,
played for England due to residence. Frank Hearne, who played for South
Africa in this game, had previously played for England. Finally, the
game gives the second instance of three brothers playing in the same
Test match, as Frank Hearne's brothers, Alec Hearne and George Hearne
played from England. A cousin, John Thomas Hearne also played for the
England 1895-96
1st Test at St George’s Park Cricket Ground, Port Elizabeth –
England won by 288 runs
2nd Test at Old Wanderers, Johannesburg – England won by an innings and
3rd Test at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town – England won by an
innings and 32 runs
England 1898-99
1st Test at Old Wanderers, Johannesburg – England won by 32 runs
2nd Test at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town – England won by 210 runs
Australia 1902-03
1st Test at Old Wanderers, Johannesburg – match drawn
2nd Test at Old Wanderers, Johannesburg – Australia won by 159 runs
3rd Test at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town – Australia won by 10
England 1905-06
1st Test at Old Wanderers, Johannesburg – South Africa won by 1 wicket
2nd Test at Old Wanderers, Johannesburg – South Africa won by 9 wickets
3rd Test at Old Wanderers, Johannesburg – South Africa won by 243 runs
4th Test at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town – England won by 4
5th Test at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town – South Africa won by an
innings and 16 runs
England 1909-10
1st Test at Old Wanderers, Johannesburg – South Africa won by 19 runs
2nd Test at Lord's, Durban – South Africa won by 95 runs
3rd Test at Old Wanderers, Johannesburg – England won by 3 wickets
4th Test at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town – South Africa won by 4
5th Test at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town – England won by 9
This tour included The Reef v MCC at Boksburg. It was scheduled as a
four-day match but play only took place on two because of bad weather.
Although the two teams consisted of recognised players, the South
African Board of Control decided as late as 1930 that it had not been a
first-class match. Wisden 1931 reproduced a letter from the SABC which
outlined its case. Wisden has ignored the ruling and includes the match
in the career figures of all the players who took part, including
record-breaking players such as Wilfred Rhodes, Jack Hobbs and Frank
It is possible that the SABC thought it was a 2 day match, but
Wisden 1911 clearly states that "not a ball could be bowled on the
first and fourth days" so it was actually planned as a 4 day match.
England 1913-14
1st Test at Lord's, Durban – England won by an innings and 157 runs
2nd Test at Old Wanderers, Johannesburg – England won by aninnings and
3rd Test at Old Wanderers, Johannesburg – England won by 91 runs
4th Test at Lord's, Durban – match drawn
5th Test at St George’s Park Cricket Ground, Port Elizabeth – England
won by 10 wickets
Australian Imperial Forces (AIF) 1919-20
Western Province v AIF – AIF won by 2 wickets
Transvaal v AIF – match drawn
Natal v AIF – AIF won by 310 runs
Natal v AIF – AIF won by an innings and 42 runs
Transvaal v AIF – AIF won by an innings and 14 runs
South Africa v AIF – AIF won by 8 wickets
South Africa v AIF – AIF won by an innings and 129 runs
Western Province v AIF – match drawn
The AIF team had players of the calibre of Jack Gregory, Herbie
Collins, Bert Oldfield and Nip Pellew.
Australia 1921-22
1st Test at Lord's, Durban – match drawn
2nd Test at Old Wanderers, Johannesburg – match drawn
3rd Test at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town – Australia won by 10
England 1922-23
1st Test at Old Wanderers, Johannesburg – South Africa won by 168 runs
2nd Test at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town – England won by 1 wicket
3rd Test at Kingsmead, Durban – match drawn
4th Test at Old Wanderers, Johannesburg – match drawn
5th Test at Kingsmead, Durban – England won by 109 runs
England 1927-28
1st Test at Old Wanderers, Johannesburg – England won by 10
2nd Test at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town – England won by 87 runs
3rd Test at Kingsmead, Durban – match drawn
4th Test at Old Wanderers, Johannesburg – South Africa won by 4 wickets
5th Test at Kingsmead, Durban – South Africa won by 8 wickets
England 1930-31
1st Test at Old Wanderers, Johannesburg – South Africa won by
2nd Test at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town – match drawn
3rd Test at Kingsmead, Durban – match drawn
4th Test at Old Wanderers, Johannesburg – match drawn
5th Test at Kingsmead, Durban – match drawn
Australia 1935-36
1st Test at Kingsmead, Durban – Australia won by 9 wickets
2nd Test at Old Wanderers, Johannesburg – match drawn
3rd Test at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town – Australia won by an
innings and 78 runs
4th Test at Old Wanderers, Johannesburg – Australia won by an innings
and 184 runs
5th Test at Kingsmead, Durban – Australia won by an innings and 6 runs
England 1938-39
1st Test at Old Wanderers, Johannesburg – match drawn
2nd Test at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town – match drawn
3rd Test at Kingsmead, Durban – England won by an innings and 13 runs
4th Test at Old Wanderers, Johannesburg – match drawn
5th Test at Kingsmead, Durban – match drawn
History of cricket in South Africa from 1945–46
International feeling against South Africa's apartheid
policy became stronger and more vociferous as the post-war era
developed. Until the mid-1960s, however, the South Africa national
cricket team continued to play regularly and without undue difficulty
against Australia, England and New Zealand.
But matters came to a head in 1968 when the South African
government refused to allow a tour by England whose team included Basil
D'Oliveira. Although the Australians visited South Africa in 1969-70,
the end was nigh for apartheid in sport and South Africa was banned
from Test cricket for 22 years. This happened just at a time when the
South African team was arguably the strongest in world cricket.
In 1970, after South Africa's tour of England was cancelled, a
Rest of the World team toured instead. It was captained by Gary Sobers
and included other non-white players from the West Indies, India and
Pakistan. It also included four of the greatest South African players
(Eddie Barlow, Graeme Pollock, Mike Procter and Barry Richards) who
clearly had no problems about sharing a dressing room with other
cricketers whose skin was a different colour to their own.
