Australian XI in South Africa in 1985–86

From November 1985 to February 1986, a representative team of Australian cricket players undertook a so-called "Rebel tour" to South Africa, to play a series of matches against the South African team. At the time, the International Cricket Conference had placed a moratorium on international cricket teams undertaking tours of the country, due to the South African government's policy of apartheid, leaving South Africa with no international competition.

Australian XI in South Africa in 1985–86
 
  South Africa Australian XI
Dates 9 November 1985 – 5 February 1986
Captains Clive Rice Kim Hughes
Test series
Result South Africa won the 3-match series 1–0
Most runs Graeme Pollock (280) Kim Hughes (205)
Most wickets Garth Le Roux (11) Carl Rackemann (28)
One Day International series
Results South Africa won the 6-match series 4–2
Most runs Clive Rice (344) John Dyson (285)
Most wickets Garth Le Roux (13) Carl Rackemann (10)

Background

During the 1980s, the International Cricket Conference (ICC) placed a ban on its members undertaking tours of South Africa in line with the international sporting community's overall boycott. As a means of obtaining quality opposition for the South African cricket team, groups of players from different countries had been approached privately by the governing body of cricket in South Africa to undertake so-called "rebel tours" of the country. The players that accepted the offer did so in the knowledge that they would likely receive significant sanctions from both their own country's governing body and the ICC. The first tour took place in 1982, when an English side spent four weeks in South Africa. Teams representing both Sri Lanka and the West Indies had subsequently made the trip before, in late 1985, the first Australian side was recruited to make a tour.

Squads

 South Africa Australia Australian XI

The tour was organised by former Australian test batsman Bruce Francis at the behest of the South African cricket board, then led by Ali Bacher. Bacher had planned to invite an Australian team as early as December 1981, but it was July 1984 before Francis approached any players, and October of that year before a meeting was held to plan the tour.[1]

Original players signed for the tour included:

Several players seriously considered joining the tour, including David Hookes and Jeff Thomson, but demanded too much money. Other players were never considered, such as Geoff Lawson, Kim Hughes and Allan Border.

Out of the initial players to sign, only Peter Faulkner and Rod McCurdy (who had represented Australia only in One-Day Internationals) had never represented Australia in Test matches. Several were in the Australian team when they signed to go to Australia and a number of these players were selected for the 1985 tour to England, including Wood, Phillips, Hilditch, Wellham, Alderman, Rixon, Bennett and Rackemann. News of the rebel tour broke before this squad left for England.

Withdrawals

Murray Bennett pulled out of the tour after having second thoughts and being selected for Australia over the 1984–85 summer. Phillips, Wood and Wellham pulled out after a financial inducement from Kerry Packer; Packer also tried to get Steve Smith to change his mind but Smith refused. Hilditch also pulled out after being selected for the Australian team over the 84–85 summer.

Francis signed up several new players including Trevor Hohns, Greg Shipperd, Mick Taylor and Mike Haysman. The tour received its biggest boost in early 1985 when Kim Hughes, who had been dropped from the Australian team, met with Bacher and Francis, agreed to tour and captain the side.

Matches

The tour was scheduled to last for three months, with the touring side arriving in South Africa in November 1985, and the last game scheduled for the start of February 1986. Included on the itinerary was a three match "Test" series and six one-day games, as well as seventeen tour matches against various provincial and other opponents.

One-day matches against Country Districts teams

Dates Opponent Venue Result
9 November 1985 Northern Transvaal Country Districts Lowveld Country Club, Nelspruit No Result
10 November 1985 Northern Transvaal Country Districts Lowveld Country Club, Nelspruit Australian XI won by 152 runs
16 November 1985 Orange Free State Country Districts Harvinia Ground, Virginia Australian XI won by 208 runs
18 November 1985 Transvaal Country Districts Victory Park, Orkney Australian XI won by 49 runs

Three-day matches

22 - 25 November 1985
Australian XI Australia
v
Match Drawn
 
 
345/8 d (104.4 overs)
J Dyson 141
CJPG van Zyl 3/55 (26.4 overs)
319 (85.5 overs)
BC Broad 88
RJ McCurdy 4/85 (24 overs)
Ramblers Cricket Club Ground, Bloemfontein
Umpires: Graham Brown (SA) and Darrell Scheepers (SA)
301/5 d (77.4 overs)
MD Taylor 102*
AP Beukes 3/106 (23.4 overs)
76/1 (23 overs)
AM Green 46*
TM Alderman 1/43 (11 overs)
  • Australian XI won the toss and elected to bat
29 November - 2 December 1985
SA Board President's XI South Africa
v
Australia Australian XI
Australian XI won by five wickets
 
 
150 (48.5 overs)
TR Madsen 54
RM Hogg 3/44 (13 overs)
TM Alderman 3/23 (10.5 overs)
JN Maguire 3/41 (15 overs)
186 (77.4 overs)
KJ Hughes 73
CJPG van Zyl 3/29 (18 overs)
EO Simons 3/34 (12.4 overs)
Berea Park, Pretoria
Umpires: Denzil Bezuidenhout (SA) and Oswald Schoof (SA)
126 (38.2 overs)
PG Amm 20
JN Maguire 5/58 (14.2 overs)
91/5 (28.1 overs)
J Dyson 28
EO Simons 3/39 (8 overs)
  • SA Board President's XI won the toss and elected to bat
6 - 8 December 1985
v
Australia Australian XI
Match drawn
 
