Empire Cricket Booklet

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THE ROLE OF THE PRESS

was allocated much space in his efforts to promote imperial solidarity. In Cape Town, he told a large gathering that the tour did more than 'further the feeling of sport which every British man had within himself' and that 'when they come to a colony, Englishmen find brothers and cousins extending to them the right hand of welcome and they feel then that in reality they are Englishmen one and all'. 20 The imperial identity was reinforced in Port Elizabeth where 'flags hung in profusion from the galleries with the Union Jack conspicuous because it was supported by two cricket bats ... on the stage there was a large and excellent photograph of W. G. Grace set amongst ferns and other green plants'. 21 South African towns competed with one another in hosting the tourists and Kimberley, for example, was satisfied that'arrangements may be easily better than they were at Newlands'. Cricket scribes, writing under pseudonyms - such as'Excalibur','Vigilance', the 'Archer', 'Galopin' and 'Gossip' - produced detailed reports and revelled in lively debate, not least when promoting their candidates for 'South African Xis'. Only the Graaff-Reinet newspaper, the Advertiser, failed to provide the standard record that was required of matches played against the touring side. The editor explained 'time is not at our call and service; besides, we suppose, there is nothing original or wonderful in leg before wicket, a catch or a successful bowl ... some of the players would, we are sure, rather not see them in print'. Finlason described the Graaff-Reinet editor as'naYve' and lashed out that it was'no wonder that the English team beat the twenty-two by an innings'. The editor, who 'for time past waged a bitter war against the Afrikaner Bond' ., was more interested in focusing on the after-match speech by a local businessman, Henry Maasdorp. 'As a Dutchman,' said Maasdorp, 'I feel proud of the honour that has been conferred upon me this evening ... When I look upon the friendly gathering of people tonight I am able to look into the future and to picture to myself a united South Africa ... a nation grown to national manhood under the tuition of England, forming a link, a proud link in the colossal confederated empire of Great Britain.' 22 The only area of South Africa that rejected a match against Warton's team was the Orange Free State

where a wealthy farmer, Sam Barratt (who had built a cricket oval on his farm), led the opposition. He spoke of 'crippling the resources and there was no enclosed ground' but, said the Friend, he 'elicits a smile from those who know the financial condition of the club. The requisite amount of money (say £300) could be raised in town with comparatively little difficulty.' 23 To demonstrate the strong support for cricket in the 'model republic', the Bloemfontein Daily News published an announcement in late December: 'As our staff leaves this morning to measure their strength against the residents of the capital of Moroka, there will be no issue of the Daily tomorrow'. 24 The cricket euphoria that swept the country was not restricted by race and gender to white English speaking males. Afrikaners such as Pieter de Villiers, Nicolaas Theunissen, J. B. van Renen and 'Okey' Ochse were deeply involved in the tour, whilst names such as Van der Spuy, Schuurman, Van Niekerk, Morkel, Swart, Lodewyks and Steinhobel featured in sides that opposed the English team. Early on, Cadwallader reported seeing 'a number of the fair sex indulging in practice with the willow on the Pirates' Ground' and recorded: 'Who knows but we may have a match - 500 ladies of Kimberley against Major Warton's team.' 25 In Cape Town, 'the bright and varied colours of many Malay women in their holiday attire' added to the atmosphere of Newlands, 26 but not far away at the South African College, eleven ladies were prevented from taking on a men's team. 'The worthy College professors,' wrote Finlason, 'vetoed the affair, on the ground, it is said, that such a contest was unseemly and would tend to injure the morals of the boys. I expect the dear old grandmamas in trousers who direct affairs at the South African College will put their veto on ladies and gentlemen's doubles at tennis.' 27 For citizens of the various centres, the cricket games were a venue for continuing a memorable week or two of socialising. It was important to be seen in the company of one or other of the famous cricketers. At every opportunity, the English players were prevailed upon to discuss aspects of the game with supporters whose enthusiasm rather outweighed their knowledge. 'It was a new, less discerning audience to that which they were accustomed,'