Foreign-born South African Test cricketers

 
Kersi Meher-Homji Columnist

By , 13 Sep 2009 Kersi Meher-Homji is a Roar Expert

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South African captain Graeme Smith congratulates batsman Hashim Amla after they beat Australia by 9 wickets, in the last day of the Second Test, at the MCG in Melbourne, Tuesday Dec. 30, 2008. (AAP Image/Joe Castro)

South African captain Graeme Smith congratulates batsman Hashim Amla after they beat Australia by 9 wickets, in the last day of the Second Test, at the MCG in Melbourne, Tuesday Dec. 30, 2008. (AAP Image/Joe Castro)

The keen interest shown by Roar readers on my last week’s article, Foreign-born England’s Test Cricketers, has encouraged me to research on overseas-born South African Test cricketers.

South Africa selected their first ever player of Asian origin in their Test team in 2004. Born in Durban, Hashim Amla is a member of the Durban and Kwazulu Natal’s Indian community. A devout Muslim, he is delighted to represent South Africa. His grandparents were born in India.

This made me wonder as to how many of the 300 plus South African Test cricketers were born overseas. My research shows that 43 were born outside South Africa in 11 different countries.

Of these, 22 were born in England, two in Ireland, one in Scotland, eight in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), four in India and one each in Mozambique, Swaziland, Java (Dutch East Indies), Bermuda, Egypt and Portugal. Here is the list:

ENGLAND (22): Harold Baumgartner, Richard Dumbrill, Charles Finlason, Cyril Francois, Howard Francis, George Glover, Alfred Hall, Ernest “Baberton” Halliwell, Frank Hearne, George Hearne, Philip Hutchinson, Percy Mansell, James “Bonnor” Middleton, Charles Mills, William Milton, Frank Mitchell, Frank Nicholson, Dave Nourse, Tommy Routledge, Reggie Schwarz, George Thornton and Joseph Willoughby.

SCOTLAND (1): Tom Campbell.

IRELAND (2): Clement Johnson and Robert Poore.

RHODESIA [now Zimbabwe] (8): Colin Bland, John du Preez, Steven Elworthy, Geoffrey Lawrence, Joseph Partridge, Anthony Pithey, David Pithey and Denis Tomlinson.

MOZAMBIQUE (1): Dave Ironside.

SWAZILAND (1): Lawrence “Fish” Markham.

INDIA (4): Robert Stewart, Godfrey Cripps, Bob Crisp and Thomas Ward.

BERMUDA (1): Charles Hime.

JAVA [Dutch East Indies] (1): Frederick Cook.

EGYPT (1): John Traicos.

PORTUGAL (1): Richard Westcott.

Note:
• Frank Hearne played Test cricket for England and later for South Africa. George Hearne is his son.
• Frank Mitchell also played for England and South Africa.
• John Traicos made his Test debut for South Africa against Australia in 1970 aged 22 and played two more Tests in this series. His next Test appearance was for Zimbabwe against India in 1992, aged 45. The gap between Test appearances, 22 years and 222 days, remains a record.
• David and Anthony Pithey are brothers.
• Dave Nourse was a great batsman, Reggie Schwarz an outstanding spin bowler and Colin Bland one of the best ever cover fielders.
• Born in Kolkata, Bob Crisp was an extraordinary character, being a fast bowler, rugby international, champion runner, mountain climber, soldier, journalist, author and a ladies man, even at 70. The charismatic Crisp remains the only player to take 4 wickets in 4 balls twice at first-class level in 1931-32 and 1933-34, both times for Western Province.

Roarers, have I missed out any foreign-born South African Test cricketers?

To my knowledge, Kepler Wessels is the only South African to play Test cricket for Australia, scoring a century on his Test debut against England in Brisbane in 1982-83. He played 24 Tests for Australia before representing South Africa in 16 Tests.

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