England 1948-49
1st Test at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead, Durban – England won by 2 wickets
2nd Test at Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg – match drawn
3rd Test at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town – match drawn
4th Test at Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg – match drawn
5th Test at Sahara Oval St George's, Port Elizabeth – England won by 3
Australia 1949-50
1st Test at Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg – Australia won
by an innings and 85 runs
2nd Test at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town – Australia won by 8
3rd Test at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead, Durban – Australia won by 5
4th Test at Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg – match drawn
5th Test at Sahara Oval St George's, Port Elizabeth – Australia won by
an innings and 259 runs
New Zealand 1953-54
1st Test at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead, Durban – South Africa
won by an innings and 58 runs
2nd Test at Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg – South Africa won by 132
3rd Test at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town – match drawn
4th Test at Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg – South Africa won by 9
5th Test at Sahara Oval St George's, Port Elizabeth – South Africa won
by 5 wickets
England 1956-57
1st Test at Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg – England won by 131 runs
2nd Test at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town – England won by 312 runs
3rd Test at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead, Durban – match drawn
4th Test at Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg – South Africa won by 17
5th Test at Sahara Oval St George's, Port Elizabeth – South Africa won
by 58 runs
Australia 1957-58
1st Test at Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg – match drawn
2nd Test at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town – Australia won by an
innings and 141 runs
3rd Test at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead, Durban – match drawn
4th Test at Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg – Australia won by 10
5th Test at Sahara Oval St George's, Port Elizabeth – Australia won by
Commonwealth XI 1959-60
A Commonwealth XI cricket team toured South Africa in October 1959,
playing three first-class matches. Captained by Denis Compton, the
Commonwealth XI included several famous or well-known players such as
Tom Graveney, Brian Close, Bert Sutcliffe, Frank Tyson, Godfrey Evans,
Roy Marshall, Bob Simpson and Ian Craig
New Zealand 1961-62
1st Test at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead, Durban – South Africa
won by 30 runs
2nd Test at Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg – match drawn
3rd Test at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town – New Zealand won by 72
4th Test at Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg – South Africa won by an
innings and 51 runs
5th Test at Sahara Oval St George's, Port Elizabeth – New Zealand won
by 40 runs
England 1964-65
1st Test at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead, Durban – England won by an
innings and 104 runs
2nd Test at Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg – match drawn
3rd Test at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town – match drawn
4th Test at Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg – match drawn
5th Test at Sahara Oval St George's, Port Elizabeth – match drawn
Australia 1966-67
1st Test at Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg – South Africa won by 233
2nd Test at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town – Australia won by 6
3rd Test at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead, Durban – South Africa won by 8
4th Test at Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg – match drawn
5th Test at Sahara Oval St George's, Port Elizabeth – South Africa won
by 7 wickets
Australia 1969-70
1st Test at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town – South Africa won by
2nd Test at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead, Durban – South Africa won by an
innings and 129 runs
3rd Test at Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg – South Africa won by 307
4th Test at Sahara Oval St George's, Port Elizabeth – South Africa won
by 323 runs
In 1970, the ICC voted to suspend South Africa from international
cricket indefinitely because of its government's policy of apartheid,
an overtly racist policy, which led them to play only against the white
nations (England, Australia, New Zealand), and field only white
players. This decision excluded players such as Graeme Pollock, Barry
Richards and Mike Procter from partaking in international Test Cricket.
It would also cause the emigration of future stars like Allan Lamb and
Robin Smith, who both played for England, and Kepler Wessels, who
initially played for Australia, before returning to South Africa.
International cricket in South Africa between 1971 and 1981
consisted of 4 private tours arranged by English sports promoter
Derrick Robins, 2 tours by a private team called the "International
Wanderers", and one women's Test match. The apartheid policy followed
by the South African Governments of the day meant that no Test match
playing nation was willing to tour, thereby depriving world cricket of
leading stars such as Graeme Pollock, Barry Richards, Clive Rice and
Eddie Barlow.
The road to isolation
Sport in South Africa had been divided on racial lines since the early
white settlers. Cricket was no different. In 1891/2 Walter Read's
Englishmen first played against a non-white team, the Malays. No
non-white South Africans played any other international cricket until
1956, when a team of Kenyan Asians toured against South African
non-whites. However, with apartheid laws becoming ever stricter, no
non-white was selected for the national Test team. This did not,
however, stop white-majority Commonwealth from playing white South
Africa at cricket. In the 1970s and 1980s, the South African Cricket
Board ran a competition called the Howa Bowl, which was contested
between non-whites.
The Basil D'Oliveira affair changed all that. D'Oliveira was a
mixed-race South African (partly black - "coloured" under the Apartheid
classification). Unable to play for his national side, he came to
England and played for them instead, going on tour to the West Indies
in 1967. His performance on that tour was not impressive, and he was
omitted from the Ashes Test squads in the following summer until the
fifth and final Test at the Oval. He scored 158, and was expected to
make it to the team to tour South Africa in winter. When initially he
wasn't selected, there was great controversy in England, with the
English Test selectors being accused of pandering to the racist regime
in South Africa. Then, when a vacancy became available through another
player dropping out, D'Oliveira was selected in his place. But
African Prime Minister John Vorster
opposed his selection,
saying that
it was not a team of the Marylebone Cricket Club, but of the
Anti-Apartheid Movement. England did not tour.
However, Australia did tour in 1969/70, with the Springboks
whitewashing them 4-0, making them unofficial world champions of the
sport. They did not play another official Test match for 22 years.
Their tour to England was called off in 1970, with England hastily
arranging a tour by a Rest of the World team, which itself included
some South Africans.
