1913-14 [Scorecards]
The decline in South African cricket was continued when England toured South Africa under JWHT Douglas. The series belonged to SF Barnes, who in an unprecedented performance, took 49 wickets in the first four Tests. The combination of the matting wickets, a none-too-strong batting side, and one of the finest bowlers in cricket history gave England a 4-0 victory. The one outstanding performance for South Africa was that of Herbie Taylor, the only batsman with the technique and ability to resist Barnes. The English batting relied on Hobbs, who had a fine series. Taylor made a century in the first Test, 109 out of 182, Barnes 5/57. Hobbs with 82, and then Douglas with a century, gave England a big lead, and then 5 more wickets for Barnes led to the innings victory. The 2nd Test saw Barnes in top form, 8/56 in the first innings, and 9/103 in the second, match figures that have been bettered only by Laker. Centuries from Rhodes and Mead led to another innings win. The 3rd Test resulted in a comfortable win for England, founded on 92 from Hobbs. Barnes took only 3/26 when South Africa batted, but they only mustered 151, and when set 396 to win, Barnes took 5 wickets although conceding over 100 runs, as Taylor and Zulch put on 153 for the first wicket. The 4th Test was Barnes' final appearance for England, departing at the height of his powers after a dispute with the authorities. He went out with a bang, taking 7/56 and 7/88 in a drawn match. Taylor's 93 was a fine innings, with superb footwork countering Barnes in a memorable battle. Even without Barnes, England won the final Test by 10 wickets, Phil Mead contributing a century.

1914-1919 [Scorecards]
After Barnes' devastating series in 1913-14, international cricket between England and South Africa went into a 7 year hiatus, due to the first World War. Colin Blythe, KL Hutchings, Eric Lundie, RO Schwarz, and Gordon White were killed in the war, as were many promising young cricketers yet to play for their country.

1922-23 [Scorecards]
FT Mann led the England tourists, and they got off to a bad start, losing the first Test easily. Blanckenburg and Nupen took the bowling honours, and Herbie Taylor, despite missing the war years, again showed he was one of the best bats in the world with a second innings 176. The second Test was a close match, and came down to England's last pair. Fender took 4/29 as South Africa could only make 113 after choosing to bat, but 5 wickets from Blanckenburg restricted England's lead. Good innings from Catterall and Taylor set England 173 to win, and fine bowling from Hall (7/63) took South Africa to the brink of victory. Mann played a captain's innings, and the last pair made the 5 runs needed to win. The third Test was drawn, with Mead making 181, and Taylor 91, but with the 3rd day washed out. The fourth was also drawn, Woolley making an unbeaten 115, and South Africa comfortably batting out time after being set 326 to win, Taylor with the century. The 5th and deciding Test was played with no time limit. Russell made 140, and England took a lead of 101 on first innings. The lead was only just over 200 when the last wicket fell, with Russell, batting down the order because of illness, being joined by Gilligan. They put on 92 for the last wicket and Russell completed his second century. Taylor made another century but a target of 344 proved too much for South Africa and England took the series.

1924 [Scorecards]
After the close series of 1922-23, the 1924 tour was a disappointment for South Africa, with their bowlers less effective on turf than they were on the mat at home. Chapman, Sutcliffe, and Tate debuted in the 1st Test, Sutcliffe starting his famous partnership with Hobbs by putting on 136 for the first wicket. England made 438, and there was nothing in the pitch to indicate what was to follow. In just 12.3 overs Tate and Gilligan dismissed South Africa for 30, Gilligan taking 6 for 7, and no-one reaching double figures. The Sussex pair shared the wickets in the second innings, but this time South Africa made 390, thanks to a century from Catterall. Catterall made another hundred when South Africa batted first at Lord's but their total of 273 proved inadequate. Hobbs and Sutcliffe put on 268 for the first wicket, Hobbs going on to 211, Sutcliffe 122, then Woolley a superb 134* - 531/3 declared led to another innings win. It was Hendren's turn to make a century in the 3rd Test, and 6 wickets from Tate had South Africa following on, despite Taylor's unbeaten 50. They batted better in the second innings, but England needed only 60 to win, which they managed with the loss of one wicket. Only 66.5 overs were possible in the drawn 4th Test as rain swept across Old Trafford. The 5th also was drawn, as only the first innings were completed, Catterall completing his fine series with a 95, Hendren replying with 142.

