Lives in Cricket No 34 - Frank Mitchell

80 Johannesburg 1901 - 1904 description shared with others including by 1904 Reginald Schwarz, another Englishman. Schwarz had been on the Bosanquet tour of 1901, and continued to play for Middlesex before going to South Africa and doing so well that he played 20 Tests for his adopted country. Mitchell was employed to do more than play cricket, and Bailey used him as a go- between with the cricketing authorities in England, in his quest to secure full international status for South Africa, and to establish an Imperial Cricket Conference in which England, Australia and South Africa would hold equal positions. To that end Mitchell was back in England by May 1902 when, as earlier mentioned, he was able to enjoy one first-class fixture in playing for MCC against the Australians at Lord’s. Whilst in England Mitchell was entrusted by Abe Bailey with the task of negotiating terms with the Australian team to stop over in South Africa on their way home after the end of the summer tour. The terms were set out in the  Diamond Fields Advertiser during September 1902 and led to Australia playing six games in the major cities, three of which are now considered to be Tests. Though South Africa lost the Test series 2-0, they were well satisfied with their progress and the Australian players collected about £200 each for a few weeks work, and returned home pleased with their success and financial reward. Mitchell and his employer must also have been pleased. By April 1903 Mitchell was back playing cricket – but not in England. He was now captain of the Transvaal side in the Currie Cup competition when they played Griqualand West, Eastern Province, Border and Western Province. These four matches were completed within the space of a fortnight and all were played at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth. The match at Griqualand West was quite a triumph in terms of a comeback to a game given first-class status. Mitchell scored 102 out of a team total of 316, his only century for a team in the Currie Cup. As Griqualand West were bowled out for 66 and 34, Transvaal won by an innings and 216 runs in two days. Perhaps the fact that nine players were making their first-class debuts made a difference. If anyone was surprised that Transvaal had an English captain, the surprise was not evident. Indeed, what happened in that regard on South African fields a century ago has been reflected in the County Championship with overseas players coming to England for a season or two to captain county sides. Between November 1903 and March 1904 Mitchell played three more times for Transvaal, twice on the Old Wanderers Ground, with a match between at the Ramblers Cricket Club, Bloemfontein. These seven first-class games were all to help him and Abe Bailey choose a South African squad to tour England in 1904. J.D.Logan had financed the last South African tour of England in 1901, and now Abe Bailey was to cover the costs on the 1904 tour. Bailey had long decided that Mitchell was to be his captain. Before the journey to England began, Mitchell had to help Bailey get into Parliament and generally assist his party. In 1935 Frank Mitchell was to write ‘ Mr Bailey, who seldom does things by halves, worked like a nigger for his side. We were in the train week after week, and his own constituency