The great South African-born cricketer and England legend Basil D'Oliveira has died. His inclusion in England's squad to tour South Africa in 1968 played a pivotal part in the apartheid arguments.
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Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency.... -
That's very sad. I remember watching him play for Worcestershire when he was ... 46? 47? (I also remember him retiring hurt with a blow to his top hand and returning to the crease later to bat one-handed for them in a 40 over Sunday League game). Fine cricketer and from many reports a much loved and good man. -
I certainly remember that great century in the Oval Ashes test of 1968 which set up the chance of the victory which tied the series (and he took a vital wicket in the Australians' second innings when it looked as though a draw was on the cards). I also saw him in matches against Glamorgan at Swansea - very elegant and someone who seemed to have a lot of time to play shots.
There was a documentary made about his career a few years ago, though that mainly focussed on the controversy surrounding the tour to SA which was eventually called off.Comment
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A very sad loss. The "D'Oliveira Affair" deserves a thread of its own.
I saw him play quite a few times, one of the later being in a one day final at Lord's in 76. He's remembered as a batsman who bowled a bit but by all accounts he was an excellent fast medium bowler in the 1950s.
He played only a handful of first class games before the age of 33.
He played for a Commonwealth XI where he met Tom Graveney, he was already playing in the Lancashire League with the assistance of John Arlott.
The '68 Oval Test was remarkable in a couple of ways. I followed it mostly on Radio plus a bit on TV in shop windows. The game was heading for a draw when there was a deluge on the last day, the crowd helped mop up the outfield and Underwood bowled the Aussies out cheaply.
The excuse that Dolly was originally not selected for SA because of his weak bowling was nonsense. Cartwright may have been worth a place anyway as a bowler who batted. D'Oliveira was competing for a place as a batsman with bowling as a bonus, and had proved himself under pressure at the OvalComment
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I am sorry to hear about Basil D'Oliveira's death but I know that he has suffered for several years from diabetes, Parkinson's disease and possibly also from Alzheimer's disease.
A great cricketer and an impressive man. The controversy about his selection for the MCC's tour of South Africa was part of my adolescent political awakening. He always seemed to make crucial runs in Test matches or take a catch or take a wicket that broke the vital partnership. He was also inspirational to a boy who was not exactly slim himself
Peter Oborne has written up a decent account of the D'Oliveira 'affair'.
I once saw him and John Jameson, a giant Scots opening bat for Endland, playing against India at the Oval. They were neither very keen on running singles, both being possesssed of minimal backlifts and powerful physiques ideally suited to striking boundaries, but I recall vividly the sight of their running like Fasolt and Fafner in a cricketing Rheingold
A true gentleman, impressive, modest, someone who in making his own opportunity lit the fire that changed the world.
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A true sporting hero of mine - a real gentleman and when he was on the field you always felt Worcestershire or England had a chance.Comment
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