Almanac Teams: Debuts in South Africa

 

 

This week we have Australians who debuted in South Africa and team of South Africans who debuted against Australia in South Africa.

I have included three Australians and four South Africans who debuted in Manchester 1912 during a triangular tournament that also involved England.

The team is a blend of best players in the XI with some that also had a great debut.

I will give a little description on why I chose that player.

I looked forward to all correspondence.

 

 

Highlights of the teams are.

 

• There are 24 Australians to debut against South Africa which include three in the UAE and two in Manchester. There are 50 South Africans to debut which includes four in Manchester.
• One Australian scored a debut hundred.
• Three Australians took five wickets on debut and two South Africans did the same.

 

 

Australia XI

 

Matthew Hayden

Phil Hughes

John Moroney

Bob Simpson (VC)

Alex Doolan

Marcus North

Patrick Cummins (C)

Wally Grout

Stuart Clark

Ian Meckiff

Lindsay Kline

Twelfth Man – Brian Taber

 

 

 

South Africa XI

 

Barry Richards

Graeme Smith

Ashwell Prince

Herbie Taylor

Louis Tancred

Dave Nourse

Mike Procter

Vernon Philander

Tommy Ward

Michael Mellee

Hugh Tayfield

Twelfth Man – Andrew Hall

 

 

 

Australia

 

Matthew Hayden – Johannesburg 1994

15 and 5

103 Tests, 8,625 Runs, Average 50.73, Highest Score 380

Hayden’s Test debut was due to an injury to Mark Taylor who regained his spot for the next Test. Hayden waited almost three years to play his second Test. He played three at home against the West Indies and toured South Africa again for three more Tests but was dropped for the 1997 Ashes and waited three more years to play his eighth Test and from then he stayed in for nine years.

 

Phil Hughes – Johannesburg 2009

0 and 75

26 Tests, 1,535 Runs, Average 32.65, Highest Score 160

In his second Test Hughes scored 115 and then 160 in Durban to help set up an Australian victory. In the first Ashes Test at Trent Bridge 2013  Hughes shared a 163 run tenth wicket partnership with Ashton Agar, this was after Australia was 9-117.

 

Jack Moroney – Johannesburg 1949

0

7 Tests, 383 Runs, Average 34.81, Highest Score 118

On the same tour to South Africa in the Fourth Test at Johannesburg, Moroney scored twin centuries of 118 and 101. In the first innings he  shared an 214 run opening partnership with Arthur Morris who made 111.

 

Bob Simpson – Johannesburg 1957

60 and 23

62 Tests, 4,869 Runs, Average 46.81, Highest Score 311, 71 Wickets at 45.26, Best Bowling 5/57

Simpson would later become an opening bat with Bill Lawry. Simpson captained Australia for the first time in 1963-1964 due to an injury to Richie Benaud and remained until 1968 aged 31. With the advent of World Series Cricket Simpson was recalled as captain for 1977-1978 season aged 41 and led the following tour to the West Indies. In this period Simpson played 10 Tests for 738 runs at 39 with two hundreds.

 

Alex Doolan – Centurion 2012

27 and 89

4 Tests, 191 Runs, Average 23.87, Highest Score 89

Alex’s father Bruce played 12 first class matches for Tasmania as batter/wicketkeeper between 1972-1973 and 1977-1978.

 

Marcus North – Johannesburg 2009

117 and 5 and 1/29 and 0/27

21 Tests, 1,171 Runs, Average 35.48, Highest Score 128, 14 Wickets at 42.21, Best Bowling 6/55

North’s best bowling of 6/55 was against Pakistan at Lords.

 

Patrick Cummins – Johannesburg 2011

2 and 13* and 1/38 and 6/79

67 Tests, 1,454 Runs, Average 17.30, Highest Score 64*, 294 Wickets at 22.43, Best Bowling 6/23

Cummins’ debut was in the Second Test in South Africa, November 2011, in a two Test series. He then incurred stress fracturs in his lower back and did not play another Test until March 2017 in India where he was called into the squad due to an injury to Mitchell Starc. Cummins has been named captain of the ICC Test Team of the year for the last two seasons.

 

 

 

Wally Grout – Johannesburg 1957

21 and 6 catches

51 Tests, 890 Runs, Average 15.08, Highest Score 74, 163 Catches and 24 Stumpings

Grout took a then record six catches in the second innings of his Test debut.

