Rhodesia enjoyed
much non-first-class cricket
during the War, with an R.A.F.
training base in the country.
Fortunately no current Rhodesian
cricketer lost his life, the only
victim being Wilfred Parry, from
Natal who played for Rhodesia in
1935/36 against the Australians;
he was killed at El Alamein. When
first-class cricket resumed after
the War, several veterans were
still available, including Ken
Austin and Arnold Hyde whose
first-class debuts had been 18
years earlier. Denis Tomlinson
returned, but not Jack Hayward;
imports included Test player
`Bob' Newson from Transvaal and
James Buchanan from Eastern
Province.
Once again,
Transvaal obliged by providing
Rhodesia with their only
first-class opposition of the
season. Ken Viljoen's team played
in two matches, winning the
second despite being well short
of full strength. Rhodesia were
handicapped by the absences of
Tomlinson and Charsley in the
second innings due to illness and
injury, but Viljoen suggested
that substitutes David Lewis and
Robert Kennedy take their places.
They scored only a single apiece,
but the gesture was much
appreciated. So it was that David
Lewis' long career had an unusual
beginning.
At Salisbury Sports
Club; 16, 17, 18 March. TRANSVAAL
342 (S Lacey 102, L A Sadler 37,
R Wooler 48; D S Tomlinson 3/95)
and 131/4 dec (S H Curnow 41, K G
Viljoen 39*, R E S Vine 36).
RHODESIA 260 (J B C Johnson 64, P
N F Mansell 37, J H Charsley 35;
E V Witte 4/74). Match
drawn.
At Raylton,
Bulawayo; 23, 24, 25 March.
RHODESIA 200 (J B C Johnson 30, B
L Chimowitz 49, E D Morris 30*; X
C Balaskas 5/87, R E Davies 3/33)
and 157 (R J Noble 69, A Hyde 47;
X C Balaskas 5/71), R E Davies
3/27). TRANSVAAL 489/8 dec (S
Lacey 73, L A Sadler 85, K G
Viljoen 124, R E S Vine 119).
Transvaal won by an innings and
132 runs.
It is intended in the future to produce full
scorecards, and also much more
information about all cricket in
Rhodesia during this season. At
present, the next entry in this
section is for 1946/47