Garry Sobers, the West Indies' captain and their best
cricketer, caused controversy by coaching and playing in Rhodesia in
1969. In September 1970 he caused even greater controversy by playing
in a double-wicket competition that heralded the start of the cricket
season there [1]. Although Sobers spent only 48 hours in Salisbury, he
had time for lunch with the prime minister, Ian Smith, and described
him as a great man to talk to. Sobers' statement and his participation
in the tournament gave Caribbean politicians an opportunity to make
clear their hatred of apartheid and racism. The Guyanese prime
minister, Forbes Burnham, said Sobers was not welcome in his country
until there was an apology. The Jamaican government called for his
resignation as captain. The Indian prime minister, Indira Gandhi,
forbade the Indian cricket team to tour the West Indies until the
matter was sorted out.
South Africa tried to tour Australia in 1971, even going as
far as suggesting that two black players, Dik Abed and Owen Williams
were part of the team. Abed and Williams rejected the proposal. Also in
1971 Englishman Colin Cowdrey wanted to take a racially-mixed team to
South Africa and play separate black and white national teams. But the
coloured Board rejected the idea and persuaded Basil D'Oliveira to
distance himself from it. Frank Waring, the Minister of Sport, declared
that if cricketers from club level upwards declared that they were in
favour of racially integrated cricket and their authorities, "Came to
me and stated that this was the position, then I am fully prepared to
take this matter to Cabinet."
In another attempt to get a touring international side to
visit, the South African Board of Control invited New Zealand to play
three matches against multiracial sides when they were en route to
England. However, New Zealand declined the offer.
DH Robins' XI January-February 1973
A women's Test team from New Zealand did visit South Africa at the
start of 1972. Also Rhodesia, a country neighbouring South Africa that
was also under white minority rule, attracted an International
Wanderers side captained by England star Brian Close and that included
nine Test players, one of whom was Basil D'Oliveira. They played just
two games: a drawn game on 23-25 September 1972 and a 4-day match on 29
September-2 October 1972, which Rhodesia won easily by 411 runs, and
did not tour South Africa. South African, Mike Procter, played for
However the first "international" games played by South Africa
post-isolation occurred after this. Derrick Robins, a millionaire
businessman and chairman of Coventry City Football Club, had organised
a number of private cricket tours in the past, arranged a tour to South
Africa thabrt took place between 1 January 1973 and 6 February 1973.
XI included many England Test players, who did not have to suffer bans
as a result of it. Robins' aim was for his XI "to do so well that you
will invite us back again". His players were also aware that England's
Test selectors would notice how they performed.
There was some criticism of his decision to come to apartheid
South Africa, which Robins dismissed by saying, "I do not want to
answer political questions, but I'll say this: we are a team of English
cricketers on a private tour, here to play anyone our hosts want us to
play against." However, an attempt to mobilise opposition in England
soon fizzled out.
The highlight of the tour was a 4-day game against a
representative South African XI, the closest South Africa had come to
choosing a Test squad since 1970. This game was changed to be the last
one - highlighting that the tourists were treating their games
seriously, rather than as a cricketing holiday. All the leading South
African cricketers played, including many who had played Test matches
before South Africa's expulsion from the world cricket community.
In this game DH Robins' XI won the toss and chose to field:
that was a mistake as, courtesy of 100 runs from Barry Richards and 97
for Andre Bruyns, they piled on 387 runs. A strong all-round bowling
performance saw DH Robins' XI get dismissed twice for under 160, with
no player scoring more than 32, and the match end within 3 days. A 50
overs a side game was played on what would have been the fourth day. A
tight match saw the South Africans edge home by 1 wicket.
DH Robins' XI team squad comprised: Anthony B David
B Frank H Jackie H Robin H David H Robin
J Roger K John L Peter L Arnold L John
M Clive R Mike S David T Peter W Bob
South African International XI (effectively a South African
representative team) comprised: Ali Bacher (captain); Eddie B
Andre B Jackie du P Lee I Donald Mackay-C Ken
McE Mike P Barry R Peter Swart. Additionally,
Vintcent van der Bijl played in the one-day match, but not the 4-day
Rupert Hanley played in the 4-day match, not the one-day match.
DH Robins' XI October-December 1973
At the start of the next South African season, Derrick Robins took
another group of tourists to South Africa. Only Mike Smith and John
Lever of those who toured earlier in 1973 went on this tour. Whilst the
other players on the team were mostly English, there were also a number
of players from other countries. Most notably the tour included
Pakistani Younis Ahmed and West Indian John Shepherd. The other players
in the touring squad were (English unless stated otherwise):
Brian Close (captain); Ray E John E Bruce Francis
(Australian); John Gleeson (Australian); Graham J Peter L
Graham R John S Roger T Bob Woolmer (a South African,
who was born in India and played for England)
After four warm-up games against the provinces, the tour included five
games against fully representative South African sides, four of which
were over 4 days, the other a one-day match over 50 overs.
The South Africans who played in each of these representative
squads were: Hylton A Eddie Barlow (captain); Anthony B
Lee I Graeme P Mike P Barry R Vintcent van
der Bijl. Additionally, Peter Swart played in the 4-day games, but not
the one- Jackie du Preez and Anthony Smith just played in the
first two 4- Pelham Henwood and Rupert Hanley played in the
third 4-day game and the one- and Kevin Verdoorn only played
in the one-day game.
The first of the representative games contained little of
note, with slow scoring (South Africa's second innings of 287 took 112
overs) meant that it ended in a draw. The second game was dominated by
two huge scores. John Edrich made 170 for DH Robins' XI, then Barry
Richards made 180 for South Africa to ensure a second draw. The third
and final first-class representative game started with South Africa
winning the toss and putting DH Robins' XI into bat. DH Robins' XI only
made 227 for 9 declared. The South African innings was dominated by 211
from Eddie Barlow and 125 from Lee Irvine as they piled on 528, with
John Lever taking 6 for 117. A strong performance of 4 for 66 from
Vintcent van der Bijl then helped South Africa dismiss DH Robins' XI
for 218 to record a strong win in the match, and to take the
three-match series 1-0.
The very next day DH Robins' XI got some revenge in the only
one-day game of the tour in a low scoring, but tight match.
