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English cricket team in South Africa in 1888–89

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See also: History of cricket in South Africa to 1918
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An English cricket team managed by Major R. G. Warton toured South Africa from December 1888 to March 1889. Warton was a retired British Army officer who had served on the general staff in Cape Town and was a member of the Western Province Cricket Club. He had been invited by local enthusiasts to bring a team of English first-class cricketers to the country.[1] He negotiated with local agents called Billy Simkins and William Milton, who obtained sponsorship from Sir Donald Currie, founder of the Castle Shipping Line. They made all the arrangements while Warton travelled to England and recruited players for the team which, at the time, was known as R. G. Warton's XI.[2]

The team was captained by C. Aubrey Smith and included five players with prior international experience in Bobby Abel, Johnny Briggs, Maurice Read, George Ulyett and Harry Wood. Some of the other players, making up the numbers, did not have first-class status and Harry Altham described the team's standard as "about that of a weak county".[3]

Two of their matches were against a team representative of all South Africa and, in 1897, it was officially decided that these should retrospectively be assigned Test match status. As such, the first is South Africa's inaugural Test and, given that there had been no first-class cricket in the country before 1889, it is the inaugural first-class match played in South Africa.[4]

The term "test cricket" (in the sense of a test of team strength) was new in 1889 and was first used by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack in that year's edition. Allocation of retrospective status was bound to be controversial and, in Rowland Bowen's history, he argued that standards in South Africa were so poor that the two matches should not have been rated first-class, let alone Test. As he pointed out, South Africa's tour of England in 1894 was not first-class. Furthermore, when M. J. Luckin wrote the first history of South African cricket in 1914, he considered the 1889 matches to be minor.[5]

Tour summary

Warton's XI played a total of twenty matches but only the two retrospective Tests are recognised as first-class. This is because 17 of the games were played against odds, the home team in each case fielding from 15 to 22 players against eleven on the English team. Although the final match on the tour was 11-a-side against South Africa, it was a two-day filler (a first-class match must be scheduled for at least three days). Many of the matches were played on matting as, with rudimentary pitch preparation, surfaces were uneven; they tended to be grassy in coastal areas and hard soli in the interior.[1]

Warton's XI met sides from four of the South African provinces: Eastern Province, Natal, Transvaal and Western Province. They also played teams representing the cities of Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Kimberley, Pietermaritzburg and Port Elizabeth. Even playing against odds, the English team were expected to win all the provincial and city matches but they had four surprising defeats in their first six matches against Cape Town, Kimberley (twice) and Port Elizabeth. They nevertheless won the two Test matches convincingly.

The tour was successful in legacy terms as it brought South Africa into international cricket and provided a stimulus for their domestic game. Sir Donald Currie as sponsor was so impressed that he decided to donate the trophy named after him, the Currie Cup, as the prize for winning South Africa's domestic championship. For the 1888–89 season, the English team were asked to award it to the team which had excelled most against them. They chose Kimberley. In 1889–90, the competition proper began with a challenge by Transvaal to Kimberley.[1] A shorter-term benefit for South Africa was that Frank Hearne decided to emigrate to the country, mainly for health reasons,[6] and became a successful coach as well as representing South Africa in Test matches in the 1890s.[3] Financially, the tour was not a success as it failed to make a profit and Wisden noted that "it was never intended, or considered necessary, to take out a representative English team for a first trip to the Cape".[7][8]

English squad

The English team at the start of the tour

Warton's XI consisted of fifteen players who were something of a mixed bag given that George Ulyett had already played in 22 Tests against Australia whereas, at the other extreme, six of the players were not registered with any county club. Bobby Abel, Johnny Briggs, Maurice Read and Harry Wood had played Test cricket against Australia. Monty Bowden, Arnold Fothergill, Frank Hearne and Aubrey Smith were established county players.

Cameron Skinner was a comedian who accompanied the party to provide entertainment but nevertheless took part in four of the odds matches. He never played in a first-class match. Neither did Major Warton himself; he played in the final (fill-up) match only on the tour. James Roberts, another occasional player, took part in the first odds match but then had to return home owing to the death of his father and Ulyett was contracted to replace him.[2] Roberts made a single first-class appearance for Middlesex in 1892.

Charles Coventry, Basil Grieve and Emile McMaster all played against South Africa and so are officially credited as Test players despite never playing in any other first-class matches. Coventry was a career soldier who did play for Worcestershire, then a minor county, in 1886 and for some local or itinerant teams. Grieve and McMaster were former Harrow School pupils who both played for the school team in the 1870s. There is no record of McMaster ever playing for any other team except Warton's XI. In 1892, Grieve played in minor cricket for a team called the Ne'er-do-wells.

