5 biggest controversies in South African cricket

South Africa are the third oldest cricketing nation in the world, having played its first Test match back in 1889 and acquired full member status in 1909. While they went on to become one of the world’s leading cricketing, it would not be unfair to say that South African cricket also became a hotbed for a range of controversies.

Starting from Apartheid-related ones to ones pertaining to match-fixing and racial quotas, South African cricket has been embroiled in all of those controversies over the course of their existence as a cricketing nation.

It is safe to say that South African cricket is in a league of its own as far as big controversies go and it would be quite fascinating to have a look at five of the biggest ones that it has been involved in. Here is a quick look at them.

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#5 Faf Du Plessis’ caught ball tampering ……twice

The Australian trio of Steve Smith, Cameron Bancroft and David Warner might be regarded as the biggest ball-tampering rogues in world cricket currently, but South African captain Faf Du Plessis had been caught doing the same twice before. What’s more, the second offence took place in Australia, back in 2016.

During the second Test at Hobart, applied saliva on to the ball while eating a sweet and was immediately charged with a breach of the Level two of ICC’s code of conduct. He was fined his entire match fee and awarded three demerit points.

However, what makes Du Plessis’ offence controversial is that it was not the first time that he had been caught trying to change the condition of the ball. In 2013, he had been caught trying to tamper with the ball by rubbing it against the zipper of his trousers. He was caught on camera and the umpires slapped South Africa with a five-run penalty.

What was telling was that De Plessis did not contest the umpires’ charge and quietly accepted the 50 percent fine.

#4 The Vernon Philander selection, World Cup semi-final 2015

Vernon Philander during the 2015 World Cup

Race-related quotas have been a part of South African cricket for many years and over the years; it has given rise to a lot of controversies when a captain has had to choose a player of colour against his wishes.

However, when it allegedly happens in a World Cup semi-final and one which the team goes on to lose, then it quickly snowballs into a full-blown controversy. South Africa had planned to play the same eleven as the one that beat Sri Lanka in the 2015 World Cup quarter-final when they took on co-hosts New Zealand in the semi-final.

One of the key members of that attack was Kyle Abbott, who had returned figures of 6-1-27-1 and was definitely part of captain AB de Villiers. As everyone knows, South Africa lost the semi-final narrowly but later on De Villiers wrote in his autobiography that he got a call from Cricket South Africa officials on the evening of the eve of the game and was told that Philander would play instead of Abbott.

De Villiers wrote, "So what had happened? Had Vernon, who was officially classified as coloured, been selected ahead of Kyle, who was officially white, to ensure there were four players of colour in the semi-final? Or had the decision been made for purely cricketing reasons?"

The former South African captain added that Philander’s figures of 8-052-0 were not solely to blame for the loss in the semi-final. However, the die had been cast and a controversy that had erupted right after South Africa’s loss was given further fuel. At the time, a Cricket South Africa official had denied making such a request.

#3 Rebel Tours during Apartheid

Former England captain Graham Gooch led the team during the Rebel Tour in 1982

South Africa’s boycott by the international community at large due to its apartheid regime saw the team miss out on international cricket for more than two decades.

However, between 1982 and 1989, international cricket teams toured South Africa seven times and participated in what came to be known as Rebel Tours. These games were not recognised as internationals but the South African public got to see international cricketers play in their country and all that came to pass because of the massive monetary rewards that had been offered to the cricketers.

The entire episode is still regarded as one of the most controversial episodes in cricket history and remains a sore point in the canvas of South African cricket.

The teams to tour South Africa were England (1981-82, 1989-90), Sri Lanka (1982-82), Australia (1985-86, 1986-87) and incredibly, the West Indies (1982-83, 1983-84). Some of the leading cricketers in the world flocked to South Africa to enrich themselves.

An editorial in the British daily The Daily Mirror stated, ‘Every run they (the English team) score will be a blow to someone else’s freedom.’

#2 Hansie Cronje and his ‘unfortunate love of money’

Hansie Cronje at the King Commission hearings

He was South Africa’s most iconic cricketer since their readmission into international cricket in 1991 and Hansie Cronje went on to become the team’s talismanic leader before it all came crashing down in the summer of 2000.

A phone surveillance ordered by Delhi Police on an unrelated matter happened to tap into a conversation between Cronje and a bookie, during South Africa’s tour of India back in 2000. It took South African cricket several years to recover from the controversy that then unfolded.

From then on, it erupted into one of the biggest scandals to have not only hit South African cricket but international cricket at large. Cronje initially denied any wrongdoing but later on admitted to taking bribes for passing on team news and also for influencing games, from a bookie named ‘John’ or MK Gupta. There was widespread disbelief as the former South African captain had been regarded as one of the game’s leading ambassadors.

However, at the King Commission inquiry in South Africa, the scale of his corruption was revealed. He had been doing it ever since he became the captain in 1995. The most telling statement from him during the course of the interrogations was this, "I had a great passion for the game, my team-mates and my country but the problem is the unfortunate love I have for money. I do like money. I'm not going to try to get away from that."

#1 The Basil D’Oliveira Affair

Basil D'Oliveira

This was the saga that eventually led to South Africa’s ouster from international cricket and remains one of the biggest controversies in the history of cricket. Basil D’Oliveira was a South African cricketer, who had moved to England and made his debut for his adopted country in 1966.

The controversy erupted when South African authorities, media, and even their Nazi sympathiser Apartheid-era Prime Minister John Vorster expressed their discomfiture over the inclusion of the mixed-race (Indian and Portuguese descent) D’Oliveira in England’s touring party for the 1968-69 tour.

The whole saga was a sprawling one. The all-rounder had not initially been in the frame for selection due to his poor form in the 1968 season but his superb 158 against Australia at The Oval made him a contender. While furious diplomatic talks were going on behind the scenes, the Marylebone Cricket Club did not pick D’Oliveira under controversial circumstances.

However, an injury to another player paved the way for his inclusion in the side. South Africa’s Prime Minister, who had privately offered D’Oliveira a bribe to not participate in the tour, cried foul and thundered that the selection was down to political considerations.

The MCC was not going to oust D’Oliveira from the team and the tour was eventually called off. South Africa would not play international cricket until 1991. England and South Africa now play for the Basil D’Oliveira Trophy in Test cricket.