DH Robins XI March-April 1975
Brian Close led a strong international team known as the
"International Wanderers" to Rhodesia in September 1974. They played
one game against Transvaal, but nothing else in South Africa. The
Rhodesian team notably included South African-born Mike Procter, whilst
the International Wanderers counted South African Eddie Barlow amongst
their numbers.
The next games for a representative South African side
therefore took place on Derrick Robins third tour to South Africa in
March and April 1975. This DH Robins' XI was again an international
side. Captained once again by Brian Close, it included the following
players from Robins' preceding tour: Bruce Francis (Australian), John
Sheppard (West Indian), Roger Tolchard, Younis Ahmed (Pakistani). In
addition, the following also toured: Malcolm Francke (Sri
Lanka/Australia), Geoff Greenidge (West Indies), Tony Greig (South
African-born England player, Jackie Hampshire, Frank Hayes, Eddie
Hemmings, Terry Jenner (Australia), John Lyon, Clive Radley, Stephen
Rouse, John Steele, Stuart Turner, Max Walker (Australia).
The South African Board President's XI was again captained by
Eddie Barlow. It also, for the very first time in a South African
representative match, included two black players. Edward Habane played
in both the first-class match (the only one he ever played) and the
one-dayer. Sedick Conrad played only in the first-class match. The
other players were: Darryl Bestall, Simon Bezuidenhout, Rupert Hanley,
Pelham Henwood, Lee Irvine, Graeme Pollock, Barry Richards, Vintcent
van der Bijl. Also Peter Swart played in the one-day match, but not the
first-class match.
The first-class match featuring the South African Board
President's XI was dominated by an innings of 155 by South African
legend, Eddie Barlow. DH Robins' XI was skittled out thanks to hauls of
5 for 41 from Pelham Henwood in the first innings, and 5 for 44 from
Vintcent van der Bijl to leave the South Africans winners by 260 runs.
More remarkable than the scores, however, was the inclusion of Edward
Habane and Sedick Conrad, both black, in the South African squad. This
was the first time coloured South Africans had played first-class
cricket against a touring side since a South African Malays team played
an English touring side in the 1890s.
The 40 over representative match was a low-scoring affair,
with Barry Richards' 68 helping South Africa to a 5 wicket win with 6
balls to spare.
DH Robins' XI January-February 1976
The International Wanderers made a short 3 game tour to Rhodesia in
September and October 1975, but other than that there was no
international cricket in Southern Africa until a tour by another DH
Robins' XI in January and February 1976. However, only one game of this
tour, a 60 over affair, was played against a representative South
African XI as the main games for South Africa would come slightly later
in the season against another International Wanderers team.
The members of touring party were (England unless stated):
Phil Carrick, Trevor Chappell (Australia), Geoff Cope, John Douglas
(Australia), Frank Hayes, Mike Hendrick, Geoff Howarth (New Zealand),
Andrew Kennedy, Peter Lee, David Lloyd (captain), Derek Randall, Phil
Slocombe, David Steele, Fred Titmus, Roger Tolchard, Gary Troup (New
Zealand), Dav Whatmore (Sri Lanka).
The South African Invitation XI was again captained by Eddie
Barlow. It also included one black cricketer, S Sonwabe. The other
players were David Dyer, Rupert Hanley, Denys Hobson, Lee Irvine,
Graeme Pollock, Clive Rice, Barry Richards, Anthony Smith and Vintcent
van der Bijl.
The representative match was low and slow scoring, with South
Africa making 219-7 in their 60 overs. The highlights were half
centuries from David Dyer, Graeme Pollock and Barry Richards and 4 for
28 from Gary Troup. DH Robins' XI struggled in reply, collapsing from
125-3 to 164 all out with no player reaching his half century.
International Wanderers March-April 1976
The highlight of the South African 1975/6 season was a tour by the
International Wanderers. They played 3 first-class games and 1 one-day
game against a South African Invitation XI. They also played a
first-class game against a weaker South African Board President's XI.
This was the strongest team to tour South Africa since isolation, and
comprised players from 4 countries. The tourists were managed by Richie
Benaud and captained by Australian Greg Chappell in all four main
representative games. Englishmen Mike Denness and Bob Taylor, and West
Indian John Shepherd also played in all four games. The other players,
their nationalities and the games they played in are as follows
(numbers relate to the first-class games, OD relates to the one-day
game): Ian Chappell (Australia) 1, OD; Phil Edmonds (Zambian-born
Englishman) OD, 3; Gary Gilmour (Australia) 1, 2, 3; Alan Hurst
(Australia) 1, 3; Martin Kent (Australia) 1, 2, 3; Dennis Lillee
(Australia) 2, 3; Ashley Mallett (Australia) 1, OD, 2; John Morrison
(New Zealand) 1, OD, 2; Glenn Turner (New Zealand) OD, 2, 3; Derek
Underwood (England) 1, OD, 3; Max Walker (Australia) OD, 2.
The South African Invitation XI was again captained by Eddie
Barlow, who played in all four representative games, as did Clive Rice
and Vintcent van der Bijl. A number of coloured players were selected
for the Invitation XI. These, and the games they played in, were
Abdullatief Barnes 1, 2; Winston Carelse 1, 2; Ismail Ebrahim 3; Devdas
Govindjee OD; D Jacobs OD; Farouk Timol 3.
The other players selected for South Africa were Hylton
Ackerman OD; Howard Bergins 1, 2, 3; Henry Fotheringham 1; Jack Heron
1; Denys Hobson 1; Lee Irvine OD, 2, 3; Peter Kirsten 1; Douglas
Neilson OD; Gavin Pfuhl 1; Graeme Pollock OD, 2, 3; Anthony Smith OD,
2, 3; Barry Richards OD, 2, 3; Lorrie Wilmot 2, 3.
