At Jan Smuts Stadium, Pietermaritzburg; 18, 20, 21 December 1965.

Tuesday 7 December 1999

The Rhodesian team for the three-match Currie Cup tour down south, which was to have been announced last night, will not be known for some days yet.

The selectors are unwilling to make their final choice until fitness reports on five players have been studied. The five are captain Tony Pithey, the three seamers, Joe Partridge, Godfrey Lawrence and Eddie Parker, all of whom were injured in the match against Eastern Province, and left-arm bowler Dave Napier, who was injured in the match against Transvaal two weeks ago.

Wednesday 8 December 1999 (Rhodesia Herald)

RCU DEMANDS MEDICAL REPORTS ON TOUR TEAM

>From Martin Lee

The Rhodesian Cricket Union selectors have chosen their dozen players for the three-match Currie Cup tour of South Africa, when matches will be played against Natal (at Maritzburg), Eastern Province (at Port Elizabeth) and Western Province (at Cape Town), and all the invalids are included.

But the Rhodesia Cricket Union is insisting not only on fitness tests on Tony Pithey, Godfrey Lawrence, Joe Partridge and Eddie Parker, the players who were off the field for some reason against Eastern Province, but a complete medical examination of all the other members of the team.

The 12 players selected are those originally chosen to play Eastern Province, which means that wicket-keeper Tony de Caila replaces Howie Gardiner, plus John McPhun, who played against Transvaal recently and then gave way to Colin Bland for last weekend's match in Salisbury.

Explaining the reason for the medical examinations, RCU president Lee Walkden says: ``We must ensure all the players are fit. We will ask Pithey, Lawrence, Parker and Partridge, all senior members of the side, to give themselves severe fitness tests before they go, and we will rely on their decision.

``We cannot afford any of the team to travel with fitness doubts, and all the selected men are responsible enough to tell us the truth.

``With regard to the medical exams on all the other members of the team, if need be, the RCU will pay the doctors' bills. We just want to make sure no player sets off on tour all in good faith and it is later discovered that he had some injury or illness which was not apparent.

``We will demand a clean bill of health from our team for, although it would be comparatively easy to fly a replacement to any of the three South African centres in an emergency, it may not be easy to contact players over the holiday period,'' says Walkden.

I understand the selectors have decided on their stand-by players should any of the injured players not come through his fitness test before the team leaves on December 16, but no names are being disclosed.

It is likely, however, that certain players may be contacted by the RCU, and warned to stand by in case they are needed at the last minute.

The touring team is:- Tony Pithey (captain), Ray Gripper, Nick Frangos, John McPhun, Rob Ullyett, Colin Bland, David Pithey, Eddie Parker, Tony de Caila, Jackie du Preez, Godfrey Lawrence and Joe Partridge. Manager is Jock Holden.

Sunday 12 December 1965

TONY PITHEY FIT FOR TOUR

Sunday Mail Cricket Reporter

Tony Pithey, the Rhodesian cricket captain, will lead his team on their three-match Currie Cup tour later this week.

He has recovered from the slight back injury he sustained in the Eastern Province match.

``My back is fine now,'' Pithey said yesterday. ``It was only a damaged ligament. I had similar trouble in England with the Springbok team in 1960. Now, as then, it cleared up pretty quickly.''

If Pithey had not been fit, Ray Gripper, his vice-captain, would almost certainly have led the team.

Although he failed with the bat in two Currie Cup matches played so far this season with scores of 11, 3 and 1, Pithey's absence on the tour would be a grievous blow.

A batsman of his class is bound to emerge soon from his present rut - with vengeance.

And against sides of the calibre of Natal, Eastern Province and Western Province, Rhodesia can ill afford to field anything but the strongest combination.

Pithey will not play league cricket today, and neither will seam bowler Joe Partridge, who was due to turn out for his club, BAC, in Bulawayo against Queens in a vital league match.

Partridge has a groin injury and he will test it out tomorrow, when he will bowl for an hour at the BAC nets, with selector Percy Mansell watching him.

Both bowlers Eddie Parker and Godfrey Lawrence, who suffered slight injuries last weekend, are expected to report fit for the tour, while wicket-keeper Tony de Caila has recovered from the flu which caused him to stand down last week.

