5 Controversies of the 1900s which Changed Cricket Forever

#2 D'Oliveira Affair

Basil D’Oliveira; Image Credits: Wisden

The Incident

Basil D'Oliveira was a remarkable batting allrounder for the England Team. He hailed from Cape Town, but moved to England, as the South African apartheid rules at the time wouldn't allow him to represent South Africa.

To everyone's surprise, he was not picked initially for England's tour to South Africa in 1968. John Vorster, South African prime minister at the time had declared their acceptance for racially mixed teams in 1967. But, the reality was different.

Under political pressure and lobbying D'Oliveira was kept out of the squad. Though, two weeks later, Tom Cartwright, got injured and D'Oliveira was included in the squad. The tour had to be cancelled eventually as Vorster termed MCC "a team of the Anti-Apartheid Movement" and refused to allow D'Oliveira.

The Impact

A short-term victory for Vorster and Apartheid eventually resulted in a 21-year exile for South Africa from International cricket. At the time of the ban, South African cricket was really thriving, and who knows they might have had a World Cup trophy in their cabinet, if not for apartheid.

D'Oliveira went into history as an anti-apartheid hero. In 2004, it was announced that future Test series between England and South Africa will be for the Basil D'Oliveira trophy.

South Africa v England - Fourth Test: Day Five