The end of international tours
During the early to mid 1970s there had been various attempts by the
different South African cricket bodies representing the whites,
coloureds and black to play multiracial cricket despite Government
opposition. In June 1976, however, there were major political uprisings
in South Africa. The main outbreak of civil strife was the Soweto
Uprising, centred on Soweto, the black township attached to
Johannesburg. On 16 June, thousands of schoolchildren rebelled against
the education policy of the white minority government. Hundreds were
US newspaper Newsday estimated 332 had died in Soweto and 435
nationally. Many others went into exile.
On 17 July 1976 the Montréal Olympics opened without 25
African countries (later joined by 4 others) who were boycotting the
games as a result of New Zealand retaining sporting ties with South
Africa - the New Zealand rugby union football team were touring South
Africa at the time.
In the light of this political strife, new changes were
proposed, which included the placing of a moratorium on tours to and
from South Africa. And in practice no international tour happened until
the first of the South African rebel tours in 1982.
The South African rebel tours were a series of seven cricket
tours staged between 1982 and 1990. They were known as the rebel tours
because South Africa was throughout this period banned from
international cricket due to the apartheid regime. As such the tours
were organised and conducted despite the express disapproval of
national cricket boards and governments, and the International Cricket
Conference and international organisations including the United
Nations. The tours were the subject of enormous contemporaneous
controversy and remain a sensitive topic throughout the cricket-playing
Until the D’Oliveira affair and Olympic exclusion in 1968, only white
athletes had been allowed to represent South Africa in international
sport. This position reflected their apartheid society (1948 onwards)
and racist social conventions pre-dating apartheid. In 1971 an
international sports boycott was instituted against South Africa to
voice global disapproval of their racist selection policies and
apartheid in general. South Africa became world sport’s pariah,
excluded from the Olympics, the FIFA World Cup, Test cricket and a host
of minority sports.
The boycott effected measurable change on policy and opinion
in sports selection – and cricket in particular. In 1976 the South
African Cricket Union (SACU) was created to administer the game in the
republic on a multi-racial, meritocratic basis: so-called ‘normal’
cricket. However this was insufficient to ensure South Africa’s
re-admission to international cricket. Inside the republic, many
non-whites resented ‘normal’ cricket, which was a feeble concession in
the wider context of life under apartheid, and declined to take
part.[6] Outside the republic, the ICC bloc of India, Pakistan and the
West Indies refused to countenance re-admission until apartheid itself
was dismantled.
After a decade’s isolation cricket in the republic was weak.
Standards, attendances and child participation were all falling.
Overseas the game had been revolutionised by the World Cup and World
Series Cricket but isolation had deprived South Africa of these
commercial and competitive engines. Then in 1979 Doug Insole, an
English representative on the ICC, told SACU’s Dr Ali Bacher: "Until
apartheid goes, you can forget about getting back into world cricket."
Bacher and SACU felt obliged to act to "keep the game alive in
South Africa". Since players were endangering their careers by breaking
the boycott, SACU had to offer substantial sums to entice their
targets. These rebels would play ‘unofficial’ internationals against a
Springbok team who considered themselves as strong as any team in world
cricket except the West Indies. In the earliest rebel tours Mike
Procter and Peter Kirsten captained home teams featuring Barry
Richards, Graeme Pollock, Clive Rice and Garth Le Roux. By their
conclusion in 1990 these men had retired and were replaced by the likes
of Hansie Cronje and Allan Donald.
The boycott movement opposed any such tours. They felt that
engagement lent credibility and a propaganda coup to the National
Party. But SACU insisted that all funding came directly from commercial
sponsorship and that the tours would be conducted independently of
government. Initially at least overseas opponents could not prove
otherwise while inside South Africa non-white opposition, as under
apartheid more generally, was barely heard due to restrictions on
freedoms of press, speech and assembly.
English XI, 1982
The first major tour was by an English team led by Graham
Gooch in March 1982. Twelve cricketers, 11 of them with Test caps, had
agreed in secret to make a one-month tour of the republic. The news
only broke when they arrived in Johannesburg. The players expected a
brief public outcry and ICC slap on the wrist. Instead they were the
subject of global outrage among press and politicians, and labelled
‘the Dirty Dozen’ in the Houses of Parliament.
The reaction in South Africa could not have been more
different. The government and white newspapers hailed the return of
official international cricket. Apart from Ian Botham, it was said,
this was the full-strength England team. Springbok colours were awarded
to the home side in a series of three ‘Tests’. There were also three
‘one-day internationals’.
The on-field action “made a mockery of the immense off-field
publicity”. The so-called South African Breweries XI were
under-prepared and, with the exception of Gooch, past their best. They
were beaten emphatically by a South Africa team for whom the uncapped
Jimmy Cook and Vintcent van der Bijl starred. The Springboks, captained
by Mike Procter, won the ‘Test’ series 1-0 and ‘ODI’ series 3-0.
The rebels, who numbered 15 after hiring three further players
to cover injuries, all received three-year bans from international
cricket. These suspensions ended the careers of more than half the
squad including Geoffrey Boycott, the world’s leading Test run-scorer.
Squad: Graham Gooch (captain), Dennis Amiss, Geoffrey
Boycott, John Emburey, Mike Hendrick, Geoff Humpage, Alan Knott, Wayne
Larkins, John Lever, Chris Old, Arnold Sidebottom, Les Taylor, Derek
Underwood, Peter Willey, Bob Woolmer.
Arosa Sri Lanka, 1982/3
Sri Lanka was a fledgling Test nation in 1982, playing their inaugural
match against England at Colombo in February of that year. Bandula
Warnapura’s side were beaten by seven wickets against an experienced
visiting team and would fail to win four further Tests as the year
progressed.
Then in October it was announced that Warnapura was leading a
14-man rebel squad to South Africa. The team would be called Arosa Sri
Lanka after the initials of their player manager Anthony Ralph Opatha
and the host nation. The players were vehemently denounced across
India, Pakistan and the Caribbean as well as in their homeland.
