History of cricket in South Africa from 1970-71 to 1990

This article describes the history of South African cricket from 1971 to 1990.

Following the Basil D'Oliveira affair in 1968, feeling against South Africa's application of apartheid to sport grew to the extent that by 1971 the country was isolated in sporting terms. Its last Test series for 22 years had taken place against Australia in 1969-70.

For a description of South African cricket in the years of isolation, see: International cricket in South Africa (1971 to 1981).

Nelson Mandela was released from Victor Verster Prison in Paarl on 11 February 1990. This event and date effectively marked the end of apartheid and the way was soon clear for the South African team to return to the international arena.

Domestic cricket from 1971 to 1990

Currie Cup winners from 1970-71 to 1989-90

* 1970-71 Transvaal
* 1971-72 Transvaal
* 1972-73 Transvaal
* 1973-74 Natal
* 1974-75 Western Province
* 1975-76 Natal
* 1976-77 Natal
* 1977-78 Western Province
* 1978-79 Transvaal
* 1979-80 Transvaal
* 1980-81 Natal
* 1981-82 Western Province
* 1982-83 Transvaal
* 1983-84 Transvaal
* 1984-85 Transvaal
* 1985-86 Western Province
* 1986-87 Transvaal
* 1987-88 Transvaal
* 1988-89 Eastern Province
* 1989-90 Eastern Province and Western Province (shared)

THE LAURIE WILMOT CONTROVERSY

(from the 'Weekly Telegraph', letters page, September 13-September 19 2006,Issue 790)

Sir – I recall another forfeited cricket match at first class level. It occurredin November 1972 in the Currie Cup between Rhodesia and Eastern Province at Bulawayowhen the Eastern Province captain, the late Laurie Wilmot, led his team off in disputeover the final 20 overs in a match.

One umpire allegedly indicated the final 20 overs one minute prior to the stipulatedfinal hour. The umpires then consulted and stated the next over would be the firstof the 20. However when Rhodesia required six runs off the last over, the "walkoff" occurred and the umpires awarded the match to Rhodesia. After protests,the South African Cricket Association overruled the umpires and declared the matcha draw, depriving Rhodesia of points for a win.

Ironically Mike Procter, the referee at the recent forfeited Test, was batting andwas in full rampage.

-Neil Kelly, by email

The Resources and Documentation section ('Rhodesiana' subsection) of 'RhodesiansWorldwide' at http://www.rhodesia.com/ has a long list of items under 'YouKnow You Are Really Rhodesian When...'. It contains this item:

24. You still think Laurie Wilmot a cad of the first degree.

tandard Bank Cup / B&H Series winners to 1989-90

"This competition is a limited overs knockout with 50 overs per innings"
* 1981-82 Transvaal
* 1982-83 Transvaal
* 1983-84 Natal
* 1984-85 Transvaal
* 1985-86 Western Province
* 1986-87 Western Province
* 1987-88 Western Province
* 1988-89 Orange Free State
* 1989-90 Eastern Province

International tours of South Africa from 1970-71 to 1989-90

Despite the official ban on tours to South Africa during this period, several private tours did take place, some of them arousing great controversy.

For information about the unofficial tours, see: International cricket in South Africa (1971 to 1981) and South African rebel tours.

South Africa resumed official international cricket in 1991 when the team made a short tour of India. It then played in the 1992 Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. All of the matches played during the rebel tours had been granted first-class status, but this was subsequently and controversially withdrawn by the ICC in 1993. In August 2007, the ICC was 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.

References

External sources

* [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Events/RSA.html CricketArchive – itinerary of South African cricket]

Further reading

* "Wisden Cricketers' Almanack 1991"
* 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