Rhodesian first-class cricket in 1904-05

Although possessing few players of genuine first-class standard, Rhodesia entered the South African Currie Cup competition. The leading cricketers included Leo Robinson, the captain, who had previously played for Natal; Freddie Brooks, a superb all-round sportsman; W S (`Sonny') Taberer; all-rounder Colin Duff; and George Anderson, a superb left-arm bowler who has been so tragically forgotten that it is not even clear what pace he was or what happened to him (the last record I have found so far places him in Gwelo in the early 1920s).

The team were due to play Transvaal, the nearest of the South African provinces, in Johannesburg; in those days it was nevertheless a long journey of almost 1000 miles from Salisbury. They had to travel by train to Mafeking and then by coach, drawn by mules, to Potchefstroom to make the next rail connection. They drove through heavy rain and only arrived at the ground an hour before the scheduled starting time.

Robinson won the toss and sent Transvaal in to bat in wet conditions, but the rain had merely taken all life out of the wicket. The team was heavily defeated in two days, but were granted a match against the strong Wanderers club to fill in the third day. Fine bowling by Anderson and Duff brought them a grand victory by six wickets on first innings. As the competition was then played on a knockout basis, Rhodesia had no further matches to play.