 

Stuart Clark – Cape Town 2006

8 and 5/55 and 4/34

24 Tests, 248 Runs, Average 13.05, Highest Score 39, 94 Wickets at 23.86, Best Bowling 5/32

Clark got his Test chance as McGrath was unavailable due to caring for his wife Jane. Clark took 9/89 on debut – the third best output by an Australian after Bob Massie and Clarrie Grimmett. He was man of the series in the three Tests and took 20 wickets at 15.75.

 

Ian Meckiff – Johannesburg 1957

11 and 5/125  and 3/52

18 Tests, 154 Runs, Average 11.84, Highest Score 45*, 45 Wickets at 31.62, Best Bowling 6/38

Meckiff is best remembered for two incidents. He was the last batter out run out by Joe Solomon in the 1960-1961 tied Test against the West Indies, and in 1963 against South Africa, he was called for throwing and never played again.

 

Lindsay Kline – Johannesburg 1957

6* and 0/47 and 0/18

13 Tests, 58 Runs, Average 8.28, Highest Score 15*, 34 Wickets at 22.82, Best Bowling 7/75

Kline took a hat trick in his second Test in Cape Town and took the last three wickets of the second innings to give Australia victory. He was also the not out batter facing the one ball and running towards the non-strikers end in the tied Test. In his next and his last ever Test at Adelaide he made 15* in an unbeaten last wicket partnership of 66 with Ken Mackay in 109 minutes to save the Test.

 

Twelfth Brian Taber – Johannesburg 1966

13 and 7 and 7 catches and 1 stumping

16 Tests, 353 Runs, Average 16.04, Highest Score 48, 56 Catches and 4 Stumpings

In 1968 against South Australia Taber set a then record twelve dismissals.

 

 

 

South Africa

 

Barry Richards – Cape Town 1970

29 and 32 and 1/12

4 Tests, 508 runs, Average 72.57, Highest Score 140, 1 Wicket at 26, Best Bowling 1/12

Richards ended up playing cricket until 1983 and made 28,358 first class runs at 54.74, and also scored 80 centuries with a highest score of 356.

 

Graeme Smith – Cape Town 2002

3 and 68

117 Tests, 9,265 Runs, Average 48.25, Highest Score 277, 8 Wickets at 110.62, Best Bowling 2/145

Smith holds the record for most matches as Test captain with 109. His 2/145 seemed unusual for someone who only played approx. 236 overs in 117 Tests. His 2/145 was against the West Indies in Antigua 2005. South Africa made 6/588 with Smith on 126 runs. The West Indies were all out for 747 in 235 overs. All 11 players bowled, including wicketkeeper Mark Boucher who off 1.2 overs took 1/6 and got Dwayne Bravo out for 107. Smith bowled the most overs 45 overs perhaps so he could rest his main bowlers in Pollock, Kallis, Ntini, Zondeki and Boje who all had bowled over 25 overs. Ab de Villiers also got two wickets.

 

Ashwell Prince – Johannesburg 2002

49 and 28

66 Tests, 3,665 Runs, Average 41.64, Highest Score 162*, 1 Wicket at 47, Best Bowling 1/2

Prince captained South Africa in Sri Lanka 2006 with Smith and Kallis injured becoming the first non-white man to captain South Africa.

 

Herbie Taylor – Manchester UK 1912

0 and 21

42 Tests, 2,936 Runs, Average 40.77, highest Score 176, 5 Wickets at 31.20, Best Bowling 3/15

The 1912 series was a triangular tournament held in England. Taylor captained South Africa 18 times and his career lasted just under 20 years.

 

Louis Tancred – Johannesburg  October 11, 1902

97 and 24

14 Tests, 530 Runs, Average 21, Highest Score 97

Tancred was awarded the Queens Medal for bravery in the Boer War in 1901. He captained the country three times.

 

Dave Nourse – Johannesburg  October 11, 1902

72 and 0/15

45 Tests, 2,234 Runs, Average 29.78, Highest Score 111, 41 Wickets at 37.87, Best Bowling 4/25

Nourse’s Test career lasted for 22 years until he was 46 and he holds the record for the oldest Test cricketer to make debut hundred at age of 42 years and 291 days. His son Arthur played 34 tests from 1935 to 1951 and also retired in his 40s.