1927-28 [Scorecards]
England were missing Hobbs, Tate, Hendren and Larwood, and led by RT Stanyforth who played his only Tests on this tour. Stanyforth was a late replacement, but kept wicket and captained well. The bowling was led by George Geary, whose style suited the matting wickets well, but he only played two Tests due to injury. The fine wicket-keeper "Jock" Cameron started his all too brief international career in the first Test, and Walter Hammond also debuted, but the South Africans, captained by HG Deane, were outclassed. Geary took 7/70, and Sutcliffe and Tyldesley, both with centuries, gave England a big first innings lead. Hammond and Geary had South Africa at 38/7 before Vincent and Coen at least forced England to bat again. Deane asked England to bat in the second Test and was rewarded by a fine bowling performance from Vincent and Bissett, and with Taylor top-scoring took a substantial 1st innings lead. Holmes (88) and Sutcliffe (99) put on 140 for the first wicket, and Wyatt (91) and Tyldesley (87) allowed England to set South Africa 312 to win. Taylor played another solid innings, but South Africa were never close to saving the match. The 3rd Test was drawn, South Africa doing well against a substantial 1st innings deficit. Twelve batsman passed 50 in the match, but no centuries were made. South Africa won the 4th Test, with Hall's 6 wickets leading the way in England's 1st innings, and a classic century from Taylor when South Africa batted. Another good bowling performance left South Africa with 153 to win, which they accomplished for the loss of 6 wickets. When the first day's play was washed out, South Africa's chances of drawing the series in the 5th Test seemed remote, and looked even more so when England reached 240/3 thanks to a century from Tyldesley. The last five wickets fell for 42 runs, thanks to the off-spin of Nupen, and South Africa were able to declare with a lead of 50, thanks to Catterall's century. The enterprising declaration by Deane was rewarded when Bissett bowled superbly to take 7/29, and South Africa knocked off the 69 required to win for the loss of two wickets.

1929 [Scorecards]
Deane led a young side to England in 1929, with only himself and the evergreen Herbie Taylor over 30. The 1st Test was drawn, with nothing between the sides on first innings, Larwood taking 5 wickets. England went for quick runs on the third day, Sutcliffe making 114, and Hammond a magnificent 138, but after the delcaration, South Africa had little trouble batting out time, the players remaining on the field until Catterall fell just short of his century. The second Test was also drawn, although not without incident. Sutcliffe made a century and Bell took 6 wickets, but a good batting performance from the young South Africans gave them a 20 run advantage on first innings. Hundreds from Leyland and Tate led to a declaration, and the South Africans had to survive 51 overs, losing 5 wickets and Cameron retired hurt to a fearsome blow from Larwood. England won the 3rd Test, with Woolley in fine form, making 83 and 95*. Freeman bowled well, with 7/115 in the first innings, and only a fine 2nd innings century by Owen-Smith saved South Africa from embarrassment. As it was England lost 5 wickets in chasing 186. The 4th Test resulted in another England win in, this time by an innings, with Woolley again playing a big part with 154, and Freeman taking 12 wickets. Cameron, back in the side, hit well for his 83. Hobbs and Sutcliffe were re-united for the final Test, Hobbs at nearly 47 making an elegant 50 in the 2nd innings. The match at that point was drifting towards a draw, after South Africa had bowled out England on a good wicket for 258, Sutcliffe making a century. Taylor made 121 as South Africa declared just short of 500, but Hobbs, Sutcliffe with his second century of the match, and Hammond (101*) saw England to safety.

