Rhodesian cricket team
Encyclopedia
The Rhodesia cricket team played first-class cricket
and represented originally the British colony of Southern Rhodesia
and later the unilaterally independent state of Rhodesia
which became Zimbabwe
. In 1980 the Rhodesia cricket team was renamed as the Zimbabwe-Rhodesia Cricket team, and in 1981 it adopted its current name of the Zimbabwe national cricket team.
championship from 1905, but its appearances were sporadic at first. Having lost their inaugural match to Transvaal
by an innings and 170 runs, Rhodesia did not play in the Currie Cup again until 1929–30. They also played in 1931–32, winning four out of five matches, but losing the cup to Western Province
under the points system then in use. The Rhodesian team then did not return until 1946–47, after which they at last played regularly.
Noted Rhodesian players included Colin Bland
and Mike Procter
but the team never managed to win the Currie Cup. The team played in 1979–80 as "Zimbabwe-Rhodesia" and left the competition for good at the close of that season, after Zimbabwe officially became independent.
As Rhodesia fielded a whites-only side during South Africa's apartheid era, its players were eligible to represent South Africa
in Test cricket
until South Africa was banished from international cricket at the end of the 1960s.
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
and represented originally the British colony of Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia was the name of the British colony situated north of the Limpopo River and the Union of South Africa. From its independence in 1965 until its extinction in 1980, it was known as Rhodesia...
and later the unilaterally independent state of Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
which became Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
. In 1980 the Rhodesia cricket team was renamed as the Zimbabwe-Rhodesia Cricket team, and in 1981 it adopted its current name of the Zimbabwe national cricket team.
Club history
Rhodesia competed in South Africa's Currie CupSuperSport Series
The SuperSport Series is the main domestic first class cricket competition in South Africa, first contested in 1889-90. From 1990-91 it became known as the Castle Cup, and from 1996-97 by its current title...
championship from 1905, but its appearances were sporadic at first. Having lost their inaugural match to Transvaal
Transvaal cricket team
Gauteng cricket team is the first-class cricket team of the province of Gauteng in South Africa....
by an innings and 170 runs, Rhodesia did not play in the Currie Cup again until 1929–30. They also played in 1931–32, winning four out of five matches, but losing the cup to Western Province
Western Province cricket team
Western Province cricket team is the team representing Western Cape province in domestic first-class cricket in South Africa. The team began playing in January 1890 and its main venue has always been Newlands in Cape Town.-Honours:...
under the points system then in use. The Rhodesian team then did not return until 1946–47, after which they at last played regularly.
Noted Rhodesian players included Colin Bland
Colin Bland
Kenneth Colin Bland, was a cricketer who played for South Africa.Bland originally came from Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe but then not a Test cricket- playing nation. He also played for the South African provincial sides Eastern Province and Orange Free State...
and Mike Procter
Mike Procter
Michael John Procter is a former South African cricketer. A fast bowler and hard hitting batsman, his chances for a long and productive test career were wrecked by South Africa's banishment from world cricket in the 1970s and 1980s...
but the team never managed to win the Currie Cup. The team played in 1979–80 as "Zimbabwe-Rhodesia" and left the competition for good at the close of that season, after Zimbabwe officially became independent.
As Rhodesia fielded a whites-only side during South Africa's apartheid era, its players were eligible to represent South Africa
South African cricket team
The South African national cricket team represent South Africa in international cricket. They are administrated by Cricket South Africa.South Africa is a full member of the International Cricket Council, also known as ICC, with Test and One Day International, or ODI, status...
in Test cricket
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
until South Africa was banished from international cricket at the end of the 1960s.
Venues
Rhodesian venues included:- Queens Sports ClubQueens Sports ClubQueens Sports Club is a multi-purpose stadium in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. It is used mostly for cricket matches. The stadium holds 13,000. The club is one of two homegrounds for the Matabeleland Cricket Team, which up until recently was captained by the Zimbabwean international opening pace bowler...
, BulawayoBulawayoBulawayo is the second largest city in Zimbabwe after the capital Harare, with an estimated population in 2010 of 2,000,000. It is located in Matabeleland, 439 km southwest of Harare, and is now treated as a separate provincial area from Matabeleland...
(March 1910 – present): Matabeleland venue since 1994 - Salisbury/Harare Sports ClubHarare Sports ClubHarare Sports Club is a cricket ground in Harare, Zimbabwe. Initially known as Salisbury Sports Club, Harare Sports Club has served as the primary cricket venue in Rhodesia and Zimbabwe since its inception. The ground became a Test venue in October 1992 when Zimbabwe played their inaugural Test,...
(March 1910 – present): Mashonaland venue since 1954 - Raylton Club, Bulawayo (occasional venue Dec 1924 - Feb. 1955)
- Old Hararians A Field, Salisbury (used once in March 1950)
- Bulawayo Athletic Club (used once in Nov 1951): a Matabeleland venue since 1994
- Police A Ground, Salisbury (Oct 1957 - Dec 1968)
- Police B Ground, Salisbury (Nov 1969 - Jan 1980)