Basil D'Oliveira: Difference between revisions
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==Career== |
==Career== |
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With the support of [[John Arlott]], and the members and supporters of St Augustine's Cricket Club in Cape Town, he emigrated to [[England]] in 1960, where the journalist [[John Kay (cricket journalist)|John Kay]] found him a place in his [[Central Lancashire Cricket League|Central Lancashire League]] team of [[Middleton Cricket Club|Middleton]].<ref name="Cap"/> D'Oliveira noted his surprise at seeing white people doing menial work, and waiting on him in restaurants.<ref>http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=20050625006302200.htm&date=tss2826/&prd=tss&</ref> He joined the first-class county [[Worcestershire County Cricket Club|Worcestershire]] in 1964 and became a [[United Kingdom|British]] citizen |
With the support of [[John Arlott]], and the members and supporters of St Augustine's Cricket Club in Cape Town, he emigrated to [[England]] in 1960, where the journalist [[John Kay (cricket journalist)|John Kay]] found him a place in his [[Central Lancashire Cricket League|Central Lancashire League]] team of [[Middleton Cricket Club|Middleton]].<ref name="Cap"/> D'Oliveira noted his surprise at seeing white people doing menial work, and waiting on him in restaurants.<ref>http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=20050625006302200.htm&date=tss2826/&prd=tss&</ref> He joined the first-class county [[Worcestershire County Cricket Club|Worcestershire]] in 1964 and became a [[United Kingdom|British]] citizen. |
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Wanting to play interational cricket, D'Oliveira was somewhat cagey about his date of birth. After his death, journalist [[Pat Murphy (sports journalist)|Pat Murphy]] with whom he collaborated on his autobiography stated:<ref name=BBC15804126/> |
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{{cquote|Basil had to lie about his age because he thought if they realised how old he was they would not pick him for England. So he came down from born in 1935 at that time, solidifying his place in the team as 1933 born and when I wrote his book in 1980 he finally conceded he was born in 1928. So by my calculation he was 38 when he first played for England in 1966 and 83 when he died}} |
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By 1966, he was being selected for [[English cricket team|England]], as an [[all-rounder]], and he was one of the [[Wisden Cricketer of the Year|Wisden cricketers of the year]] for 1967. |
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D'Oliveira played the first [[Test cricket|Test]] of the 1968 series against the Australians at Old Trafford, he was then dropped for the subsequent three Tests. He was recalled by the selectors for the final Test at the Oval and a century (158 runs in the first innings) against Australia seemed to have guaranteed his place in the side to play the 1968–69 Test series in South Africa.<ref name="Cap"/> He was left out of the touring party under the pretext that his bowling would not be effective in his native country. South African cricket officials, realising that the inclusion of D'Oliveira would lead to the cancellation of the tour and probable exclusion from Test cricket, exerted pressure on the [[Marylebone Cricket Club|MCC]] hierarchy and the decision not to pick him was felt by opponents of apartheid to be a way of keeping cricket links with South Africa open. There was dissent in the press to this course of events and when [[Warwickshire]]'s [[Tom Cartwright]] was ruled out because of injury, D'Oliveira was called up into the squad.<ref name="Cap"/> South African prime minister [[B. J. Vorster]] had already made it clear that D'Oliveira's inclusion was not acceptable, and despite many negotiations the tour was cancelled. This was seen as a [[wiktionary:Watershed|watershed]] in the sporting boycott of apartheid South Africa.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Politics of South African Cricket |author= Jon Gemmell|year= 2004|publisher=Routledge (UK)|url=http://books.google.com/books?visbn=0714653462&id=CTIZdi9DjBQC&pg=PA146&lpg=PA146&dq=%22Basil+D%27Oliveira%22&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html|isbn=0714653462 }}</ref> |
