Just on a year after the 1951-52 Springbok rugby team left these shores for Great Britain, the SA cricket team was on the move.
They had returned from England a year before, after a disastrous 1951 tour under top batsman Dudley Nourse with another excellent batsman, opener Eric Rowan as vice-captain. Both scored Test double-centuries against England but England won the series 3-1, but at the time both were over 40 years of age and considered too old for the vigours of touring Australia.
Nourse had retired and the fiery Rowan was told by the selectors he would not be considered for the tour for “reasons other than cricket.”
The Aussies at the time were the top cricket team, relying heavily on their two fast bowlers, Ray Lindwall and Keith Miller as well as top-order batsmen Lindsay Hassett, Arthur Morris and left-hander, Neil Harvey.
Other SA players from the 1951 tour of England who were not available included Clive van Ryneveld, George Fullerton, 41-year-old Geoff Chubb, Cuan McCarthy, Athol Rowan and sadly, left-arm spinner Norman “Tufty” Mann, who died in July 1952 after suffering from cancer.
SA’s record in Australia was pathetic, having only won once after 30 Test matches.
It was announced that Western Province’s Jack Cheetham would lead the 1952-53 team and Jack McGlew, the stocky opening bat of Natal, would act as vice-captain.
There were six new caps in the team, but overall little experience.
There were many calls by critics to call off the tour. However, on the boat to Australia, Cheetham drummed into the team the value of fielding and he felt that if the team could field well and restrict the Australian batsmen and hold their catches, the Aussies could be beaten.
Some magnificent catches were taken, many off SA’s most successful bowler, off-spinner Hugh Tayfield, who finished the series with 30 wickets, a new record for SA.
One of the heroes was Russell Endean, who took a number of “impossible” catches during the tour and scored 162 in the second Test at Melbourne, which SA won.
When the fifth Test arrived, Australia were leading the series 2-1 but both Lindwall and Miller were injured and couldn’t play.
The home team, after winning the toss, then proceeded to score 520 in their first innings, with Harvey scoring 205. The visitors replied with 435 in their first innings, with five half-centuries scored.
Then Eddie Fuller produced some great bowling in Australia’s second innings, taking 5-66 and the home team were dismissed for 209, leaving SA the task of scoring 295 in their second knock.
Roy McLean made an unbeaten 76 with 14 boundaries to secure the win.
Celebrations went on until late in the night and from then on the Australians were never again considered unbeatable.