For the second successive tour, white South Africa was forced
to put on a brave front in acclaiming sporting triumph where there was
none. A full-strength Sri Lankan team was some way off international
competitiveness so it was little surprise that a makeshift rebel outfit
was utterly humiliated, failing to win a single tour match. Now
captained by Peter Kirsten of Western Province, South Africa
comfortably won all four ‘ODIs’ and both ‘Tests’. Lawrence Seef, who
replaced the injured Barry Richards, and Graeme Pollock made 188 and
197 respectively in the second ‘Test’ but protested that the matches
could not be classed as international cricket. SACU, trying to protect
the ‘unofficial international’ brand it had created, fined them for the
admission.
Life became very difficult for the Sri Lankans who were
ostracised at home for a decision many called treasonous.
Squad: Bandula Warnapura (captain), Flavian Aponso, Hemantha
Devapriya, Lantra Fernando, Mahes Goonatilleke, Nirmal Hettiaratchi,
Lalith Kaluperuma, Susantha Karunaratne, Bernard Perera, Anura
Ranasinghe, Ajit de Silva, Bandula de Silva, Jeryl Woutersz, Tony
Opatha (player/manager).
West Indian tours, 1982/83 & 1983/84
The West Indian players were mainly talented understudies
struggling to break in to the great West Indian Test team of the
period, or men past their prime as Test players. First-class cricketers
in the West Indies were then poorly paid and the participants, many of
whom had irregular or no employment in the off-season, received between
US$100,000 and $120,000 dollars for the two tours. West Indies cricket
was so strong that Clive Lloyd had little need for the likes of
Lawrence Rowe, Collis King and Sylvester Clarke. Rowe has since stated
that he and several other players were disillusioned with the West
Indies Cricket board for not selecting them despite good performances.
The strength of Caribbean cricket was evidenced in the
‘international’ matches, where South Africa received their first real
test. A fiercely contested four-week series in 1982-3 took ‘unofficial
internationals’ to new heights, the Springboks winning the one-day
series 4-2 while the ‘Test’ series was drawn 1-1. The dominant theme of
the match-ups was West Indian fast bowling. Colin Croft was one of four
World Cup winners in the party. Their pace battery, featuring Clarke,
Croft, Bernard Julien and Ezra Moseley, terrified Springbok batsmen who
were forced to wear helmets for the first time.
The frantic first series, again organised in secret and
conducted on the hoof, set up a fierce battle when the West Indians
returned for a full tour the following season. Clarke was by now the
dominant player on either side, claiming four five-wicket hauls in the
2-1 ‘Test’ series win. The West Indian XI also won the one-day series
4-2, helped slightly by the Springboks weakening: Barry Richards and
Vince van der Bijl retired in 1983, and Mike Procter, 36, played only a
single ‘one-day’ international over both tours. Henry Fotheringham, Ken
McEwan, Rupert Hanley, Dave Richardson and Mandy Yachad made their
debuts for South Africa. Clive Rice was handed the captaincy for the
3rd and 4th "Tests" after the sacking of Peter Kirsten for the ‘ODI’
series defeat. Kirsten maintained his place in the team and top scored
in the next match. Graham Gooch played against the West Indies team
during both tours as a member of a South African provincial side.
The improvement in the on-field action was in strict contrast
to the off-field environment. South Africa stood permanently on the
brink of civil war as PW Botha’s brutal government repressed the black
majority and excluded them from a new ‘multi-racial’ parliament. This
oppression was met with violent reprisals while the rebels were
controversial figures in the townships that had worshipped West Indian
cricketers only to see them collaborating with the apartheid enemy.
The participants received a life ban from Caribbean cricket in
1983. In many instances, they were ostracised socially and
professionally, such was the hostility toward players that complied
with the South African apartheid system. In contrast, the players
commented on a warm reception from both blacks and whites in South
Africa and the tour may have been a positive influence on relations
between races. It was one of the few occasions when white and black
people had played sport together in South Africa. The players' bans
were lifted in 1989 but the only tour member who played for West Indies
again was Moseley, at the age of 32. Stephenson and Clarke had very
successful first-class careers in South Africa.
A fierce battle raged – and continues to rage – about the
wisdom of the West Indian tours. Were the rebels, as they themselves
insisted, showing white South Africa that black men were their equals
as the republic stumbled towards democracy? Or, as their detractors
still maintain, had they sold themselves and their dignity to extend
the life of a disgraced and barbarous government?
1982-3 squad: Lawrence Rowe (captain), Richard Austin, Herbert
Chang, Sylvester Clarke, Colin Croft, Alvin Greenidge, Bernard Julien,
Alvin Kallicharran, Collis King, Everton Mattis, Ezra Moseley, David
Murray, Derick Parry, Franklyn Stephenson, Emmerson Trotman, Ray
Wynter, Albert Padmore (player/manager).
1983-4 squad: Lawrence Rowe (captain), Hartley Alleyne, Faoud
Bacchus, Sylvester Clarke, Colin Croft, Alvin Greenidge, Bernard
Julien, Alvin Kallicharran, Collis King, Monte Lynch, Everton Mattis,
Ezra Moseley, David Murray, Derick Parry, Franklyn Stephenson, Emmerson
Trotman, Albert Padmore (player/manager).
Australian tours, 1985/86 & 1986/87
The tours by the Australians were led by former Test captain
Kim Hughes, with South Africa winning both "Test" series 1–0. The squad
included several players who represented Australia at Test level, such
as fast bowlers Terry Alderman, Rodney Hogg and Carl Rackemann,
spinners Trevor Hohns and Tom Hogan opening batsman John Dyson and
Steve Smith. The tour weakened the Australian Test side by depriving it
of several of its best players.
Hughes accused the Australian Cricket Board of fostering
dissatisfaction among the players, making recruitment for the rebel
tours easy. Hughes never played international cricket again and later
returned to South Africa to play for Natal. However, Alderman, Hohns
and Rackemann returned to represent Australia in later series.