 

 

 

Mike Procter – Durban 1967

1 and 3/27 and 4/71

7 Test, 226 Runs, Average 25.11, Highest Score 48, 41 Wickets at 15.02, Best Bowling 6/73

Procter played first class cricket until 1983 over 401 games for 21,936 runs including 48 hundreds with a highest score of 254. He took 1,417 wickets at 19.53 and had best bowling figures of 9/17. He was an ICC referee from 2002 to 2008.

 

Vernon Philander – Cape Town 2011

4 and 3/63 and 5/15

64 Tests, 1779 Runs, Average 24.04, Highest Score 74, 224 Wickets at 22.32, Best Bowling 6/21

Philander was man of the match in his Test debut with his 5/15 helping roll Australia for 47. Philander reached 50 Test wickets in seven Tests, the second fastest ever.

 

Tommy Ward – Manchester UK 1912

0 and 0

23 Tests, 459 Runs, Average 13.90, Highest Score 64, 19 Catches and 13 stumpngs.

Ward made a king pair on debut, what made even more remarkable was that in each innings he was out on the hat trick both times to Jimmy Matthews who got a hat trick in each innings. Both dismissals were on the same day.

 

Michael Melle – Johannesburg 1950

14 and 5/113 and 1/58

7 Tests, 68 Runs, Average 8.50, Highest Score 17, 26 Wickets at 32.73, Best Bowling 6/71

Melle 6/71 was in 1952 against Australia in Brisbane where he took 9/166 for the Test.

 

Hugh Tayfield – Johannesburg 1949

6 and 0 and 3/93

37 Tests, 862 Runs,  Average 16.90, Highest Score 75, 170 Wickets at 25.91, Best Bowling 9/113

Tayfield was the fastest South African to 100 Test wickets in terms of Test played (22 Tests) until Dale Steyn beat it.

 

12th Andrew Hall – Cape Town 2002

70 and 0 and 0/47 and 0/6

21 Tests, 760 Runs, Average 26.20, Highest Score 163, 45 Wickets at 35.93 , Best Bowling 3/1

Hall’s 163 was against India in Kanpur when he played as a fill in opener, he would also take 3/93.

 

 

Other Australians

 

Barlow Carkeek – Manchester UK 1912

4 and 3 catches

6 Tests, 16 Runs, Average 5.33, Highest Score 6*, 6 Catches

Carkeek played 26 games for Essendon between 1903-1905.

 

Sid Emery – Manchester UK 1912

1 and 1/94

4 Tests, 6 Runs, Average 3, Highest Score 5, 5 Wickets at 49.80, Best Bowling 2/46

 

Claude Jennings – Manchester UK 1912

32

6 Tests, 107 Runs, Average 17.83, Highest Score 32

 

Les ‘Chuck’ Fleetwood-Smith – Durban 1935

1 and 4/64 and 1/101

10 Tests, 54 Runs, Average 9, Highest Score 16*, 42 Wickets at 37.38, Best Bowling 6/110

Fleetwood-Smith best figures in first class cricket was 9/36 against Tasmania.

 

Ernie McCormick – Durban 1935

2* and 1/50 and 0/26

12 Tests, 54 Runs, Average 6, Highest Score 17*, 36 Wickets at 29.97, Best Bowling 4/101

McCormick was an instrument maker and jeweller who was commissioned to make the Frank Worrell trophy in 1960.

 

Geff Noblet – Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) 1950

3/21 and 0/16

3 Tests, 22 Runs, Average 7.33, Highest Score 13*, 7 Wickets at 26.14, Best Bowling 3/21

Noblet’s unusual first name is a result of a family friend registering the birth. Instead of Jeffery they spelt it as Geffery.

 

Ron Gaunt – Durban 1958

0* and 2/87

3 Tests, 6 Runs, Average 3, 7 Wickets at 44.28, Best Bowling 3/53

 

David Renneberg – Johannesburg 1966

9 and 2* and 2/54 and 1/96

8 Tests, 22 Runs, Average 3.66, Highest Score 9, 23 Wickets at 36.08, Best Bowling 5/39

 

Graeme Watson – Cape Town 1966

50 and 0/27

5 Tests, 97 Runs, Average 10.77, Highest Score 50, 6 Wickets at 42.33, Best Bowling 2/67

Watson played 18 games for Melbourne from 1964-1965.

