This was the season when Rhodesia believed they would win the Currie Cup, when they should have won the Currie Cup, and when they would have done so were it not for the 'Wilmot Walk-off' affair and the South African Cricket Association's mishandling of it.

Before the season started, there was a strong expectation in the country that, under the captaincy of Mike Procter, they had at last the team with the talent and confidence to win the Currie Cup for the first time. The final few matches of the previous season amply justified that view, and with hindsight as well this was the season it should have been won.

After having much the better of an International Wanderers team that visited the country under the captaincy of Brian Close, Rhodesia beat Transvaal in an exciting match in Bulawayo. In the second innings Transvaal needed 311 to win in 270 minutes; Procter took a wicket bowling fast, and then switched to off-breaks to bowl out the Transvaal team just before the close, taking nine wickets in the innings altogether. A drawn match against Natal followed, fairly evenly balanced, before the fateful match against Eastern Province in Bulawayo.

With Graeme Pollock injured, Lorrie Wilmot was caretaker captain for the visitors, and had come fresh from a heavy defeat at the hands of Transvaal. On the final day, Wilmot set Rhodesia 324 to win in four hours, and they went for the runs in superb style. Wilmot took advantage of a temporary misunderstanding between the umpires over the start of the 20 overs to be bowled in the final hour, and led his team off the field in defiance of the umpires with Rhodesia needing six runs to win off the final over and Mike Procter facing on 66 not out. When Eastern Province refused to continue, the umpires awarded the match to Rhodesia in accordance with the laws of the game. Wilmot's action was naturally viewed as a contemptible act of poor sportsmanship by Rhodesians, only to be matched by the SACA who arbitrarily overruled the umpires and declared the match a draw. This decision ultimately cost Rhodesia the Currie Cup. With the country beleaguered politically at the time as well, no..?

Having said that, Rhodesia had only themselves to blame for not going on to win the Currie Cup. They were defeated three times during the season, all away from home, but against Western Province and Transvaal they led by 72 and 92 runs respectively on first innings, only to throw the matches away with second innings batting collapses. There were also suggestions that many of the cricketers led exotic night lives on tour which were to the detriment of their cricket. So, in another very closely-fought competition, Rhodesia finished fourth in the final table; just one more victory would have seen them well clear at the top.

Procter was again both leading batsman and bowler. Although his only two centuries were in the same match against the International Wanderers, he scored 841 runs for the country at an average of 49.47. Peter Carlstein returned to the country to enjoy a useful season, 653 runs at 36.27. Stuart Robertson and Brian Davison both scored 558 runs, averaging 34.87 and 32.82 respectively. The all-rounders, Jackie du Preez, Jimmy Mitchell, Duncan Fletcher and Howie Gardiner, all scored more than 300 runs.

Procter increased his wicket tally to 56, at an average of 17.96. Part of Rhodesia's success during the season could be attributed to the finding of a good opening partner for him, even though this was the Surrey professional Robin Jackman rather than a local bowler. Jackman took 39 wickets for Rhodesia at an average of 18.58. They were backed up well by Jackie du Preez (24 wickets at 29.25); Richie Kaschula, not as fit as he might have been, showed a corresponding decline in form, his 20 wickets costing 35.80. Paddy Clift made steady progress with 19 wickets, and his magnificent first innings of 75 against Eastern Province made the final exciting finish possible.

At Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo; 23, 24, 25 September. RHODESIA 476/7 dec (D A G Fletcher 80, S D Robertson 58, P R Carlstein 74, M J Procter 99, B F Davison 79, J H du Preez 50) and 148/4 dec (S D Robertson 48*, P R Carlstein 35; D B Close 3/59). INTERNATIONAL WANDERERS 276 (G M Turner 91, B C Francis 52, J H Edrich 32, A W Greig 39; D A G Fletcher 3/31, R H Kaschula 3/73) and 284/8 (B C Francis 65, B L D'Oliveira 116*; R H Kaschula 4/71). Match drawn.

At Police B Ground, Salisbury; 29, 30 September, 1, 2 October. RHODESIA 273 (P R Carlstein 33, M J Procter 114; G D McKenzie 3/79, B L D'Oliveira 3/58) and 374/7 dec (M J Procter 131, B F Davison 125, M M Benkenstein 35). INTERNATIONAL WANDERERS 124/8 dec (G M Turner 45, J H Edrich 32; M J Procter 4/20, P B Clift 4/53) and 112 (J H du Preez 6/39). Rhodesia won by 411 runs.

At Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo; 28, 29, 30 October. RHODESIA 311 (D A G Fletcher 45, P R Carlstein 95, B F Davison 31, J H du Preez 53; D Mackay-Coghill 4/86) and 242/8 dec (M J Procter 65, H A B Gardiner 64; D R Neilson 4/74). TRANSVAAL 243 (B F Bath 50, B L Irvine 40; J H du Preez 4/58) and 197 (B F Bath 41, A Bacher 62, B L Irvine 38; M J Procter 9/71). Rhodesia won by 113 runs.

At Police B Ground, Salisbury; 11, 12, 13 November NATAL 403/9 dec (B A Richards 197, A Bruyns 35, D L Orchard 51, A J S Smith 38; R D Jackman 3/81) and 184/7 dec (A Bruyns 107*; R D Jackman 3/36). RHODESIA 311/9 dec (P R Carlstein 105, M J Procter 34, B F Davison 45; B D Gessner 3/57, D J Morgan 3/54) and 125/3 (M M Benkenstein 34, D A G Fletcher 32). Match drawn.

At Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo; 18, 19, 20 November. EASTERN PROVINCE 301 (S J Bezuidenhout 54, K J Bond 44, A L Wilmot 85, A C Galpin 31; M J Procter 4/69, R H Kaschula 3/66) and 283/9 dec (S J Bezuidenhout 36, A L Wilmot 129, D J Brickett 50; R D Jackman 3/30, R H Kaschula 3/66). RHODESIA 261 (D A G Fletcher 32, P B Clift 75*, R D Jackman 50; H C Pittaway 3/31, K P Reid 3/14) and 318/6 (S D Robertson 67, P R Carlstein 53, B F Davison 32, M J Procter 66*, H A B Gardiner 54; H C Pittaway 4/125). The umpires awarded the match to Rhodesia when Eastern Province refused the play, but the SACA declared the match a draw.

At Cape Town; 21, 22, 23 December. WESTERN PROVINCE 214 (M H Bowditch 53, G P Pfuhl 33; M J Procter 6/67) and 281 (E J Barlow 106, P D Swart 63, M H Bowditch 44; M J Procter 4/64, J H du Preez 3/55). RHODESIA 286 (J C Mitchell 61, M J Procter 32, B F Davison 74, J H du Preez 43; A B Nieuwoudt 3/43, P D Swart 3/76) and 164 (J C Mitchell 41, P R Carlstein 69; E J Barlow 7/53). Western Province won by 45 runs.

At Port Elizabeth; 26, 27, 28 December. RHODESIA 153 (M J Procter 31, H A B Gardiner 30; K P Reid 7/50) and 246 (J C Mitchell 76, M J Procter 62; E Schmidt 3/58, C P Wilkins 4/19). EASTERN PROVINCE 347 (A L Biggs 131, D J Brickett 32, C P Wilkins 34, E Schmidt 61; R D Jackman 3/71) and 55/3. Eastern Province won by seven wickets.

At Durban; 30 December, 1, 2 January. NATAL 86 (A M Short 34; R D Jackman 8/40) and 299 (B A Richards 88, D Gamsy 55, D L Orchard 109*; M J Procter 5/91). RHODESIA 268 (J C Mitchell 52, D A G Fletcher 31, S D Robertson 36, H A B Gardiner 37; V A P van der Bijl 4/88, B D Gessner 5/58) and 118/5 (S D Robertson 38*, M J Procter 38). Rhodesia won by five wickets.

At Johannesburg; 9, 10, 12 February. TRANSVAAL 163 (B L Irvine 49; R D Jackman 4/41) and 275 (B F Bath 70, R K Muzzell 110; M J Procter 5/73, R D Jackman 3/64). RHODESIA 255 (J C Mitchell 35, S D Robertson 38, P R Carlstein 58, M J Procter 43; D F Becker 5/49, D Mackay-Coghill 3/74) and 133 (P R Carlstein 43; D Mackay-Coghill 5/36). Transvaal won by 50 runs. At Police B Ground, Salisbury; 24, 25, 26 February. WESTERN PROVINCE 158 (E J Barlow 42; M J Procter 4/43) and 159 (H M Ackerman 57, R M Clark 45; M J Procter 3/23, P B Clift 3/45, J C Mitchell 3/12). RHODESIA 344 (S D Robertson 115, J C Mitchell 41, M J Procter 44, B F Davison 66; E J Barlow 3/53, G A Chevalier 4/53). Rhodesia won by an innings and 27 runs. GILLETTE CUP (60 overs)

At Pretoria; 21 October. RHODESIA 235 (59.2 overs) (S D Robertson 49, M M Benkenstein 49, P R Carlstein 44; A A Jones 3/29). NORTHERN TRANSVAAL 94/2 (32 overs) (V S Nel 48). Bad light stopped play. Northern Transvaal were declared winners on a better runs-per-wicket average.

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 1973/74