 
168 (45.2 overs)
EN Trotman 48
JN Maguire 5/62 (18 overs)
236/8 (98 overs)
J Dyson 62
T Hardiman 2/48 (14 overs)
EN Trotman 2/33 (20 overs)
GL Long 2/40 (17 overs)
Jan Smuts Ground, East London
Umpires: Dudley Schoof (SA) and Desmond Sansom (SA)
  • Border won the toss and elected to bat
  • Only three hours play on Day 1 and no play on Day 3
13 - 15 December 1985
Australian XI Australia
v
Eastern Province won by two wickets
 
 
382/9 d (120.4 overs)
MD Haysman 125*
TG Shaw 4/116 (39 overs)
235 (85.4 overs)
RLS Armitage 98*
TG Hogan 8/86 (40 overs)
St George's Park, Port Elizabeth
Umpires: Louis Rautenback (SA) and Carl Coetzee (SA)
101/1 d (34 overs)
J Dyson 71*
MK van Vuuren 1/24 (8 overs)
250/8 (54.4 overs)
DJ Richardson 64
RM Hogg 4/70 (23 overs)
  • Australian XI won the toss and elected to bat
17 - 19 December 1985
v
Australia Australian XI
Match drawn
 
 
271 (94.4 overs)
SA Jones 132
TV Hohns3/69 (25 overs)
456/9 d (155 overs)
KJ Hughes 116
P Anker 4/126 (45 overs)
Oude Libertas, Stellenbosch Farmers Winery Ground, Stellenbosch
Umpires: Herbert Martin (SA) and Willem Richard (SA)
159/6 (73 overs)
NM Lambrechts 52*
JN Maguire 2/20 (14 overs)
TG Hogan 2/34 (22 overs)
  • Boland won the toss and elected to bat
6 - 8 January 1986
v
Australia Australian XI
Match drawn
 
 
219/9 d (83.1 overs)
TG Shaw 66
PI Faulkner 3/45 (17 overs)
220 (76 overs)
MD Taylor 43
BA Matthews 4/43 (26 overs)
St George's Park, Port Elizabeth
Umpires: James Peacock (SA) and Louis Rautenbach (SA)
237/5 d (76 overs)
RF Pienaar 82
TM Alderman 2/33 (17 overs)
203/9 (53 overs)
MD Taylor 70
PA Rayment 4/62 (17 overs)
  • South African Universities won the toss and elected to bat

One-day matches

27 November 1985
Northern Transvaal
211/9 (50 overs)
v
Australia Australian XI
204 (49.2 overs)
Northern Transvaal won by 7 runs
 
 
Tshwane University of Technology Oval, Pretoria
Umpires: George Baker (SA) and Pierre Klerk (SA)
AM Ferreira 61
RM Hogg 3/37 (10 overs)
KJ Hughes 72
AM Ferreira 3/36 (9.2 overs)
  • Australian XI won the toss and elected to field

Unofficial "Test" matches

The series of three "Test" matches was won 1–0 by South Africa, after the first two matches were drawn and the home team were victorious in the third. In the third match, the Australians were bowled out for 61 in their 2nd innings, while chasing 250 to win, when both Clive Rice and Garth Le Roux took hat-tricks. As of 2022, two bowlers taking a hat-trick in the same innings has never occurred in official Test matches.[2] The players of the series were Carl Rackemann for Australia and Clive Rice for South Africa.

First "Test"

26–29 December 1985
Scorecard
v
Australia XI Australia
393 (119.1 overs)
RG Pollock 108
RM Hogg 5/83 (32 overs)
CG Rackemann 5/112 (42.1 overs)
359 (119.3 overs)
Mick Taylor 109
ST Jefferies 4/100 (34 overs)
203/7d (63.4 overs)
HR Fotheringham 100*
CG Rackemann 3/28 (15 overs)
32/2 (11 overs)
KJ Hughes 17*
Match drawn
Kingsmead, Durban
Umpires: DH Bezuidenhout (SA) and OR Schoof (SA)
Player of the match: RM Hogg, CG Rackemann, SJ Rixon (AUS), HR Fotheringham (SA)
  • South Africa won the toss and elected to bat

Second "Test"

1–4 January 1986
Scorecard
v
Australia Australian XI
430 (126.2 overs)
SJ Cook 91
CG Rackemann 4/117 (37.2 overs)
RJ McCurdy 4/127 (30 overs)
304 (98.3 overs)
J Dyson 95
GS Le Roux 4/51 (20.3 overs)
202/5d (52 overs)
SJ Cook 70
CG Rackemann 4/105 (26 overs)
224/4 (90 overs)
KJ Hughes 97*
Match drawn
Newlands, Cape Town
Umpires: DA Sansom (SA) and DD Schoof (SA)
Player of the match: KJ Hughes, CG Rackemann (AUS), SJ Cook (SA)
  • South Africa won the toss and elected to bat