1930-31 [Scorecards]
APF Chapman led a strong team south in 1930-31, but only the first Test yielded a result. The team was weakened when Sandham was injured in a car accident early in the tour, and took no further part. The opening Test was an excellent game, with Tate, Voce and Peebles running through the South African batting, only 45 from McMillan allowing them to pass 100. Nupen was in fine form, and his 5 wickets helped restrict England to 193. Mitchell, to become a fixture in the South African side for years, made a solid 72, and Cameron an aggressive 50, and England were set 240 to win, on a difficult wicket. Hammond, supported by Turnbull, took England to 131/3, but then Nupen ran through the middle order, and South Africa won by 28 runs. South African batting dominated the 2nd Test, with Mitchell and Siedle putting on 260 for the 1st wicket, and Taylor adding a century. England followed on, despite Hendren's 93, but the South African bowling could not force the win. Rain washed out a good part of the 3rd Test, with England with the better of the draw thanks to Voce's 5 wickets, and Hammond's unbeaten century. Taylor's 72 saved South Africa from defeat on a sensational last day, with wickets falling all around him. The fourth Test was closely fought - England topped 400 with substantial innings from Hammond, Hendren, and Leyland, but Siedle, Mitchell and Taylor answered in kind, and England lost quick wickets going for runs. South Africa were set 317 in 96 overs, but fell 37 runs short, England still needing 3 wickets at the close. The fith Test was also rain affected with a further hour's delay whilst the umpires constructed a new set of bails to fit the new wider stumps brought in that year. South Africa plodded to 252 after two days of play, and after taking a first innings lead, batted conservatively to ensure a draw and a series win.

1935 [Scorecards]
HF Wade led a touring side that was as strong as any sent out of South Africa well ballanced with a varied attack and superb in the field. The first Test was drawn, in England's favour. They batted well, Wyatt in particular, and after overnight rain South Africa had far more difficult conditions to contend with. A long defensive struggle could not avoid the follow-on, but occupied enough time to draw the game. Nichols took 6/35 for England. The Lord's Test was South Africa's first Test victory in England. The ball turned from the first day, and South Africa struggled against Verity until Cameron hit him out of the attack. His 90 led them to 228, and eventually a useful first innings lead as Xenophon Balaskas took 5/49. A patient 164 from Mitchell allowed Wade to declare, setting England 309 to win. This never looked on against the South African spinners, and South Africa won a famous victory. The third Test was drawn England made sweeping changes including Arthur Mitchell, brought in at the last minute due to Leyland's illness. Mitchell, selected mainly because he lived close to the ground, made 58 and 72, and along with Hammond held the England batting together. South Africa batted slowly and steadily, and a result never looked likely. The Old Trafford Test was also drawn Robins made an entertaining century in the England innings, and Viljoen replied with a skillful 124. England set South Africa a target of 271 at over a run a minute, but South Africa, one up in the series took a cautious approach. In the final Test Wyatt, needing the win, put in South Africa on an excellent wicket. A steady century from Mitchell, supported by Viljoen gave South Africa a strong start, and then a sparkling innings by Dalton, supported by the number 10 batsman Langton, put the match out of reach. England attacked, and made a quick 534, thanks to centuries from Ames and Leyland, but South Africa had no trouble batting out time and securing the rubber.

1938-39 [Scorecards]
A strong England side under Hammond played, for the first time, all the Tests on grass wickets although lack of experience amongst groundsmen led to pitches with little help for the bowler. The series saw the debut of the brilliant batsman Alan Melville, and was played in the absence of Jock Cameron who had died far too young after the England tour. The pattern of the series was set in the first match, where England topped 400 thanks to Paynter (117), Gibb (93) and Valentine (97), but this led to only a narrow first innings lead. Goddard took a hat-trick, and Verity dismissed the debutant Melville for 0, but Dalton (102) and Langton (64) repeated their Oval performance. Paynter collected his second century of the match, and Gibb 106, but Hammond's conservative declaration led to South Africa batting out time with ease. In the 2nd Test, England spent over 2 days in amassing 559, Hammond, Ames and Valentine with centuries, and South Africa, despite following on, occupied the remaining time to draw the match with only 2 wickets down. Nourse and Mitchell played fine defensive innings in the first innings, and Rowan and van der Bilj in the second. More massive scoring by England in the 3rd Test led to an innings win. Paynter made 243, and Hammond 120, both in rapid time, and England declared at 469/4. The South African batting failed for the first time, Farnes taking 4 wickets and bowling very fast, and they followed on. They offered stern resistance in the second innings, Mitchell with a fine century, but England won with ease. A superb bowling performance by Langton lead to England's first batting failure in the 4th Test, all out for 215- and without Hutton's 92 it would have been much less. South Africa had to contend with a wet wicket, but a brilliant 67 from Melville, captaining the side, well supported by the rest of the team led to a big lead. The third day was washed out by rain, however, and England batted out the final day for a draw.