D'Oliveira played the first [[Test cricket|Test]] of the 1968 series against the Australians at Old Trafford, he was then dropped for the subsequent three Tests. He was recalled by the selectors for the final Test at the Oval and a century (158 runs in the first innings) against Australia seemed to have guaranteed his place in the side to play the 1968–69 Test series in South Africa.<ref name="Cap"/> He was left out of the touring party under the pretext that his bowling would not be effective in his native country. South African cricket officials, realising that the inclusion of D'Oliveira would lead to the cancellation of the tour and probable exclusion from Test cricket, exerted pressure on the [[Marylebone Cricket Club|MCC]] hierarchy and the decision not to pick him was felt by opponents of apartheid to be a way of keeping cricket links with South Africa open. There was dissent in the press to this course of events and when [[Warwickshire]]'s [[Tom Cartwright]] was ruled out because of injury, D'Oliveira was called up into the squad.<ref name="Cap"/> South African prime minister [[B. J. Vorster]] had already made it clear that D'Oliveira's inclusion was not acceptable, and despite many negotiations the tour was cancelled. This was seen as a [[wiktionary:Watershed|watershed]] in the sporting boycott of apartheid South Africa.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Politics of South African Cricket |author= Jon Gemmell|year= 2004|publisher=Routledge (UK)|url=http://books.google.com/books?visbn=0714653462&id=CTIZdi9DjBQC&pg=PA146&lpg=PA146&dq=%22Basil+D%27Oliveira%22&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html|isbn=0714653462 }}</ref> |
Revision as of 21:08, 19 November 2011
This article is currently being heavily edited because its subject has recently died. Information about their death and related events may change significantly and initial news reports may be unreliable. The most recent updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. |
It has been suggested that D'Oliveira affair be merged into this article. (Discuss) Proposed since November 2011. |
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Basil Lewis D'Oliveira | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nickname | Dolly, Bas | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bowling | Right arm medium | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Role | All-rounder, coach | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
National side | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Test debut (cap 432) | 16 June 1966 v West Indies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last Test | 10 August 1972 v Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
ODI debut (cap 3) | 5 January 1971 v Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last ODI | 28 August 1972 v Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1960–1963 | Middleton C.C | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1964–1980 | Worcestershire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Cricinfo, 10 April 2008 |
Basil Lewis D'Oliveira CBE (4 October 1931 – 19 November 2011),[1] known affectionately around the world as "Dolly",[2] was a South African-born English cricketer. D'Oliveira was classified as 'coloured' under the apartheid regime, and hence barred from first-class cricket, resulting in his emigration to England. D'Oliveira played for the England cricket team in forty-four Test matches, and four ODIs. Despite his cricketing prowess, he was best known because of the "D'Oliveira affair", centred around his inclusion in the England side for a planned tour to South Africa in 1968.
Early life
Born in Signal Hill, Cape Town, as a boy he would make his way down to the Newlands cricket ground in Cape Town, and climb the trees outside to watch the games.[3]
D'Oliveira captained South Africa's national non-white cricket team, and also played football for the non-white national side.[4]
Career
With the support of John Arlott, and the members and supporters of St Augustine's Cricket Club in Cape Town, he emigrated to England in 1960, where the journalist John Kay found him a place in his Central Lancashire League team of Middleton.[1] D'Oliveira noted his surprise at seeing white people doing menial work, and waiting on him in restaurants.[5] He joined the first-class county Worcestershire in 1964 and became a British citizen.
Wanting to play interational cricket, D'Oliveira was somewhat cagey about his date of birth. After his death, journalist Pat Murphy with whom he collaborated on his autobiography stated:[3]
Basil had to lie about his age because he thought if they realised how old he was they would not pick him for England. So he came down from born in 1935 at that time, solidifying his place in the team as 1933 born and when I wrote his book in 1980 he finally conceded he was born in 1928. So by my calculation he was 38 when he first played for England in 1966 and 83 when he died
By 1966, he was being selected for England, as an all-rounder, and he was one of the Wisden cricketers of the year for 1967.