Third "Test"

16–21 January 1986
Scorecard
v
Australia XI Australia
211 (71.4 overs)
KA McKenzie 72
CG Rackemann 8/84 (26.4 overs)
267 (106.3 overs)
SB Smith 116
CJPG van Zyl 4/82 (27 overs)
305 (86.1 overs)
KA McKenzie 110
CG Rackemann 4/106 (30.1 overs)
TM Alderman 4/112 (37 overs)
61 (28.4 overs)
J Dyson 18*
CEB Rice 3/8 (6 overs)
GS Le Roux 3/11 (7 overs)
HA Page 3/19 (7.4 overs)
South Africa won by 188 runs
Wanderers, Johannesburg
Umpires: DD Schoof (SA) and OR Schoof (SA)
Player of the match: SJ Rixon, CG Rackemann (AUS), KA McKenzie (SA)
  • Australia won the toss and elected to field

One-day series

There were six one-day matches: the Australians started well by winning the first two games, but the South Africans recovered and ultimately won the series 4–2.

First match

24 January 1986
Scorecard
Australian XI Australia
197/5 (50 overs)
v
 South Africa
151 (41.5 overs)
J Dyson 57
CEB Rice 3/28 (10 overs)
RM Bentley 35
TG Hogan 3/25 (9.5 overs)
Australian XI won by 46 runs
Wanderers, Johannesburg
Umpires: FE Wood (SA) and OR Schoof (SA)
Player of the match: SB Smith, MD Haysman (AUS), CEB Rice (SA)
  • Australian XI won the toss and elected to bat

Second match

26 January 1986
Scorecard
 South Africa
221/6 (50 overs)
v
Australian XI Australia
224/6 (49.3 overs)
CEB Rice 91
TM Alderman 3/28 (10 overs)
SB Smith 70
HA Page 2/33 (10 overs)
Australian XI won by 4 wickets
Kingsmead, Durban
Umpires: LJ Rautenbach (SA) and DA Sansom (SA)
Player of the match: SB Smith, MD Haysman (AUS), CEB Rice (SA)
  • Australian XI won the toss and elected to bat

Third match

28 January 1986
Scorecard
 South Africa
223/9 (50 overs)
v
Australian XI Australia
151 (40.1 overs)
CEB Rice 78*
CG Rackemann 3/39 (10 overs)
MD Taylor 43
GS Le Roux 5/13 (8.1 overs)
South Africa won by 72 runs
St George's Park, Port Elizabeth
Umpires: DH Bezuidenhout (SA) and DD Schoof (SA)
Player of the match: MD Taylor (AUS), GS Le Roux, CEB Rice (SA)
  • South Africa won the toss and elected to bat

Fourth match

30 January 1986
Scorecard
 South Africa
234/9 (50 overs)
v
Australian XI Australia
210 (49 overs)
CEB Rice 44
TM Alderman 3/30 (10 overs)
KJ Hughes 60
CEB Rice 4/45 (10 overs)
South Africa won by 24 runs
Newlands, Cape Town
Umpires: LJ Rautenbach (SA) and OR Schoof (SA)
Player of the match: TM Alderman, KJ Hughes (AUS), SJ Cook (SA)
  • South Africa won the toss and elected to bat

Fifth match

1 February 1986
Scorecard
Australian XI Australia
185/7 (49 overs)
v
 South Africa
189/5 (39.4 overs)
GN Yallop 42
AM Ferreira 3/31 (10 overs)
HR Fotheringham 43
JN Macguire 2/54 (10 overs)
South Africa won by 5 wickets
Wanderers, Johannesburg
Umpires: DH Bezuidenhout (SA) and FE Wood (SA)
Player of the match: G Shipperd (AUS), AM Ferreira, CEB Rice (SA)
  • South Africa won the toss and elected to field
  • Match reduced to 49 overs per side

Sixth match

5 February 1986
Scorecard
Australian XI Australia
272/6 (50 overs)
v
 South Africa
273/4 (48.2 overs)
J Dyson 115
AM Ferreira 2/52 (10 overs)
CEB Rice 2/54 (10 overs)
CEB Rice 95*
CG Rackemann 2/52 (10 overs)
South Africa won by 6 wickets
Berea Park, Pretoria
Umpires: LJ Rautenbach (SA) and OR Schoof (SA)
Player of the match: CG Rackemann (AUS), KS McEwan, CEB Rice (SA)
  • South Africa won the toss and elected to field

Aftermath

The series was highly controversial in Australia and its Australian participants were banned from interstate cricket for two seasons and international cricket for three seasons.[3] Many of the players returned to South Africa for a second tour the following year.

Alderman, Rixon, Rackemann, Maguire and McCurdy lost their chance to tour England in 1985 by sticking to their agreement to tour South Africa.

References

  1. Derriman, Phillip; ‘Making of the Cricket Rebels’; Sydney Morning Herald, 4 May 1985
  2. "Records / Test Matches / Bowling Records / Hat-tricks". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  3. "Rebels – the '85 South Africa tour". The Age. Melbourne. 10 December 2005. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
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