On the first Australian tour, 1985–86, fast bowlers Hugh Page
and Corrie van Zyl made their debuts for South Africa. During the
second tour in 1986-87, batsman Brian Whitfield and spinner Omar Henry
who became the second non-white player to represent South Africa, and
two future stars, all-rounder Brian McMillan and fast bowler Allan
Donald made their South African debuts. Kepler Wessels played for the
Australian team on their second tour.
South Africa won both ‘Test’ series 1-0, both ‘ODI’ series and
a ‘day-night’ series. Yet the on-field action could never escape the
shadow of apartheid. Newspaper revelations in January 1986 revealed
what non-white leaders in South Africa and anti-apartheid campaigners
worldwide had been claiming for years: the tours were not funded by
business, as Ali Bacher and SACU had always insisted, but by the
apartheid government through enormous tax breaks.
1985-6 squad: Kim Hughes (captain), Terry Alderman, John
Dyson, Peter Faulkner, Mike Haysman, Tom Hogan, Rodney Hogg, Trevor
Hohns, John Maguire, Rod McCurdy, Carl Rackemann, Steve Rixon, Greg
Shipperd, Steve Smith, Mick Taylor, Graham Yallop.
1986-7 squad: Kim Hughes (captain), Terry Alderman, John
Dyson, Peter Faulkner, Mike Haysman, Tom Hogan, Rodney Hogg, Trevor
Hohns, John Maguire, Rod McCurdy, Carl Rackemann, Steve Rixon, Greg
Shipperd, Steve Smith, Mick Taylor, Kepler Wessels, Graham Yallop.
English XI, 1990
In 1990, the final tour was led by former England captain Mike Gatting.
The team included former and current England players such as batsmen
Tim Robinson, Bill Athey and Chris Broad, wicketkeeper Bruce French,
and the fast bowlers Paul Jarvis, Graham Dilley and Neil Foster.
Kepler Wessels returned to represent the land of his birth.
Roy Pienaar, Dave Rundle and Richard Snell made their debuts for South
Africa. Jimmy Cook was appointed as South African captain and Allan
Donald took 8 wickets for 59 in the match. South Africa went on to win
the only 'Test'. England lost the limited overs series 3–1.
Most of the squad did not play for England again. Gatting
served a three-year ban from Test cricket before his recall to the
England side for the tour of India and Sri Lanka in 1992–93, along with
John Emburey and Paul Jarvis. Emburey made both rebel tours and served
two suspensions. Foster subsequently played a solitary Test, against
Australia at Lord's in 1993.
The squad for the rebel tour was announced during the fourth
Test of the 1989 The Ashes series in England. Players in the squad were
not considered for the rest of the series, which allowed future
long-term England players, batsman Michael Atherton and fast bowler
Devon Malcolm, an opportunity to make their England debuts.
The tour was a financial disaster as it coincided with the
"unbanning" of the African National Congress and the release from
prison of Nelson Mandela. As South Africa began the dismantling of
apartheid, Ali Bacher was surprised at the scale of the mass
demonstrations against the tour as previous rebel tours had passed
smoothly in the country. The second tour scheduled for 1990-91 was
cancelled.
Squad: Mike Gatting (captain), Bill Athey, Kim Barnett, Chris
Broad, Chris Cowdrey, Graham Dilley, Richard Ellison, John Emburey,
Neil Foster, Bruce French, Paul Jarvis, Matthew Maynard, Tim Robinson,
Greg Thomas, Alan Wells, David Graveney (player/manager).
31 Players were selected to play for South Africa in the 19 Rebel
"Tests". Vincent van der Bijl, Rupert Hanley, Denys Hobson, Kevin
McKenzie, Alan Kourie, Brian Whitfield, Kenny Watson, Roy Pienaar, Hugh
Page, Ray Jennings, Henry Fotheringham, Lawrence Seeff, Stephen
Jefferies, Ken McEwan and Garth le Roux all retired or were beyond
their prime before official international cricket resumed for South
Africa. Before isolation, Graeme Pollock (23 Tests), Mike Procter (7
Tests) and Barry Richards (4 Tests) had played official Test cricket.
South Africa resumed official international cricket in 1991
with a short tour of India, and uparticipation in the 1992 Cricket
Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Clive Rice (3), Corrie van Zyl (2),
Dave Rundle (2) and Mandy Yachad (1), only played in official ODIs for
SouthBacher and SACU felt obliged to act to Africa. Being in the
twilight of their careers, Jimmy Cook played
3 Tests and 6 ODIs, Peter Kirsten 12 Tests and 40 ODIs, Adrian Kuiper 1
Test and 25 ODIs and Omar Henry 3 Tests and 3 ODIs. Allan Donald, 72
Tests and 164 ODIs, Brian McMillan 38 Tests and 78 ODIs and Dave
Richardson 42 Tests and 122 ODIs, became the backbone of the new Protea
outfit, and to a lesser extent, Richard Snell who played in 5 Tests and
42 ODIs. Kepler Wessels became captain of the team and played pin 16
Tests and 55 ODIs for South Africa. During the years of isolation,
Wessels played for Australia in 24 Tests and 54 ODIs.
All of the matches played during the rebel tours were granted
first-class status, which was subsequently withdrawn by the
International Cricket Council in 1993. As of August 2007, the ICC is
reviewing the status of all matches played in South Africa between 1961
and 1991, including those played during the rebel tours, with a view to
restoring first-class status to some matches.
The ICC reinstated South Africa as a Test nation in 1991 after the
deconstruction of apartheid, and the team played its first sanctioned
match since 1970 (and its first ever One-Day International) against
India in Calcutta on 10 November 1991.
Since South Africa have been reinstated they have achieved
mixed success, and hosted the International Cricket Council Cricket
World Cup in 2003. However, it is widely believed the sides containing
the likes of Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock, Gary Kirsten and Hansie
Cronje grossly underachieved, gaining a reputation as "chokers", due to
them reaching the semi-finals of the Cricket World Cup three times, but
failing to progress into the finals, with Herschelle Gibbs famously
dropping Australian captain Steve Waugh in 1999 in a Super Six match.