D'Oliveira played the first Test of the 1968 series against the Australians at Old Trafford, he was then dropped for the subsequent three Tests. He was recalled by the selectors for the final Test at the Oval and a century (158 runs in the first innings) against Australia seemed to have guaranteed his place in the side to play the 1968–69 Test series in South Africa.[1] He was left out of the touring party under the pretext that his bowling would not be effective in his native country. South African cricket officials, realising that the inclusion of D'Oliveira would lead to the cancellation of the tour and probable exclusion from Test cricket, exerted pressure on the MCC hierarchy and the decision not to pick him was felt by opponents of apartheid to be a way of keeping cricket links with South Africa open. There was dissent in the press to this course of events and when Warwickshire's Tom Cartwright was ruled out because of injury, D'Oliveira was called up into the squad.[1] South African prime minister B. J. Vorster had already made it clear that D'Oliveira's inclusion was not acceptable, and despite many negotiations the tour was cancelled. This was seen as a watershed in the sporting boycott of apartheid South Africa.[6]
D'Oliveira was a successful batsman with a low backlift and powerful strokes.[1] When he toured Australia in 1970–71 on the night after they won the series 2–0 he pushed his forefinger into the chest of every Australian he met, saying "We stuffed you".[7]
Legacy
In 2000, he was nominated as one of 10 South African cricketers of the century, despite not having played for South Africa.[8] In 2004, a perpetual trophy was struck for Test series between England and South Africa, and named the 'Basil D'Oliveira Trophy'. In 2005, he was awarded a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours.[9] In the same year, a stand at New Road, Worcester, was named in his honour.
In 1980 after the end of his playing career, he wrote an autobiography with the BBC's Pat Murphy, titled Time to Declare. In it, he stated for the first time that he was glad that the proposed South African cricket tour to England in 1970 was called off, for fear of public disturbances.[3] In 2005, journalist Peter Oborne wrote a biography entitled Basil D'Oliveira: Cricket and Conspiracy, which was accompanied by Paul Yule's RTS award-winning documentary Not Cricket—The Basil D'Oliveira Conspiracy.
Personal life
Married to Naomi, their son Damian D'Oliveira also played first-class cricket for Worcestershire, while their other son Ivan played briefly for Leicestershire.[4]
Death
D'Oliveira had Parkinson's disease in later life.[10] He died aged 80, in England, on 19 November 2011.[11][12][13]
References
- ^ a b c d e Bateman, Colin (1993). If The Cap Fits. Tony Williams Publications. p. 52. ISBN 1-869833-21-X.
{{cite book}}
: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=
(help) - ^ Basil D'Oliveira dies aged 80
- ^ a b c http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/15804126.stm
- ^ a b Thicknesse, John. "Player Profile: Basil D'Oliveira". CricInfo. ESPN. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
- ^ http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=20050625006302200.htm&date=tss2826/&prd=tss&
- ^ Jon Gemmell (2004). The Politics of South African Cricket. Routledge (UK). ISBN 0714653462.
- ^ Snow, John (1976). Cricket Rebel. Hamlyn. p. 95.
- ^ Gough, Martin (29 November 2004). "D'Oliveira exposed apartheid disgrace". BBC News Online. BBC. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
- ^ "D'Oliveira 'proud' to get honour". BBC News Online. BBC. 10 June 2005. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
- ^ "Naomi's Story". Retrieved 4 November 2011.
- ^ "England news: Basil D'Oliveira dies aged 80 | England Cricket News". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 19 November 2011.
- ^ "Basil d'Oliveira dies: Sport: Cricket". Sport24.co.za. Retrieved 19 November 2011.
- ^ "England legend D'Oliveira dies". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 19 November 2011.
External links
- Recent deaths
- Articles to be merged from November 2011
- Use dmy dates from July 2011
- 1931 births
- 2011 deaths
- England One Day International cricketers
- England Test cricketers
- English cricketers
- Worcestershire cricketers
- Marylebone Cricket Club cricketers
- Commonwealth XI cricketers
- Cricket controversies
- Wisden Cricketers of the Year
- Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
- Cape Coloureds
- South African people of Indian descent
- South African people of Portuguese descent
- People with Parkinson's disease
- People from Cape Town
- South African emigrants to the United Kingdom
- Sport and Apartheid in South Africa
- South Africa–United Kingdom relations