So tour manager Mr Jock Holden will almost certainly be taking the originally selected team with him on Thursday, when the team flies to Maritzburg for the first match against Natal.

Tuesday 14 December 1965

JOE PARTRIDGE IS VERY DOUBTFUL

>From our correspondent (Rhodesia Herald)

Bulawayo, Monday: Late tonight there was still doubt as to whether star pace bowler, Joe Partridge, would play in the Currie Cup cricket match against Natal, beginning in Maritzburg on Saturday.

Partridge, who injured a groin in the match against Eastern Province in Salisbury just over a week ago, was yesterday very doubtful as to whether he would be fit in time for the Natal match. The Rhodesian team leaves on Thursday.

Watched by selector Percy Mansell, Partridge spent about half an hour bowling in the nets at BAC today. He never reached full pace and the groin injury was still worrying him.

Afterwards he said, ``I doubt very much if I will be able to play for at least another week.''

If Partridge is right, then the selectors will have to find a replacement quickly.

Last night Mansell was in touch with Salisbury selector David Lewis, but no decision was reached.

Wednesday 15 December 1965

PARTRIDGE REPLACED BY SWART

By a Herald reporter

Peter Swart, the young pace bowler from Gatooma [now Kadoma], will accompany the Rhodesian cricket team on their Currie Cup tour of South Africa. Swart comes in for Joe Partridge, who has a groin injury and will not be available for the first match against Natal in Maritzburg on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday.

The rest of the Rhodesian team has been passed fit and the party leaves tomorrow.

Partridge is undergoing treatment for his injury and, if he responds and is required, he will be flown to Cape Town to join the team or the matches against Western Province and Eastern Province.

Saturday 18 December 1965

NATAL CAUTIOUS FOR GAME WITH 'UNLUCKY' RHODESIA

>From Len Brown (Pietermaritzburg, Friday)

If present weather conditions here prevail, Rhodesia - already dubbed the unluckiest team of the Currie Cup season to date by local cricket writers - are going to have further cause to bemoan the fact that Joe Partridge will not be on parade tomorrow when Rhodesia tackle the strong Natal side at Jan Smuts Stadium.

A heavy rainstorm on Wednesday, with conditions set for cloudy weather with the possibility of showers over the weekend, has made conditions ideal for Partridge's particular bowling talents.

For a start, there is more grass on this pitch than Partridge has seen on the Salisbury pitch in years, there could be a bit of moisture lurking beneath the seemingly perfect batting pitch, and there is always the prospect of a stiff breeze on this hilltop ground.

In fact, this could be a good toss to lose, for even the local experts decline to hazard a guess as to how this pitch will play tomorrow.

Having read how Transvaal escaped being beaten by Rhodesia, and how Rhodesia were handicapped by injuries to key bowlers against Eastern Province, Natal are approaching this match with a certain amount of caution.

At not out practice this afternoon, Bland, Tony Pithey and Gripper, the three Rhodesian batsmen who are certainly due for runs, were in grand batting fettle.

And so too were those who have been in form all season - Frangos, Ullyett and David Pithey. But perhaps the most heartening news for Rhodesia was the form of 'new boy' Peter Swart with the ball. He proved the most awkward of all the bowlers on a fairly good batting pitch. Though Godfrey Lawrence did not over-exert himself.

All the team reported fit, with Bland probably enjoying himself more than anyone with a light-hearted batting spree.

Natal, with Springboks McGlew, Goddard, McLean, Crookes and Gamsy, and four of the country's most exciting prospects in Barry Richards, Mike Procter, Lee Irvine and Berry Versfeld, again look to be candidates for the Currie Cup title they have held for the past four years.

But without seamer John Cole and pace bowler Clive Halse, there is a mite of suspicion about their bowling ability.

Trevor Goddard is rumoured to be moving to Pretoria early in the New Year to take up permanent residence with the Sport Foundation scheme.

Goddard will finish this season playing for Natal, and by the time next season starts, will have qualified for North-Eastern Transvaal.

After net practice today, the Rhodesian selection committee here decided to leave out John McPhun, and the team thus reads: A Pithey (captain), Gripper, Frangos, Ullyett, Bland, D Pithey, Parker, de Caila, du Preez, Swart and Lawrence.