Squad details below state the player's age at the beginning of the tour, his batting hand, his type of bowling, and his County Championship team at the time:

Batsmen
Name County Birth date Batting style Bowling style Ref
Bobby Abel Surrey (1857-11-30)30 November 1857 (aged 31) right-handed off break [9]
Monty Bowden Surrey (1865-11-01)1 November 1865 (aged 23) right-handed none [10]
Frank Hearne Kent (1858-11-23)23 November 1858 (aged 30) right-handed right arm fast roundarm [11]
Maurice Read Surrey (1859-02-09)9 February 1859 (aged 29) right-handed right arm fast-medium pace [12]
All-rounders
Name County Birth date Batting style Bowling style Ref
George Ulyett Yorkshire (1851-10-21)21 October 1851 (aged 37) right-handed right arm fast [13]
Wicket-keepers
Name County Birth date Batting style Bowling style Ref
Harry Wood Surrey (1853-12-14)14 December 1853 (aged 35) right-handed none [14]
Bowlers
Name County Birth date Batting style Bowling style Ref
Johnny Briggs Lancashire (1862-10-03)3 October 1862 (aged 26) right-handed slow left arm orthodox spin [15]
Arnold Fothergill Somerset (1854-08-26)26 August 1854 (aged 34) left-handed left arm medium pace [16]
C. Aubrey Smith Sussex (1863-07-21)21 July 1863 (aged 25) right-handed right arm fast [17]
Other players
Name County Birth date Batting style Bowling style Ref
Charles Coventry none (1867-02-26)26 February 1867 (aged 21) right-handed none [18]
Basil Grieve none (1864-05-28)28 May 1864 (aged 24) right-handed right arm fast [19]
Emile McMaster none (1861-03-16)16 March 1861 (aged 27) right-handed none [20]
James Roberts none (1864-07-01)1 July 1864 (aged 24) left-handed none [21]
Cameron Skinner none (1863-10-17)17 October 1863 (aged 25) unrecorded none [22]
Major R. G. Warton none (1847-01-16)16 January 1847 (aged 41) unrecorded none [23]

South African selections

The South African team in the First Test

South Africa selected a total of fourteen players for the two matches, all of whom were making not only their Test match debuts but also their first-class debuts. Domestic first-class cricket began in South Africa in the 1889–90 season but none of these players went on to have extensive first-class careers.

The greatest number of first-class matches played was eleven by Bernard Tancred, who was a cousin of wicket-keeper Fred Smith. Gus Kempis played in five matches for Natal between 27 December 1889 and 9 January 1890, but he died in Mozambique four months later, aged 24.

Only three players (Milton, Smith and Vintcent) played for South Africa again after this season and they totalled three appearances each in their respective Test careers. Milton and Vintcent both played against England in 1891–92. Smith, who played against Lord Hawke's touring team in 1895–96 had the longest Test career span.

The details for each player below state his age at the beginning of the English tour, his batting hand, his type of bowling, and his provincial team at the time:

Batsmen
Name Province Birth date Batting style Bowling style Ref
O. R. Dunell Eastern Province (1856-07-15)15 July 1856 (aged 32) right-handed none [24]
P. Hutchinson Natal (1862-01-25)25 January 1862 (aged 26) right-handed none [25]
A. E. Ochse Transvaal (1870-03-11)11 March 1870 (aged 18) right-handed none [26]
W. H. M. Richards Western Province (1862-03-26)26 March 1862 (aged 26) right-handed none [27]
R. B. Stewart Eastern Province (1856-09-03)3 September 1856 (aged 32) right-handed none [28]
All-rounders
Name Province Birth date Batting style Bowling style Ref
C. E. Finlason Transvaal (1860-02-19)19 February 1860 (aged 28) right-handed off break [29]
Wicket-keepers
Name Province Birth date Batting style Bowling style Ref
F. W. Smith Transvaal (1861-03-31)31 March 1861 (aged 27) right-handed none [30]
Bowlers
Name Province Birth date Batting style Bowling style Ref
W. H. Ashley Western Province (1862-02-10)10 February 1862 (aged 26) left-handed left arm medium pace [31]
G. A. Kempis Natal (1865-08-04)4 August 1865 (aged 23) right-handed left arm medium pace [32]
W. H. Milton Western Province (1854-12-03)3 December 1854 (aged 34) right-handed right arm (style unrecorded) [33]
A. Rose-Innes Transvaal (1868-02-16)16 February 1868 (aged 20) right-handed slow left arm orthodox spin [34]
A. B. Tancred Griqualand West (1865-08-20)20 August 1865 (aged 23) right-handed right arm medium pace [35]
N. H. Theunissen Western Province (1867-05-04)4 May 1867 (aged 21) right-handed right arm fast [36]
C. H. Vintcent Transvaal (1866-09-02)2 September 1866 (aged 22) left-handed left arm medium fast pace [37]

Test matches

First Test

At the time, the match was billed as Major Warton's XI versus a South African XI. It was retrospectively given Test match status and renamed South Africa v England. Played on a green matting wicket in Port Elizabeth, South African captain Owen Dunell won the toss against Aubrey Smith and chose to bat. The game did not last long as the matting wicket did not induce high scores. Around 3,000 spectators attended the first day's play. Wisden commented on a good all-round performance by the Englishmen with special mentions for Abel and Smith.