In the second part of the 1990s, South Africa had the highest winning
percentage in ODIs of any team, but they were knocked out of the 1996
World Cup in the quarter-finals, and then were eliminated on countback
after tieing their semi-final against Australia in 1999. In 2003, South
Africa were one of the favourites but were eliminated by one run in the
group stages after they had mistakenly counted the number of runs they
They have also had bad press for failing in vital matches in
global tournaments including the 2002 ICC Champions Trophy and the 2007
ICC World Twenty20.
With Donald retiring, Cronje banned for match-fixing and later
died in a plane crash, and Pollock also retiring from international
cricket, the team has once again changed shape. It is currently
captained by Graeme Smith, although following injuries to Smith and
Jacques Kallis, Ashwell Prince deputised as Test captain on 12 July
2006. At the age of 29, he became the first non-white man to captain
the once all-white South African cricket team. Due to a racial quota
policy, the side was once required to contain black players, unlike the
past. However, that policy was rescinded in 2007.
South Africa has a record of failing to win major tournaments
and is much-maligned because of this. The 1992 Cricket World Cup, for
example, featured a rain-affected semi-final played before the
introduction of the rain rule. South Africa needed 22 runs from 13
balls when rain intervened. After the delay they were left in the
situation of requiring 22 runs from one ball in order to progress. In
1996 they were eliminated in the quarter-finals despite being one of
the fancied teams and having qualified first in their group. At the
1999 Cricket World Cup, South Africa played against Australia in the
last Super Six match as well as the knock-out semifinal. Australia
defeated the Proteas in the Super Six match and recorded a thrSouth
Africa returns to
international cricketilling
tie in the semifinal, which was enough to knock the Africans out of the
tournament since Australia had previously beaten them (in the match
immediately beforehand). It is in the Super Six match that Steve Waugh
is reported to have told Herschelle Gibbs "Mate, you just dropped the
World Cup" when the latter dropped him en route to a match-winning
century, a comment which has been denied by Waugh himself in
interviews. The image of the crestfallen South Africans following the
run-out of their last batsman Allan Donald while the Australians
celebrated in a huddle has become an iconic sporting image.
South Africa hosted the 2003 Cricket World Cup, but failed to
progress beyond the group stage due to a misunderstanding of how many
runs they needed to score in a rain-affected run chase. As a result of
this, Shaun Pollock resigned as captain and was replaced by young
batsman Graeme Smith, although Pollock continued to play for the team.
Under Smith's leadership, South Africa has achieved some success,
although they have been hampered by the retirements of many star
players, including fast bowler Allan Donald and one-day specialist
Jonty Rhodes. As a result, they had a poor 2004, only winning against
the West Indies.
They had a rollercoaster ride that included dominant wins
over England, the West Indies, Ireland, Netherlands and Scotland, and a
narrow win over Sri Lanka, but devastating losses to Australia, New
Zealand and Bangladesh that cost them the number one ranking. Then they
bowed out in the semifinals with their lowest ever score in a World Cup
as Australia bowled them out for 149 and won by 7 wickets. South Africa
are regarded by many as the best team never to have won the Cricket
World Cup.
In the 2011 World Cup, South Africa topped Group B with the
distinction of bowling out every side they played within the 50 over
limit. In the quarter final they were beaten by New Zealand after
suffering a dramatic collapse and losing eight wickets for 68 runs.
This defeat means that South Africa have never won a knockout game in
the Cricket World Cup.
They also hold the record of the highest successful run chase
and made the highest total (the latter record has been surpassed) in
One-Day Internationals (438-9 in 49.5 overs), in an iconic match
against Australia on 12 March 2006. This game is considered by many to
be the greatest One-Day International ever played.
South Africa beat Netherlands by 231 runs in Mohali in Group
matches in ICC World Cup 2011, The 231-run win is the fourth largest
margin of victory for any team in World Cups and the largest for South
Africa in World Cups. It is also the second largest margin of victory
for South Africa in ODIs on 3rd March 2011. The 87-run stand between JP
Duminy and Colin Ingram is the highest for the sixth wicket for South
Africa in World Cups. The highest sixth-wicket stand for South Africa
in ODIs is the 137 between Hansie Cronje and Shaun Pollock against
Zimbabwe in 1997. The triumph is South Africa's seventh by a fringe of
hundred or more runs in World Cups.
After many of the major players in the Australian side that had
dominated the early 2000s had retired, the number one place in the ICC
Test Championship was a wide open race, with India and England having
short stints as the number one side. South Africa toured England in
2012 for a three test series with the winner assured of being the world
number one. South Africa went on to take the series comfortably 2-0 and
claim the top spot in the rankings, a position they have held onto for
over a full calendar year.
During this time of dominance in the test arena, the ODI and
performances were far less consistent, as South Africa search for a
winning formula ahead of the 2014 ICC World Twenty20 and the 2015 ICC
Cricket World Cup. A notable ODI series loss to New Zealand at home in
January 2013, and a further loss in Sri Lanka highlighted South
Africa's recent difficulties.
Exits from the 2012 ICC World Twenty20 and the 2013 ICC
Trophy only served to improve South Africa's reputation as 'chokers' in
major tournaments. In the latter years of Smith's career, South Africa
split the captaincy in the shorter forms of the game, with the ODI side
being led by AB de Villiers and the T20I side by Faf du Plessis.
After Smith's retirement, Hashim Amla was appointed captain of the test
side, leading his side to victory in his first test in charge, in Galle
in Sri Lanka.
The South African cricket team has gained a reputation as a frequent
choker at global cricket tournaments conducted by the International
Cricket Council. Despite being consistently one of the best-performing
nations in all forms of cricket since its return from isolation, the
Proteas have never progressed beyond the semi-final stage at a World
Cup. This reputation was further cemented by the fact that South Africa
had never won a game during the knock-out stage of the World C a
record which was broken in the quarter-finals of the ICC Cricket World
Cup 2015, when they won against highly rated Sri Lanka.
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