Basil D'Oliveira "Dolly" has died (aged 80)

by **JimboPSM** » November 19, 2011, 8:38 pm

From BBC Sport:

Former England all-rounder Basil D'Oliveira has died at the age of 80.

Born in South Africa, D'Oliveira moved to England in 1960 due to the lack of opportunities for non-White players.

In 1968 he was named in England's squad to tour South Africa which was then cancelled as the ruling National Party refused to accept his presence.

D'Oliveira played county cricket for Worcestershire between 1964-80 and represented England in 44 Tests, scoring 2,484 runs at an average of 40.

The headlines made by D'Oliveira in 1968 marked the start of South Africa's sporting isolation.

After being added to the England squad as a replacement for the injured Tom Cartwright the South African government made it clear a 'Cape coloured' would not be welcome.

The tour was called off and the incident culminated in a ban on sporting ties with South Africa which would last until the early 1990s.

No official team from any country subsequently toured South Africa until apartheid was abolished following Nelson Mandela's release from prison in 1990.....

Cricket South Africa chief executive Gerald Majola paid tribute to the man fondly called 'Dolly' whose health had been deteriorating for some time leading up to his death in England.

"He was a man of true dignity and a wonderful role model as somebody who overcame the most extreme prejudices and circumstances to take his rightful place on the world stage.

"The circumstances surrounding his being prevented from touring the country of his birth with England in 1968 led directly to the intensification of opposition to apartheid around the world and contributed materially to the sports boycott that turned out to be an Achilles heel of the apartheid government.

"Throughout this shameful period in South Africa's sporting history, Basil displayed a human dignity that earned him worldwide respect and admiration....
..... Already an OBE, in 2005 he was awarded the CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours. Another honour was afforded him when the D'Oliveira Trophy was inauguarated as the prize for when England meet South Africa in a Test series...

Original article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/15803140.stm

I was fortunate as a schoolboy to be able to watch Basil D'Oliveira play at Towncroft for Middleton (my local team) in the Central Lancashire League - I had no idea then what a force he was to become on the world stage in cricket and, in politics, as probably the most effective “passive” force against Apartheid in South Africa.

In those early days few people in England (including me) had any real inkling about how Apartheid operated

by **jackspratt** » November 19, 2011, 8:51 pm

A good cricketer who probably achieved most by shining a light on the despicable system which "lead" South Africa for far too many years.

He was even good enough to average 40 against Australia.

by **BIGAL** » November 21, 2011, 12:44 pm

RIP Dolly

I was not aware of his death until I read your message. I lived through this time of History in SA & clearly remember having to avoid even stating that you were South African in London in 1973. In that same year as a student on tour, I saw pictures for the first time of police beating Africans being desplayed at the Anne Frank House in Holland. We were horrified as this had all been banned in our media.

It was a terrible time in our history but Dolly certainly played a role, along with many other South Africans, in bringing down this regime in time! If you ever visit South Africa today, you can take a ferry boat from Cape Town to Robben Island & experience the full story!

by **BobHelm** » November 25, 2011, 9:22 am

As you mention Middleton Jimbo, the BBC News has a little item from players & officials who knew Dolly there...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-ma ... r-15877506

The Lancashire league used to be a real breeding ground for young, unknown, foreign players who later turned into stars of the game. It is a great pity that it has now appeared to have stopped getting those type of players..

by **JimboPSM** » November 25, 2011, 10:46 am

Thanks for that link Bob, it’s one I missed.

This is a link to the obituary on the Middleton Cricket Club website:

http://www.middletoncc.co.uk/index.php? ... 8&Itemid=1

Unfortunately, as I said before, although he was the best player on the team (which he was expected to be as he was the pro and the rest of the team were amateurs) I have to admit that I did not recognise his talents at the time.

Back in those days, players going on from your local team to play test cricket for England only ever really happened in boys comics, real test cricketers had to have attended the right public schools to qualify :lol:

Basil D'Oliveira "Dolly" has died (aged 80)