12–13 March 1889
(3-day match)
Scorecard
Wisden
v
84 (75.2 overs)
A. B. Tancred 29
O. R. Dunell 26*
C. A. Smith 5/19 (13.2 overs)
J. Briggs 4/39 (37 overs)
148 (66.2 overs)
R. Abel 46
A. Rose-Innes 5/43 (18 overs)
129 (90.1 overs)
A. B. Tancred 29
A. J. Fothergill 4/19 (18.1 overs)
67/2 (21.1 overs)
R. Abel 23*
G. Ulyett 22
C. Vintcent 1/21 (8.1 overs)
England won by 8 wickets
St George's Park, Port Elizabeth
Umpires: C. R. Deare (SA; day one) / Henry Webster (ENG; day two) and R. G. Warton (ENG)
  • South Africa won the toss and decided to bat
  • scheduled for three days, the match was played on green matting and finished just before 15:30 on the second day
  • C. R. Deare stood as umpire on the first day and was replaced by Henry Webster on the second. All eleven South African and six English players made their Test debuts.

Second Test

Although South Africa was a very weak team, the performance by Johnny Briggs who took fifteen wickets for 28 runs in the match was exceptional. Abel made his third century of the tour. Bowden became England's youngest ever Test captain, aged 23 years 144 days. He replaced Smith who had developed a fever. Tancred became the first batsman to carry his bat in a Test match in scoring 26 not out. South Africa were obliged to follow on, but were again quickly dismissed. Briggs' second innings wickets were all bowled.

25–26 March 1889
(3-day match)
Scorecard
Wisden
v
292 (123.1 overs)
R. Abel 120
W. H. Ashley 7/95 (43.1 overs)
47 (47.1 overs)
A. B. Tancred 26*
J. Briggs 7/17 (19.1 overs)
43 (28.2 overs)
F. W. Smith 11
J. Briggs 8/11 (14.2 overs)
England won by an innings and 202 runs
Newlands, Cape Town
Umpires: J. A. E. Hickson (ENG) and R. G. Warton (ENG)
  • England won the toss and decided to bat
  • scheduled for three days, the match was completed in two
  • W. H. Ashley, W. H. M. Richards and N. H. Theunissen made their Test debuts for South Africa; J. E. P. McMaster made his Test debut for England

References

  1. ^ a b c Barclays (1986). Swanton, E. W. (ed.). Barclays World of Cricket. London: Willow Books. p. 114. ISBN 0-00-218193-2.
  2. ^ a b "Tour of South Africa 1888-89". Test Cricket Tours. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  3. ^ a b Altham, H. S. (1962). A History of Cricket, Volume 1 (to 1914). London: George Allen & Unwin. p. 294.
  4. ^ Major, John (2007). More Than A Game. London: HarperCollins. p. 201. ISBN 978-0-00-718364-7.
  5. ^ Bowen, Rowland (1970). Cricket: A History of its Growth and Development. London: Eyre & Spottiswoode. p. 134. ISBN 0-413-27860-3.
  6. ^ Liverman, Dave. "A profile of Frank Hearne". CricketArchive. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  7. ^ Wisden. Pardon, Charles (ed.). Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, 27th edition (1890 ed.). London: John Wisden & Co. Ltd.
  8. ^ "The English team in South Africa 1888–89". Wisden Almanack online. ESPNcricinfo. 1890. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  9. ^ "Bobby Abel". CricketArchive. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  10. ^ "Monty Bowden". CricketArchive. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  11. ^ "Frank Hearne". CricketArchive. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  12. ^ "Maurice Read". CricketArchive. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  13. ^ "George Ulyett". CricketArchive. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  14. ^ "Harry Wood". CricketArchive. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  15. ^ "Johnny Briggs". CricketArchive. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  16. ^ "Arnold Fothergill". CricketArchive. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  17. ^ "Aubrey Smith". CricketArchive. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  18. ^ "Charles Coventry". CricketArchive. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  19. ^ "Basil Grieve". CricketArchive. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  20. ^ "Emile McMaster". CricketArchive. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  21. ^ "James Roberts". CricketArchive. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  22. ^ "Cameron Skinner". CricketArchive. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  23. ^ "Robert Warton". CricketArchive. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  24. ^ "Owen Dunell". CricketArchive. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  25. ^ "Philip Hutchinson". CricketArchive. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  26. ^ "Arthur Ochse". CricketArchive. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  27. ^ "Dicky Richards". CricketArchive. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  28. ^ "Robert Stewart". CricketArchive. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  29. ^ "Charlie Finlason". CricketArchive. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  30. ^ "Fred Smith". CricketArchive. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  31. ^ "Gobo Ashley". CricketArchive. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  32. ^ "Gus Kempis". CricketArchive. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  33. ^ "William Milton". CricketArchive. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  34. ^ "Albert Rose-Innes". CricketArchive. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  35. ^ "Bernard Tancred". CricketArchive. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  36. ^ "Nicolaas Theunissen". CricketArchive. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  37. ^ "Charles Vintcent". CricketArchive. Retrieved 5 March 2018.

Further reading

  • Frith, David (1978). The Golden Age of Cricket: 1890–1914. Guildford: Lutterworth Press. ISBN 0-7188-7022-0.
  • Warton, R. G. (1987). The Cricketing Record of Major Warton's Tour 1888-9. J. W. McKenzie (facsimile edition).
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