 

Ben Hilfenhaus – Johannesburg 2009

0 and 16 and 1/58 and 2/68

27 Tests, 355 Runs, Average 13.65, Highest Score 56*, 99 Wickets at 28.50, Best Bowling 5/75

Hilfenhaus was Australia’s leading wicket taker in 2009 Ashes with 22 wickets and again against India in 2011-2012 in Australia with 27 wickets in four Tests.

 

Bryce McGain – Cape Town 2009

2 and 0 and 0/149

1 Test, 2 Runs, Average 1, 0 Wickets

 

Chadd Sayers – Johannesburg 2018

0 and 0 and 2/78 and 0/68

1 Test, 0 Runs, 2 Wickets at 73

Sayers’s only Test was Tim Paine’s first Test as captain, and he claimed AB de Villiers and Kagiso Rabada in the one over.

 

 

Other South Africa

 

Maitland Hathorn – Johannesburg  October 11, 1902

45 and 31

12 Tests, 325 Runs, Average 17.10, Highest Score 102

 

Charlie Smith – Johannesburg  October 11, 1902

13 and 16*

3 Tests, 106 Runs, Average 21.20, Highest Score 45

 

George Thornton – Johannesburg  October 11, 1902

1 and 1/20

1 Test, 1 Run, 1 Wicket

 

Henry Taberer – Johannesburg  October 11, 1902

2 and 0/23 and 1/25

1 Test, 2 Runs, 1 Wicket at 48

In his one Test appearance, Taberer captained South Africa and took the wicket of Victor Trumper

 

Biddy Anderson – Johannesburg  October 18, 1902

32 and 11

1 Test, 43 Runs, Average 21.50

In his one Test appearance Andeson captained South Africa, Anderson also played three rugby union Tests in 1896.

 

Johannes Kotze – Johannesburg October 18, 1902

0 and 0 and 3/64 and 1/71

3 Tests, 2 Runs, Average 0.40, Highest Score 2, 6 Wickets at 40.50, Best Bowling 3/64

 

Percy Twentyman-Jones – Cape Town 1902

0 and 0

1 Test, 0 Runs

Twentyman-Jones played three Rugby Union Tests in 1896.

 

Rolland Beaumont – Manchester UK 1912

31 and 17

5 Tests, 70 Runs, Average 7.77, Highest Score 31

 

Gerald Hartigan – Manchester UK 1912

25 and 4 and 0/31

5 Tests, 114 Runs, Average 11.41, Highest Score 51, 1 Wicket at 141, Best Bowling 1/72

Hartigan represented South Africa six times in soccer.

 

Frank Mitchell – Manchester UK 1912

11 and 0

2 Tests England, 3 Tests South Africa

5 Tests, 116 Runs, Average 11.60, Highest Score 41

Mitchell debuted for England in 1899 and played two Tests then before waiting 13 years to play for South Africa, a side he captained. Mitchell also played six rugby union Tests for England in 1896 in which he also captained.

 

Charlie Frank – Durban 1921

1 and 38

3 Tests, 236 Runs, Average 39.33, Highest Score 152

 

William Ling – Durban 1921

33 and 28

6 Tests, 168 Runs, Average 16.80, Highest Score 38

 

Eric Marx – Durban 1921

0 and 28 and 0/6 and 1/20

3 Tests, 125 Runs, Average 20.83, Highest Score 36, 4 Wickets, Average 36, Best Bowling 3/85

 

Buster Nupen – Durban 1921

6 and 0* and 1/42 and 1/59

17 Tests, 348 Runs, Average 14.50, Highest Score 69, 50 Wickets at 35.76, Best Bowling 6/46

Nupen was born in Norway and lost an eye in a childhood accident. Nupen was considered a specialist on batting wickets.

