Empire Cricket Booklet

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'OLD CADDY' AND 'KROM' HENDRICKS

There was criticism, for example, of George Glover, who was said to throw the ball, and of Clement 'Boy' Johnson, who had been captain of Dublin University during the previous season and had only just arrived on the Rand. One sarcastic report asked why Lohmann had not been considered, because he 'has been out here longer than Johnson, and it is a sort of open secret that South Africa will be his future home'. 31 So suspicious were people of the manner in which the whole process had been conducted that Milton was forced to release a copy of the minutes. They were sketchy and, if anything, prolonged the dispute. With regard to Hendricks, they simply read: 'Halliwell proposed Hendricks be added to list - not seconded.' 32 According to Finlason, Hendricks 'was proposed strongly', whilst Platnauer stated that Halliwell's support for Hendricks was received 'with a cold indifference that showed an appalling want of regard for the analytical components of the team'. He claimed that the Australians had failed in England during the previous year because of the absence of a fast bowler, and that it would be 'absolutely criminal to send our team away without a fast bowler when we have Hendricks, standing 6 feet 2 inches high who takes three or four strides to the wicket and sends down lightning deliveries all day without tiring'. 33 AReuter'stelegramwas sentfromKimberley,stating: 'It is the almost general opinion here that the Western Province Cricket Union has, by its high-handed action regarding various matters in connection with the team for England, muddled the whole concem.' 34 Further criticism appeared: 'It is a case of courting a disaster for the sake of prejudice,' wrote Platnauer. In England, The Cricket Field predicted: 'It is not unlikely that our visitors will regret before the end of the season that they were so particular as to the colour of their men.' Cricket added that Hendricks's omission was 'from a cricketing point of view hardly wise policy'. 35 Milton was indifferent to the criticism and addressed the appointment of the manager which he had requested to be left over so that guarantors might be consulted. No one was suspicious of the request; after

The last few days before the selection meeting were hectic. Charles Finlason, who had become editor of The Press, entered the fray and warned that the tour was 'not only of sporting importance but of political importance as well'. He was concerned that the Hendricks issue had obscured the fact that players of 'Dutch descent' were not being considered. In calling for a representative team, he optimistically noted that 'several players who were likely to be selected were of Dutch descent'. 27 He did not name anyone but might have taken into account 'Okey' Ochse (Transvaal) who had matured as a batsman since his Test debut. There was also Charles Fichardt (Orange Free State) whose availability was uncertain, but he had been singled out by Read as having 'batted well against the formidable array of bowlers' that the English possessed on their 1891/92 tour. 28 In stressing that the tour should 'assume its true importance as a national affair', Finlason made a point of calling upon President Kruger to contribute towards the tour funds. He believed that it would 'show the uitlanders that he sympathises with their old national game ... a game which will do more to merge Boer and uitlander into good Transvalers than any elaborate political measure that can be devised by the Volksraad. Boers and uitlanders must not only work together, but play together ...' 29 It is not known whether Kruger responded to the editorial, but General Piet Joubert was reported to have headed the list of Transvaal subscribers. 30 Hopes that were held for Hendricks and for 'Dutch' representation were quickly dashed. The alienation of groups other than English-speaking whites was a feature of the final selection committee meeting that Milton chaired and dominated at De Aar on 25 February 1894. The men who met at the small railway siding- chosen because of its central location - included Messrs Grimmer (Griqualand West), Dunell (Eastern Province), Halliwell (Transvaal), Yule (Orange Free State) and Cadwallader (honorary secretary representing Natal). In a meeting lasting more than five hours, Milton had his way on virtually every issue, most notably in the rejection of Hendricks. In the light of the number of players who were unavailable for the tour, it was reprehensible that no place could be found for the fast bowler.