Sunday 19 December 1965

RHODESIA PLOD TO SLOW BUT SAFE 304-5

Maritzburg, Saturday

Rhodesia plodded along against tight bowling on a plumb wicket today to score a respectable 304 runs for five against Natal on the opening day of their 'A' Section Currie Cup cricket match here.

Most of the recognised batsmen got runs, but the brightest innings came from Colin Bland, who rattled up 51 in 83 m before being run out.

Nick Frangos (85) and Ray Gripper (41) gave Rhodesia a slow but sound start with an opening stand of 80 in 148 minutes.

Then Bland and his captain Tony Pithey (57) were associated in a fourth wicket stand of 85 during Bland's stay before he was brilliantly run out by a direct hit from Pat Trimborn.

Pithey had taken 37 mins to get off the mark, although seemingly in no trouble (reports Len Brown).

And when Bland joined him it was a testing time for Rhodesia.

But Bland was into his stride right away, and with Pithey's taking heart from his partner's assurance, the scoreboard rattled along.

Tea came with 188 for three on he board, slow scoring in view of the 106 overs bowled. But after tea both attacked willingly and the pair had added 85 in 83 minutes when Bland suffered the fate he has accorded others many times.

He was run out when a smart return to the bowler's end by Roy McLean enabled Trimborn to throw the wicket down from close range.

Bland had hit five fours in his 83-minute stay.

Bland's dismissal was unfortunate for Rhodesia, in that he was the one player who might have collared this so accurate Natal attack later in the afternoon.

Joined by his brother David, Tony Pithey went his assured, if somewhat pedestrian, way, and reached his 50 in 173 mins, with seven fours.

Tony Pithey was finally out with 25 minutes to go for a patient 55. He added 47 with his brother in 62 minutes, his own batting time being 187 minutes and the total 271 for five wickets.

Nick Frangos, for his 85, batted solidly with painstaking care for 242 minutes, hitting 10 fours. Gripper, the first of the openers to go, stroked four boundaries.

Apart from the lengthy spell bowled by off-spinner Norman Crookes - 34 overs unchanged for 54 runs - McGlew switched his bowlers constantly, permutating spin and pace, and giving them all a chance with and against the breeze, except Crookes.

He set tight fields all day, and Crookes' figures would have had more virtue had he not bowled fully 50 per cent of his deliveries so far outside the off stump that even Bland ignored them.

Monday 20 December 1965

NATAL FACE DIFFICULT TASK AFTER RHODESIA'S SLOW SCORING

Rhodesia Herald (Pietermaritzburg, Sunday)

In ideal batting conditions, Rhodesia contrived to score 304 runs off 148 overs in seven hours on the first day of the A Section Currie Cup cricket match against Natal at Jan Smuts Stadium here yesterday and there is now little chance of an outright decision.

With five wickets still intact there could be an appreciable addition to the Rhodesian total, thus making Natal's task of securing first-innings points difficult.

Either the Natal attack is a good deal better than one gave it credit for or the Rhodesian batsmen - except Bland - lack a spirit of adventure.

When Trevor Goddard took a snap slip catch to dismiss Gripper it had taken Natal 21/2 hours to make the first breakthrough - which might have come much earlier if Trimborn at second slip had fastened on to one when Gripper, at nine, edged Goddard.

Procter, inclined to bowl wide on the leg side with the new ball, claimed his first Currie Cup wicket when Ullyett, utterly defensive for 50 minutes, edged a catch to Gamsy.

Tony Pithey was 37 minutes before scoring and grinned hugely when he did eventually get off the mark. When Jackie McGlew took a spectacular catch close up on the off side to dispose of Frangos in sight of his best Currie Cup score, Colin Bland immediately infused a spirit of daring into his captain's batting.

Bland isn't one to be shackled for long. He began looking for sharp singles and Tony Pithey began to put more weight into his strokes.

The result was a lively partnership of 85 in even time. Then, through a misunderstanding, it was Bland who was run out when McLean recovered a fumble, whipped a return to Trimborn, following through, and the bowler threw down the stumps.

The Pithey brothers sought consolidation until Tony moved down, missed and was stumped.

However, there is still enough batting to cause Natal some concern. And the pitch looks as though it could last for a fortnight.