 

Neville Lindsay – Johannesburg 1921

6 and 29

1 Tests, 35 Runs, Average 17.50

 

Norman Reid – Cape Town 1921

11 and 6 and 2/63

1 Test, 17 Runs, Average 8.50, 2 Wickets

 

Jack Robertson – Durban 1935

9 and 9 and 3/143 and 0/24

3 Tests, 51 Runs, Average 10.20, Highest Score 17, 6 Wickets at 53.50, Best Bowling 3/143

 

Ernest Bock – Johannesburg 1935

9* and 2* and 0/49 and 0/42

1 Test, 11 Runs, 0 Wickets

 

Dooley Briscoe – Johannesburg 1935

15 and 16

2 Tests, 33 Runs, Average 11, Highest Score 16

 

Frank ‘Nipper’  Nicholson – Durban 1935

16* and 0 and 2 catches

4 Tests, 76 Runs, Average 10.85, Highest Score 29, 3 Catches

 

Eric Davies – Johannesburg 1936

0* and 3 and 4/75

5 Tests, 9 Runs, Average 1.80, Highest Score 3, 7 Wickets at 68.71, Best Bowling 4/75

 

Robert Harvey – Johannesburg 1936

5 and 17

2 Tests, 51 Runs, Average 12.75, Highest Score 28

Harvey was awarded an MBE for his services during the Second World War.

 

Jack Nel – Johannesburg 1949

4 and 14

6 Tests, 150 Runs, Average 13.63, Highest Score 38

 

John Watkins – Johannesburg 1949

36 and 0 and 2/56

15 Tests, 612 Runs, Average 23.53, Highest Score 92, 29 Wickets at 28.13, Best Bowling 4/22

Watkins served as a trainee spitfire pilot in the Second World War until it was discovered he was colour blind. From 2016 to his passing in 2021 Watkins was the oldest living Test cricketer before he passed away at age of 98.

 

Ronald Draper – Johannesburg 1950

15

2 Tests, 25 Runs, Average 8.33, Highest Score 15

Draper is the current oldest living Test cricketer at the age of 98.

 

Paul Winslow – Johannesburg 1950

19

5 Tests, 186 Runs, Average 20.66, Highest Score 108

Winslow’s father Charles won two Gold Medals at the 1912 Olympics in tennis.

 

Christopher Burger – Johannesburg 1958

21 and 1

2 Tests, 62 Runs, Average 20.66, Highest Score 37*

 

Peter Carlstein – Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) 1958

32 and 1

8 Tests, 190 Runs, Average 14.61, Highest Score 42

 

Pat Trimborn – Durban 1967

2 and 1/35 and 1/47

4 Tests, 13 Runs, Average 6.50, Highest Score 11*, 11 Wickets at 23.36, Best Bowling 3/12

 

Jackie Du Preez – Johannesburg 1967

0 and 2/22

2 Tests, 0 Runs, 3 Wickets at 17, Best Bowling 2/22

Du Preez was from then Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and became a selector of the Zimbabwean cricket team.

 

Grahame Chevalier – Cape Town 1970

0 and 0 and 2/32 and 3/68

1 Test 0 Runs, 5 Wickets at 20, Best Bowling 3/68

 

Dennis Gamsy – Cape Town 1970

30* and 2 and 0 catches

2 Tests, 39 Runs, Average 19.50, Best Bowling 30*, 5 Catches

 

Lee Irvine – Cape Town 1970

42 and 19

4 Tests, 363 Runs, Average 50.42, Highest Score 102

 

John Traicos – Durban 1970

5* and 1/27 and 2/70

3 Tests South Africa and 4 Tests Zimbabwe

7 Tests 19 Runs, Average 3.16, Highest Score 5, 18 Wickets at 42.72, Best Bowling 5/86

Traicos was born in Egypt and grew up in then Rhodesia while selected for South Africa aged 23. Traicos played for Zimbabwe at the 1983 World Cup and captained them in the 1987 World Cup and also played in 1992. When Zimbabwe was given Tests status Traicos was selected aged 45, 22 years post his last Test.

 

Dewald Pretorius – Cape Town 2002

5* and 0 and 0/72 and 1/60

4 Tests, 22 Runs, Average 7.33, Highest Score 9, 6 Wickets at 71.66, Best Bowling 4/115

 

Imran Tahir – Cape Town 2011

5 and 0/35

20 Tests, 130 Runs, Average 9.28, Highest Score 29n0, 57 Wickets at 40.24, Best Bowling 5/32

Tahir has the most wickets for South Africa in World Cup with 39 wickets.

 

Imraan Khan – Cape Town 2009

20

1 Test, 20 Runs, Average 20, Highest Score 20

 

Albie Morkel – Cape Town 2009

58 and 1/44 and 0/88

1 Test, 58 Runs, 1 Wicket at 132

Albie is three years older than Morne.

 

 

 

 

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