|
|
|
|
|
   |
|
Rhodesian first-class cricket in 1971/72Captain: Ray Gripper (5) and Mike Procter (5).Back in the A Section, Rhodesia came close to winning the Currie Cup; and had not the new system of bonus points, borrowed from that in use in the English county championship, been in use, they almost certainly would have won it. Transvaal finished at the top of the table despite a record of just two victories and two defeats in their eight matches. Rhodesia's three victories were more than any other team and they lost only once, a better results record than that of any other province. Transvaal won only by virtue of gaining more bonus points, especially for batting, than any other province and were in no way convincing champions. Rhodesia drew their first three matches before losing to Natal, thanks to an innings of true greatness from Barry Richards. They then narrowly beat Western Province in a friendly match in Cape Town, where they had not expected to play during the season; however the SACA expanded the programme in mid-season after the cancellation of the South African tour to Australia. The selectors then decided to replace Ray Gripper as captain with Mike Procter, and the latter was so inspired as to lead his team to a crushing win over Transvaal in Johannesburg, reducing them at one stage to 31 for seven in their first innings. The team then finished the season in grand style, but it was not quite enough to win the Currie Cup. Although they were unable to prevail over Western Province at home, they secured a thrilling victory over Natal in Bulawayo and then trounced Western Province in the official match at Cape Town, with Procter's inspired bowling playing a leading part. Rhodesia were by no means a one-man team, but it was obvious that Procter was the hub of their success; this season he was rather more vital as a bowler than batsman. Rhodesia's batting line-up, though still fragile at times, could claim to be possibly their best in history. The find of the season, the dashing left-handed Brian Barbour, opened the innings with Gripper, who retired just before the end of the season. Barbour, particularly strong with the hook and the cut, scored 97 on his first-class debut and took Vintcent van der Bijl's bowling to pieces (opening spell 5-0-39-0) on his way to a maiden century, reached before lunch, in Bulawayo. Unfortunately Barbour was never to be so successful again; the innate conservatism of Rhodesian cricket handicapped his career, as he had too much well-meaning advice from those who sought to tamper with his natural game and in seasons to come the selectors were too quick to drop him in times of poor form. Robertson, Davison and Procter formed a powerful middle order, followed by the all-rounders du Preez, Fletcher, Mitchell and wicket-keeper-batsman Gardiner. Mitchell played some determined innings and was promoted to open when Gripper retired. Paddy Clift, another newcomer with a fine future, had to bat at number ten, while Kaschula was the only player in the team with no pretensions as a batsman. With a young and settled team by the end of the season, Rhodesia looked certain to win the Currie Cup in the near future. Procter was the heaviest scorer, with 695 runs at an average of 40.88. Top of the averages, however, was Stuart Robertson, who missed the early part of the season while on business overseas; he scored 453 runs at an average of 64.71. Also over 400 runs were Barbour (609 at 32.05), du Preez (539 at 33.68) and Davison (485 at 25.52). Procter, bowling superbly, finished top of the bowlers' list with 52 wickets at an average of 16.01. He enjoyed less support with the ball than with the bat this season. Richie Kaschula's 32 wickets were at an average of 25.40, while Jackie du Preez took 19 wickets at 35.68. After other opening partners for Procter had been tried, the role by the end of the season had fallen on Duncan Fletcher, who was not really fitted for it but worked manfully to do his job well; his 25 wickets cost 30.28. Howie Gardiner's 32 victims behind the stumps (29 caught, 3 stumped) was a new national record, although admittedly the team had never played as many as ten matches in a season before. In the Gillette Cup knockout competition, Rhodesia narrowly lost a very exciting match against Transvaal in Johannesburg. Transvaal had looked likely to run away with the game at one stage, only for Jackie du Preez to break through the middle order and take five wickets, unusually bowling off-cutters in place of his usual leg-spin. CURRIE CUP TABLE, 1971/72