Tuesday 20 December 1965

DAVID PITHEY GIVES RHODESIA CHANCE FOR FIRST INNINGS POINTS

>From Len Brown (Rhodesia Herald)

Well done, Rhodesia . . . well done indeed. In reply to their first innings total of 359, they had Natal precariously placed with 195 for five wickets when bad light stopped play half an hour before the end of an absorbing day's play here. Apart from a century stand by Trevor Goddard and the brilliant young Barry Richards, and an unfinished stand of 56 between youngsters Versfeld and Mike Procter, the Natal batsmen looked a most ordinary lot against a keen Rhodesian attack today.

Lawrence bowled like a real Springbok all day, with good support from Eddie Parker and young Peter Swart. But the palm must go to the indefatigable David Pithey who had a marathon spell, bagged three wickets at small cost, and troubled all the batsmen, especially Goddard.

And all this after contributing an elegant half century with the bat in Rhodesia's innings. All the bowlers were given grand support in the field on a dull, cloudy, windless day. With the new ball due tomorrow early, Rhodesia are well placed to force a first-innings win - if they can hold their catches.

Continuing this morning, in dull, cloudy weather, at their overnight total of 304 for five wickets, Rhodesia batted for 100 minutes to add another 55 runs to the total, before being all out for 359, scored in 507 minutes.

Pace bowler Pat Trimborn had the last three wickets in five balls to finish with the best Natal bowling figures.

David Pithey, dropped in the slips at 46, straight drove Goddard for his second four of the morning to reach his fifty in 112 minutes, with five fours - a most responsible and sensible innings.

In the 50 minutes' batting they had before lunch, Natal openers McGlew and Goddard were given a rough time by Springbok Godfrey Lawrence, who had McGlew groping before finally bowling him with a snorter with the total at 11.

It was in the period immediately after lunch that we saw the best batting of the Natal innings, with Goddard and Richards together. For a time Goddard - as the senior partner - dominated the scene, taking most of the bowling, and keeping the board moving.

But when he got to 41 he bogged down and Richards, who had 16 at the time, raced past him and on to a brilliant 68, scored in 126 minutes with nine scudding fours.

In the end he completely eclipsed the almost static Goddard, who spent an hour gathering his last six runs before being bowled by David Pithey.

Five years ago I remember writing that I'd seen a Springbok batsman in the embryo at Port Elizabeth the first time I saw Graeme Pollock bat, at the age of 16. Today I saw another in this fine stroke player, Richards.

He will be a Springbok very shortly. When Goddard went, there was something of a minor collapse as Natal lost four wickets for 25 runs.

Richards followed Goddard when he played a lazy shot to a Parker ball on the off stump, and Lawrence made an almost casual catch ankle high in the slips.

In the last over before tea, having taken 25 minutes to get off the mark, Roy McLean played a shocking cross bat shot and was leg before wicket to the admirable Pithey.

Versfeld was completely out of touch to start with, although he gave no actual chance, and he and Procter got together in a handy little stand which added a valuable 40, when an appeal against the light was turned down, with 45 minutes left for play, and the lowering clouds beginning to clamp down.

The pair had added 50 runs in 69 minutes when the umpires again conferred but decided to carry on. Both had scored 25 at this stage, with 35 minutes to go.

David Pithey came back in place of Lawrence, and had Procter dropped at the wicket off his third ball. The only other catch all day which had gone astray was one by du Preez off Goddard in the slips with Lawrence the unlucky bowler. Two minutes after de Caila had dropped Procter the umpires called it a day.

Wednesday 22 December 1965

LAWRENCE, D. PITHEY LEAD RHTO GRAND VICTORY

>From Len Brown (Maritzburg, Tuesday)

For the first time, Rhodesia came out on top in a Currie Cup clash with Natal, when some grand bowling by Springbok David Pithey and Godfrey Lawrence gained them a 60-run lead of the first innings here this morning. It was good to be a Rhodesian supporter, if only for the determined way the side went about the job when Natal resumed batting, needing 164 runs with five wickets standing.

