English cricket team in South Africa in 1948–49

The England national cricket team toured South Africa in the 1948-49 season. The tour was organised by the Marylebone Cricket Club and the side played five Test matches as England and 16 other first-class matches as "MCC". Two of the first-class matches took place in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). There were also two non-first-class matches.

England won the first and last Test matches; the other three were drawn. Though the margin of victory in both the England wins was small, Wisden was in no doubt that the better team had won: "Much less than justice would have been done if England had not won the rubber," it said. "In all five Tests clearly they were the superior team".[1]

England team

The MCC team was captained by George Mann, with Billy Griffith as vice-captain. The Worcestershire secretary Brigadier Michael Green was the tour manager.

The full team was:

George Mann; Billy Griffith (wicketkeeper); Alec Bedser; Denis Compton; Jack Crapp; Godfrey Evans (wicketkeeper); Cliff Gladwin; Len Hutton; Roly Jenkins; Charles Palmer; Reg Simpson; Maurice Tremlett; Cyril Washbrook; Allan Watkins; Doug Wright; Jack Young

Test series summary

First Test

16–20 December 1948
(4-day match)
Scorecard
v
161 (53.5 overs)
AD Nourse 37
DW Begbie 37
AV Bedser 4/39 (13.5 overs)
253 (99.4 overs)
L Hutton 83
NBF Mann 6/59 (37.4 overs)
219 (89.3 overs)
WW Wade 63
DVP Wright 4/72 (26 overs)
128/8 (28 overs)
DCS Compton 28
CN McCarthy 6/43 (12 overs)
England won by 2 wickets
Kingsmead, Durban
Umpires: RGA Ashman and GL Sickler

Second Test

27–30 December 1948
(4-day match)
Scorecard
v
608 (149.5 overs)
C Washbrook 195
CN McCarthy 3/102 (26 overs)
315 (104.4 overs)
B Mitchell 86
RO Jenkins 3/88 (21.4 overs)
270/2 (f/o) (91 overs)
EAB Rowan 156*
DVP Wright 1/35 (14 overs)
  • England won the toss and elected to bat.

Third Test

1–5 January 1949
(4-day match)
Scorecard
v
308 (91.2 overs)
C Washbrook 74
AMB Rowan 5/80 (31.2 overs)
356 (119.2 overs)
B Mitchell 120
DCS Compton 5/70 (25.2 overs)
276/3d (96 overs)
L Hutton 87
CN McCarthy 2/75 (20 overs)
142/4 (31 overs)
OE Wynne 46
RO Jenkins 4/48 (9 overs)
Match drawn
Newlands, Cape Town
Umpires: RGA Ashman and JV Hart-Davis
  • England won the toss and elected to bat.
  • 2 January was taken as a rest day.
  • MA Hanley (SA) made his Test debut.

Fourth Test

12–16 February 1949
(4-day match)
Scorecard
v
379 (105.7 overs)
AJ Watkins 111
CN McCarthy 5/114 (35.7 overs)
257/9d (85 overs)
AD Nourse 129*
C Gladwin 2/43 (24 overs)
253/7d (78.2 overs)
L Hutton 123
AMB Rowan 4/69 (34 overs)
194/4 (65 overs)
EAB Rowan 86*
AJ Watkins 2/16 (3 overs)
  • England won the toss and elected to bat.
  • 13 February was taken as a rest day.
  • LA Markham (SA) made his Test debut.

Fifth Test

5–9 March 1949
(4-day match)
Scorecard
v
379 (143.5 overs)
WW Wade 125
AV Bedser 4/61 (38 overs)
395 (141.4 overs)
FG Mann 136*
AMB Rowan 5/167 (60 overs)
187/3d (58 overs)
B Mitchell 56
JA Young 2/34 (23 overs)
174/7 (23.7 overs)
DCS Compton 42
NBF Mann 4/65 (9.7 overs)
England won by 3 wickets
St George's Park, Port Elizabeth
Umpires: RGA Ashman and DV Collins
  • South Africa won the toss and elected to bat.
  • 6 March was taken as a rest day.
  • JE Cheetham (SA) made his Test debut.

References

  1. ^ "M.C.C. Team in South Africa, 1948-49". Wisden Cricketers' Almanack (1950 ed.). Wisden. p. 758.


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