- History of cricket in South Africa from 1945–46 to 1970
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This article describes the history of South African cricket from the end of the Second World War in 1945 to the start of South Africa's cricket isolation in 1970.
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.
Contents
Domestic cricket from 1945 to 1970
Currie Cup winners from 1945-46 to 1969-70
- 1945-46 not contested
- 1946-47 Natal
- 1947-48 Natal
- 1948-49 not contested
- 1949-50 not contested
- 1950-51 Transvaal
- 1951-52 Natal
- 1952-53 Western Province
- 1953-54 not contested
- 1954-55 Natal
- 1955-56 Western Province
- 1956-57 not contested
- 1957-58 not contested
- 1958-59 Transvaal
- 1959-60 Natal
- 1960-61 Natal
- 1961-62 not contested
- 1962-63 Natal
- 1963-64 Natal
- 1964-65 not contested
- 1965-66 Natal and Transvaal (shared)
- 1966-67 Natal
- 1967-68 Natal
- 1968-69 Transvaal
- 1969-70 Transvaal and Western Province (shared)
International tours of South Africa from 1945-46 to 1969-70
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 wickets
For information about this tour, see: English cricket team in South Africa in 1948-49
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 wickets
- 3rd Test at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead, Durban – Australia won by 5 wickets
- 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 runs
- 3rd Test at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town – match drawn
- 4th Test at Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg – South Africa won by 9 wickets
- 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 runs
- 5th Test at Sahara Oval St George's, Port Elizabeth – South Africa won by 58 runs
For information about this tour, see: English cricket team in South Africa in 1956-57
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 wickets
- 5th Test at Sahara Oval St George's, Port Elizabeth – Australia won by 8 wickets
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 runs
- 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 runs
- 2nd Test at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town – Australia won by 6 wickets
- 3rd Test at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead, Durban – South Africa won by 8 wickets
- 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 170 runs
- 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 runs
- 4th Test at Sahara Oval St George's, Port Elizabeth – South Africa won by 323 runs
References
External sources
Further reading
- Rowland Bowen, Cricket: A History of its Growth and Development, Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1970
- South African Cricket Annual – various editions
- Trevor Chesterfield, South Africa's Cricket Captains: From Melville to Wessels, New Holland Publishers, 1999
- various writers, A Century of South Africa in Test & International Cricket 1889-1989, Ball, 1989
South African cricket seasons History of cricket in South Africa to 1918
1942–43 South African cricket season
1918–19 to 1945 | 1945–46 to 1970 | 1970–71 to 1990
1971–72 South African cricket season
1990–91 to 2000 | from 2000–01International cricket tours of South Africa Australia 1902–03 · 1921–22 · 1935–36 · 1949–50 · 1957–58 · 1966–67 · 1969–70 · 1993–94 · 1996–97 · 2001–02 · 2005–06 · 2008–09Bangladesh 2002–03 · 2008–09England 1888–89 · 1891–92 · 1895–96 · 1898–99 · 1905–06 · 1909–10 · 1913–14 · 1922–23 · 1927–28 · 1930–31 · 1938–39 · 1948–49 · 1956–57 · 1964–65 · 1995–96 · 1999–2000 · 2004–05 · 2009–10India 1992–93 · 1996–97 · 2001–02 · 2006–07 · 2010–11Kenya 1995–96 · 2001–02 · 2008–09New Zealand Pakistan 1994–95 · 1997–98 · 2002–03 · 2006–07Sri Lanka 1994–95 · 1997–98 · 2000–01 · 2002–03West Indies 1998–99 · 2003–04 · 2007–08Zimbabwe 1999–2000 · 2004–05 · 2006–07 · 2009–10 · 2010–11During the isolation of South Africa from international cricket from 1970 to 1991, there were seven unofficial tours by various teams, known as the South African rebel tours.Categories:- History of South African cricket
- South African cricket in the 20th century
- South African cricket seasons from 1945-46 to 1969-70
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