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 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. The Test series against Australia in 1969–70 was to be their last for 22 years.

For a description of South African cricket in the years of isolation, see: International cricket in South Africa from 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
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)

Standard 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 from 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played during the rebel tours had been granted first-class status, but this was subsequently and controversially withdrawn by the ICC in 1993.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

CricketArchive – itinerary of South African cricket

v t e South African cricket seasons
to 1918 1918–19 to 1945
1942–43 South African cricket season
1945–46 to 1970 1970–71 to 1990
1971–72 South African cricket season
1990–91 to 2000 from 2000–01

v t e International cricket tours of South Africa
Test and LOI tours
Australia	1902–03 1921–22 1935–36 1949–50 1957–58 1966–67 1969–70 1993–94 1996–97 1999–2000 2001–02 2005–06 2008–09 2011–12 2013–14 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2019–20 2023
Bangladesh	2002–03 2008–09 2017–18 2021–22
England	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 2009–10 2015–16 2019–20 2020–21 2022-23
India	1992–93 1996–97 2001–02 2006–07 2010–11 2013–14 2017–18 2020 (cancelled) 2021–22 2023–24 2024-25
Kenya	2001–02 2008–09
New Zealand	1953–54 1961–62 1994–95 2000–01 2005–06 2007–08 2012–13 2015 2016
Pakistan	1994–95 1997–98 2002–03 2006–07 2012–13 2013–14 2018–19 2020–21 2024–25
Sri Lanka	1994–95 1997–98 2000–01 2002–03 2011–12 2016–17 2018–19 2020–21 2024-25
West Indies	1998–99 2003–04 2007–08 2014–15 2022–23
Zimbabwe	1999–2000 2004–05 2006–07 2009–10 2010–11 2017–18 2018–19 2023-24
Tournaments hosted
Multiple teams	1992–93 1994–95 1996–97 1997–98 1999–2000 2001–02 2003 2007 2009 2022–23
Other tours
Note: during the isolation of South Africa from international cricket between 1970 and 1991, there were seven unofficial tours (italicised below) by various teams, collectively known as the South African rebel tours.
Australian	1919 1985–86 1986–87
Bangladeshi	2000–01
Dutch	1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 2000–01 2001–02 2003–04 2005–06 2021–22
English	1924–25 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1981–82 1989–90 1999–2000
Irish	2000–01 2011–12 2016–17
Kenyan	1995–96
Multi-national	1959–60
Namibian	1992–93 1993–94
Scottish	1991–92 1992–93 2012–13
Sri Lankan	1982–83
West Indian	1982–83 1983–84
See also: International cricket in South Africa from 1971 to 1981