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Cricket legend Basil DOliveira passes away

Cricket legend Basil DOliveira passes away

THE cricket legend Basil D’Oliveira, who was a sporting victim of South Africa’s apartheid regime, has passed away. He was 80.

Although he was born in South Africa and is regarded as one of the greatest cricketers to come out of the country, he never played a first class game for his homeland because of discrimination.

He had been forced to move to England in 1960 because of the lack of opportunities for non-white players at that time in South Africa.

The all-rounder, who was known affectionately in the cricket world as Dolly, soon established himself in the English game. He was to have a long association with Worcestershire for whom he played between 1964 and 1980.

He had made in England debut in 1966, and in 1968 he was named in the squad which was to tour South Africa. But the apartheid regime in Pretoria refused to accept him and the tour was cancelled.

The storm which followed led to South Africa being ostracised in the sporting world until apartheid was finally abolished in 1990.

Mr. D’Oliveira played for England in 44 Tests, taking 47 wickets and scoring 2,484 runs with a batting average of 40.

In 2000 he was one of the nominees for the title of South Africa’s Cricketer of the Century award. 

Graeme Pollock was to win the award at the ceremony which was held at Newlands cricket ground in Cape Town. The irony was that Mr. D’Oliveira was a guest of honour at the ground where because of discrimination he was never permitted to play.

To view a video on Basil D’Oliveira’s life click here.

 

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