Bonus Points
P W L D Bat Bowl Points
(10)
Transvaal 8 2 2 4 27 28 75
RHODESIA 8 3 1 4 17 26 73
Eastern Province 8 2 1 5 15 32 67
Natal 8 2 3 3 14 32 66
Western Province 8 1 3 4 13 23 46
At Police B Ground, Salisbury; 30, 31 October, 1 November. TRANSVAAL 392 (B F Bath 53, P R Carlstein 51, B L Irvine 120, A A During 33, P D de Vaal 59, W R Kerr 38; M J Procter 4/76) and 242/6 dec (A Bacher 83, B L Irvine 46, P D de Vaal 59*; R H Kaschula 3/52). RHODESIA 345 (B D Barbour 97, J D McPhun 33, B H Oldrieve 40, J H du Preez 64; M W L Scott 3/73, B F Bath 5/56) and 182/7 (B D Barbour 55, M J Procter 50; P D de Vaal 3/26). Match drawn. At Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo; 13, 14, 15 November. RHODESIA 166 (B D Barbour 36, J H du Preez 39, D A G Fletcher 36; E Schmidt 3/36, H C Pittaway 3/36) and 269/5 dec (R A Gripper 31, M J Procter 84*, B F Davison 74). EASTERN PROVINCE 165/9 dec (S J Bezuidenhout 58, S J McAdam 31; M J Procter 3/25, T R C Bowes 3/38) and 152/5 (A L Biggs 100, R G Pollock 30). Match drawn. At Port Elizabeth; 27, 28, 29 December. EASTERN PROVINCE 281/6 dec (R G Pollock 129, A L Wilmot 76*; D A G Fletcher 4/51) and 223/6 dec (B Wood 33, S J Bezuidenhout 53, R K Colling 38, A L Wilmot 45*; J C Mitchell 3/45). RHODESIA 196 (J C Mitchell 73*; S J McAdam 3/57) and 205/7 (R A Gripper 116*, J H du Preez 49; P M Pollock 3/27). Match drawn. At Durban; 1, 3, 4 January. RHODESIA 111 (V A P van der Bijl 3/20, A R Lilley 3/29) and 317 (B F Davison 91, M J Procter 47, D A G Fletcher 73*; V A P van der Bijl 3/73, P P Henwood 4/81). NATAL 385/9 dec (B A Richards 219, M B Madsen 66; M J Procter 4/97, D A G Fletcher 3/80) and 47/0. Natal won by ten wickets. (Friendly) At Cape Town; 7, 8, 10 January. WESTERN PROVINCE 263/9 dec (A Bruyns 108, M H Bowditch 85; B F Davison 3/26) and 180 (N R Budge 36, R E T Morris 75; M J Procter 3/52, R H Kaschula 3/30, J H du Preez 3/32). RHODESIA 326 (B H Oldrieve 36, J C Mitchell 58, M J Procter 62, B F Davison 35, J D McPhun 48, H A B Gardiner 51*; R D Jackman 3/67, P D Swart 3/52) and 118/8 (M J Procter 31). Rhodesia won by two wickets. At Johannesburg; 28, 29, 31 January. TRANSVAAL 124 (V S Greve 37, W R Kerr 46; M J Procter 7/32) and 315 (A Bacher 32, B F Bath 60, B L Irvine 45, K A McKenzie 53, V S Greve 41; M J Procter 3/74, J H du Preez 3/96). RHODESIA 410 (R A Gripper 49, B D Barbour 58, S D Robertson 43, M J Procter 83, J H du Preez 30, D A G Fletcher 56; B F Bath 3/44) and 31/1 (B D Barbour 29*). Rhodesia won by nine wickets. At Pretoria; 3, 4, 5 February. RHODESIA 356/9 dec (S D Robertson 62, B F Davison 60, M J Procter 107, J H du Preez 58) and 196/4 dec (S D Robertson 63*, J H du Preez 70*; P I Pocock 3/80). NORTHERN TRANSVAAL 172 (G Boycott 107; R H Kaschula 4/44) and 204 (G Boycott 41, I W Finlay 86; R H Kaschula 5/60, J H du Preez 3/76). Rhodesia won by 176 runs. At Police B Ground, Salisbury; 19, 20, 21 February. RHODESIA 261 (S D Robertson 50, B F Davison 66, J C Mitchell 45*; E J Barlow 4/74) and 250/6 dec (B D Barbour 57, S D Robertson 59, M J Procter 46, J H du Preez 47*; R D Jackman 3/98). WESTERN PROVINCE 283 (E J Barlow 101, N R Budge 32, A Bruyns 39, H M Ackerman 44; M J Procter 5/70) and 68/2 (E J Barlow 35). Match drawn. At Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo; 4, 5, 6 March. RHODESIA 248 (B D Barbour 106, M M Benkenstein 54*; V A P van der Bijl 4/76, A R Lilley 3/56) and 210 (B D Barbour 32, M M Benkenstein 36, H A B Gardiner 38, D A G Fletcher 30*; V A P van der Bijl 4/45, A R Lilley 4/56). NATAL 249 (B A Richards 76, M B Madsen 38, D J Morgan 45*; M J Procter 3/62, P B Clift 3/43) and 187 (G D Dyer 64; M J Procter 4/36, R H Kaschula 3/47). Rhodesia won by 22 runs. At Cape Town; 10, 11, 13 March. WESTERN PROVINCE 272 (F S Goldstein 34, A Bruyns 71, P D Swart 51; M J Procter 4/33, P B Clift 3/71) and 118 (R E T Morris 54, P D Swart 34; M J Procter 5/9). RHODESIA 322/8 dec (S D Robertson 118, M J Procter 86, J H du Preez 57; R E T Morris 3/100, G A Chevalier 3/78) and 69/3. Rhodesia won by seven wickets. GILLETTE CUP (60 overs) At Johannesburg; 20 November. TRANSVAAL 178 (55.5 overs) (A Bacher 56, B F Bath 35; J H du Preez 5/42). RHODESIA 174 (59.1 overs) (B D Barbour 32, M J Procter 41). Transvaal won by 4 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 ZIM_FC_1972-73 |
| |||
|
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
|
