The South Africa national cricket team played its first representative match in 1889 against a touring side of English players organised by Major RG Wharton. In 1897 the two representative matches on the tour were retrospectively awarded Test cricket status, South Africa becoming the third Test playing country.[lower-alpha 1][1][2] The team played regularly against Australia, England and New Zealand until the 1960s but played no matches against sides from countries such as India or West Indies due to the racially exclusive policies of successive South African governments which barred non-white players from international cricket. This evolved into a formal policy of apartheid in the late 1940s and by the end of the 1960s pressure had grown on other countries not to play South African sporting sides.
The 1968 D'Oliveira affair created significant tension between South Africa and England and the South African tour of England in 1970 was cancelled following pressure from anti-apartheid campaigners.[3] In 1971 Don Bradman, the chair of the Australian Cricket Board, refused to allow the South African team to tour Australia, having met with South African Prime Minister John Vorster whose views on race had disturbed Bradman.[3][4] The subsequent sporting boycott of South Africa isolated South African cricket, with the last international tour of the country in 1972 when New Zealand's women visited the country. The sporting boycott lasted until the fall of the apartheid regime and South Africa next played international cricket in 1991, touring West Indies. The first tour of the country following the lifting of the boycott took place in 1992, India playing a series in the country for the first time.
In cricket, a five-wicket haul (also known as a "five-for" or "fifer") refers to a bowler taking five or more wickets in a single innings. This is regarded as a notable achievement.[5] This article details the five-wicket hauls taken on South African cricket grounds in official international Test, One Day International and Twenty20 International matches.[lower-alpha 2]
The first five-wicket hauls in international cricket in South Africa were taken during the first Test match at St George's Park Cricket Ground in 1889. England'sAubrey Smith took the first with South Africa's Albert Rose-Innes also taking a five-wicket haul later in the same match. In One Day International cricket, the first five-wicket haul in South Africa was taken in 1992 in the first ODI played in the country by future South African captain Hansie Cronje, whilst Pakistani bowler Umar Gul took the first in Twenty20 International cricket in the country.
Two five-wicket hauls have been taken at Boland Park, both in men's One Day Internationals. The ground was first used for international cricket in 1997.[6]
Five-wicket hauls in Men's One Day Internationals at Boland Park
Eight five-wicket hauls were taken in the six Test matches played at Ellis Park between 1948 and 1954. The ground has not been used for cricket since New Wanderers was opened in 1956.[23]
Five-wicket hauls in Men's Test matches at Ellis Park
A single five-wicket haul was taken at Harlequins Sports Club. The ground was used during the 2005 Women's Cricket World Cup and for a single other women's ODI. in 2007 during which the only five-wicket haul on the ground was taken.[29]
Five-wicket hauls in Women's One Day Internationals at Harlequins
Nine five-wicket hauls were taken in Test matches at Lord's No. 1 Ground in the four Test matches played on the ground. The ground no longer exists.[31]
Five-wicket hauls in Men's Test matches at Lord's Number 1 Ground
A total of 11 international five-wicket hauls have been taken on Mangaung Oval, eight in Test matches and three in ODIs. The ground has been used for international cricket since 1992.[37]
Five-wicket hauls have been taken in a Test match and in both men's and women's ODIs at Senwes Park. The ground has been used as an international venue since 2000.[48]
A single five-wicket haul has been taken in international cricket at Willowmoore Park since the ground was first used for One Day Internationals in 1997.[57]
Five-wicket hauls in Men's One Day Internationals at Willowmoore Park
↑No first-class cricket had been played in South Africa prior to these matches. As a result, the first Test match played in the country was also the first first-class match played.
↑In the 1980s, during the sporting boycott, there were several rebel tours of South Africa by teams made up of players from England, Sri Lanka, West Indies and Australia, all of which played against representative South African sides. These are not classed as official international matches and five-wicket hauls taken in them are not included in this article.
↑The British colonies in South Africa did not use a common flag until 1910 when the Union of South Africa was created and the South Africa Red Ensign was used as the de facto flag for the colony.[32]
↑ 3.03.1Miller took his five-wicket haul in the second innings of the match and Johnston his in the third after South Africa were asked to follow on.
↑Melle took his five-wicket haul on his Test match debut.
↑Ironside took his five-wicket haul on his Test match debut.
↑ 6.06.16.26.3Barnes took two five-wicket hauls in both of the matches on the ground in 1913 and 1914.
↑Steyn took his five-wicket haul in the third innings of the match after Bangladesh had been asked to follow on having batted in the second innings.
↑ 8.08.1Rabada took two five-wicket hauls in the match. His first was taken in the second innings of the match and his second in the third innings after Bangladesh had been asked follow on.
↑Imran Tahir's five-wicket haul included a hat-trick.
↑ 10.010.1David and Milliken took their five-wicket hauls in the same ODI.
↑Burgers AP (2008) The South African flag book: the history of South African flags from Dias to Mandela, pp.152–153. Pretoria: Protea Boekhuis. ISBN1869191129Search this book on.