In 1948, one of the legends of cricket began his career at the age of 17 in Cape Town. Basil D’Oliveira would eventually go on to play Test cricket for England, and be listed among their all-time greats.
D’Oliveira, affectionately known as “Dolly”, would walk about 16km to help prepare for a match at his father’s cricket club, St Augustine’s, which shared an open field in Briana Crescent, Elfindale with 25 other teams.
Practising in the streets of Signal Hill, D’Oliveira did not receive any formal coaching, but his father was one of the most influential players who contributed to his almost quarter of a century career, which ended in 1972.
Though D’Oliveira also played soccer for the South African Coloured team, cricket remained his favourite sport.
In 1958, he captained the South African non-white team that played against the Kenyan Asian team.
Just before the 1960s rolled around, he realised he could not have a future in cricket in South Africa under the oppressive apartheid laws, and decided to play in England. In February 1960, D’Oliveira signed a season-long contract with Middleton in the Central Lancashire league for £450.
By the end of his first season, he ended with a higher batting average than the legendary Sir Garfield Sobers who was considered the best cricketer in the world at the time. In 1966, D’Oliveira made his debut for England against the West Indies.
In 1968, he was included in the England team to tour South Africa but then-prime minister John Vorster refused to allow him to accompany the team. The tour was called off.
By the time he retired in 1972, D’Oliveira had played 44 Tests for England.
EXTRAORDINARY: An undated photo of cricket legend Basil D’Oliveira.
Now, with the theme “Cricket Crossing Boundaries”, the St Augustine’s cricket club, and the Western Province Cricket Association will have its annual festival in his honour.
“The festival honouring Basil D’Oliveira is also aimed at empowering young school cricketing players from disadvantaged communities,” said chairperson of St Augustine’s, Robin Poggenpoel.
Eight teams from schools in Mitchells Plain, Khayelitsha, and Bishop Lavis will take part in the T20-style tournament.
The festival will also have an exhibition capturing D’Oliveira’s life where pupils will get the opportunity to learn of his history.
The Dean of the St George’s Cathedral, where D’Oliveira was buried, Reverend Michael Weeder, described him as a great person with an extraordinary ability to play cricket. “Basil was a very unacknowledged player back in his time. But now he is a representative of the many significant players that didn’t get the opportunity to get recognition as he did later on in his life. It is great to know that his old cricket club is honouring him.”