James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1895

T H ES O U T HA F R I C A NT E A M E N G L A N D . I N Avisit froma teamof cricketers , representatives of SouthAfrica hadbeen in contemplationever since MajorWartonpersonally conducted a mixedteam of English players out there . The project did not mature till the end of 1893, and even then , it was only the perseverance of Mr. H. G. Cadwattader , the Hon. Sec. of the South African Cricket Association , that gave it a definite shape. The fact that matting wickets were the rule in South Africa , it was feared , and with reason , wonld handicap the team when they came to play on English ground . Indeed, the first public utterance of their manager, was a fear that the pro- grammearranged for them, on the majority of the elevens they had to oppose , were beyond their capacity . The result showed that they underrated their ownmerits . A s the tour progressed , their all -round cricket showed a marked improvement. Froma purely cricketal standpoint , their visit more than fulfilled its primary aim, and their proportion of twelve-to seven losses , and five drawn games, was very satisfactory . Socially , too , the team left an excellent impres- sion . In any case , the outcome of the tour is bound to be a material development in the quality and general tone of South African cricket .