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Rhodesian first-class cricket in 1966/67Captain: Tony PitheyIn the first Currie Cup programme to be held during the same season as a major tour, Rhodesia again under-performed and at the end of the season suffered relegation to the B Section. All five matches, including the one against the Australians, were lost, although things might have been different had the one-wicket defeat by Eastern Province gone the other way. With hindsight, and as Rhodesians argued at the time, relegation was a mistake, as the team had sufficient potential talent but needed to learn to adjust to A Section cricket without the fear of relegation hanging over their heads all the time. Once again, fragile batting was the main problem. Colin Bland had a poor season, although he generally looked in good form but just seemed constantly to find unexpected ways of getting out. Tony Pithey, in his last full season, batted usefully but not at the top of his form, and was not dominating enough to inspire his colleagues. The bowling, even with the departure of Godfrey Lawrence and David Pithey before the start of the season, generally performed adequately. The brightest feature of the season was the superb all-round form of Jackie du Preez, whose confident performances, especially with the bat, were in marked contrast to those of his colleagues. He proved the ideal man for a crisis, defiant and aggressive, and hit the team's only century of the season. The South African selectors finally recognised his talents by selecting him for the final two Tests against Australia. Du Preez easily finished top of the Rhodesian batting averages, scoring 394 runs at an average of 43.77. The only other batsman to pass 200 runs in the five matches was Pithey (274 at 27.40). Colin Bland, despite his poor batting record, fielded as superbly as ever and was chosen for the First Test, only for a knee injury to end his Test career, as it turned out. Joe Partridge, in his final season, topped the bowling averages for 13 wickets at an average of 20.46, although the selectors denied him a final tilt at the Australians. Du Preez, with 21 wickets at an average of 29.76, bowled some marathon spells and had to perform the role of stock rather than shock bowler. No other bowler took ten wickets. Howie Gardiner, whose superb hitting against the Australians (11 sixes and 17 fours in two matches, the first not first-class) reached the headlines, took over as wicket-keeper in most matches, although it was generally agreed that Tony de Caila was the better all-round keeper. Unfortunately, Gardiner failed to reproduce this form in Currie Cup matches.
CURRIE CUP TABLE, 1966/67
1st inns
Played Won Lost Drawn lead Points
(6) (2)
Natal 4 3 1 - 3 24
(Eastern Province 4 2 1 1 2 16
(Transvaal 4 2 1 1 2 16
RHODESIA 4 - 4 - 1 2
(Not first-class.) At Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo; 2, 3 November. MATABELELAND INVITATION XI 107 (D A Renneberg 3/13, G D Watson 4/29) and 298/6 dec. (R B Ullyett 87, K C Bland 94, H A B Gardiner 86). AUSTRALIANS 211 (W M Lawry 62, R M Cowper 65; B H Williams 4/81, J H du Preez 3/22) and 62/3. Match drawn. At Police Ground, Salisbury; 29, 30, 31 October. RHODESIA 227 (R B Ullyett 42, K C Bland 48, E F Parker 37; D Mackay-Coghill 3/65, A H McKinnon 5/76) and 129 (N J Frangos 37; A H McKinnon 6/25). TRANSVAAL 334 (E J Barlow 79, A Bacher 52, P L Corbett 35, R C White 103, A F Tillim 32; E F Parker 5/84, J H du Preez 3/112) and 23/0. Transvaal won by ten wickets. At Police Ground, Salisbury; 5, 6, 7, 8 November. RHODESIA 149 (R B Ullyett 60; J W Martin 5/26) and 265 (N J Frangos 49, A J Pithey 67, H A B Gardiner 81; I M Chappell 5/53). AUSTRALIANS 307 (I R Redpath 139*, carrying his bat, G Thomas 43, J W Martin 35; J H du Preez 6/95) and 111/2 (R B Simpson 43*). Australians won by eight wickets. At Police Ground, Salisbury; 19, 20, 21 November. NATAL 330 (D Gamsy 89, B L Irvine 38, B Versfeld 35, D B Pithey 66, D J McGlew 57; J H du Preez 6/128). RHODESIA 112 (M J Procter 7/25) and 212 (N J Frangos 31, J H du Preez 76*; M J Procter 4/54). Natal won by an innings and 6 runs. At Johannesburg; 3, 5 December. TRANSVAAL 367 (E J Barlow 212, R C White 37, D Mackay-Coghill 31; B H Williams 3/71). RHODESIA 140 (A J Pithey 34; D Mackay-Coghill 6/50) and 167 (J H du Preez 58; D Mackay-Coghill 3/47, H R Lance 3/45). Transvaal won by an innings and 60 runs. At Port Elizabeth; 9, 10, 12 December. RHODESIA 311 (K C Bland 37, A J Pithey 93, J H du Preez 112; A R Hector 3/86, G M Den 5/45) and 183 (J H du Preez 70, I D Haig 33; G M Den 3/57, M S W Burton 3/66). EASTERN PROVINCE 300 (A M Short 47, R G Pollock 134*; J H du Preez 3/110) and 196/9 (A M Short 41, P L van der Merwe 67, P M Pollock 32; J T Partridge 6/20, N R Deudney 3/63). Eastern Province won by one wicket. 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 1967/68 |
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