There was a keenness and alertness in the field which boded ill for the unwary batsman inclined to dawdle between wickets, there was grand bowling by Pithey, Lawrence and to a lesser extent Parker and du Preez, and, when the side batted again after lunch, there was the uncompromising attitude of skipper Tony Pithey in a defiant innings which made quite plain his outlook today: ``What we have, we hold.''

After their bowling in this match the Springbok selectors can give them their Springbok caps all over again . . . the sooner the better.

Procter and Versfeld put on 108 for the sixth wicket when Lawrence and David Pithey bagged three wickets in three overs.

Pithey it was who broke the stand when he had Procter leg before wicket, down on one knee going on the sweep to leg. Next over Lawrence got one to lift awkwardly on the off stump and Versfeld dragged it into his wicket.

And in his next over Pithey bowled Gamsy with the ball of the match - it started to drift towards slip in the air, and when it hit the pitch turned in viciously and hit the middle stump.

That brought a slump in the score, with Natal now battling with only two wickets in hand, and another 109 runs needed.

But this Natal side does not give up that easily, and it was du Preez who finally got rid of the determined Crookes when he tempted him to go for the off drive and Parker took a splendid diving catch at mid-off.

Next over Gripper galloped 20 yards to midwicket and caught Parsons also off du Preez and Rhodesia were assured of first-innings points.

Rhodesia had one over to bat before lunch, McGlew giving leg-spinner Parsons the new ball. After lunch, with Rhodesia determined not to throw away their hard-earned advantage, play lacked sparkle, particularly in the 140 minutes to tea when only 84 runs were scored.

Frangos ran himself out at 32 and Ullyett tapped a long hop tamely back to bowler Procter, before Tony Pithey and Gripper got together with a determined stand of 50 which lasted until five minutes to tea, when Gripper was flabbergasted to be given out leg before wicket, stretched right down the pitch, to Goddard bowling seamers over the wicket.

Bland had a short and merry knock, but Tony Pithey was determined to stay there. He opened out in the later stages of his innings and played some grand shots, his fifty coming in 146 minutes with six fours.

He finally declared with 45 minutes of playing time left and Rhodesia 222 runs ahead. Natal batted again but there wasn't much interest in the proceedings and the game was called off 25 minutes before time.

The train leaves tonight by train for Cape Town, arriving Friday morning with the game against Western Province starting on Monday.

Friday 24 December 1965

CRITIC SLAMS OUR CRICKET

>From Louis Duffus (Johannesburg, Thursday)

Rhodesia blame the system under which the competition is conducted for the unenterprising way they played their cricket against Natal in Maritzburg - when a canker was introduced into the Currie Cup.

``You can put it down to the rule of promotion and relegation,'' said Mr Jock Holden, manager of the Rhodesian team, when he was taxed about the dour batting of the side.

``We have had to fight to get into the A Section and we mean to do our best to stay there. I was told that Natal would have used the same methods if they had been in our position.''

When he was told that the record shows that relegation and promotion is not strictly followed, for instance Eastern Province were not relegated when they finished bottom of the last competition, he said: ``We do not know that. As far as we know it is the intention to demote the last team in the A Section and promote the winners of the B Section. We must play on that assumption.''

Why was it, he was asked, that when Rhodesia had a comfortable lead on the first innings they did not speed up their play?

``It is another rule,'' he replied, ``that a team leading on the first innings loses its three points if it is beaten outright. Consequently teams do not risk losing what they have gained. You'll find that all sides will play the same way.''

If the rules do in fact present a bogy to some teams it would be better for South African cricket if teams were admitted into the A Section on the way they play the game - not on the points they score.

There is, however, an elasticity about the competition which should encourage enterprise.

Mr Algy Frames, who is shortly to retire as secretary of the South African Cricket Association, said today: ``There is an understanding that the top team of the B Section is promoted and the bottom of the A Section relegated, but there is no hard and fast rule about it.

``I should think it unlikely that the Board would throw out any team from the A Section after this season as they are all so well matched.'' [Note: Western Province were in fact demoted at the end of the season.]

``Many things have to be considered. At the moment Western Province might appear weaker than some sides, but they draw the biggest gates in the country. The way the game was played at Maritzburg was not conducive to the best interests of cricket.

``Rhodesia have a pretty good side, but because of the fear of relegation they are not playing the cricket they are capable of producing.''