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From Albert Vogler to Graeme Smith and Makhaya Ntini: South Africans have carved their place in Lord's Test history 

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In times when so much cricket is rapid, disposable and served up in bite-sized 20 over or 100 ball formats, as England and South Africa take the field at Lords on Wednesday, pause to consider the rich history that both nations have against one another at the Home of Cricket. 


The history 

For twelve years between 1877 and 1888, England and Australia played out the first and longest bi-lateral series in the history of the game. Two were company and there wasn’t a third to make it even an occasional crowd. But in 1889, Major R.G Warton, a retired British army officer who had served on the general staff in Capetown, recruited a team, under the captaincy of C. Aubrey Smith and R.G Warton’s XI played two matches in South Africa that were subsequently bestowed Test status and thus the duopoly of Test Cricket was forever consigned to history. 

image-l6vuq13wAustralian cricket team in England in 1888

For the record, although that England touring team was considered to be, at best, the standard of a weak county, with the likes of Bobby Abel, Johnny Briggs, Maurice Read, George Ullyett and Harry Wood, they comfortably out gunned South Africa at St.George’s Park and Newlands, Johnny Briggs writing himself into the record books with his 7/17 and 8/11 in the second match. 



South Africa’s first fray at Lord’s 

image-l6vuwdh6South African cricket team circa 1907

Eight years later, in 1907, South Africa would travel to play their first ever Test in England at where else but Lord’s? English rain had its say, preventing any play on the third and final day but with South Africa 185/3 following on and needing 103 to avoid an innings defeat, the possibility of all results existed. That they were in that position was largely down to the efforts of bowler Albert Vogler and wicket keeper/batsman Percy Sherwell. 

Vogler, with his leg breaks and googlies was regarded as the best bowler in the world in 1907 and had already familiarised himself with Lords playing for the MCC. He had left Pretoria in 1905 determined to make cricket a career and headed to England wanting to play for Middlesex (quite right too Albert). 

 He achieved that goal, albeit in just one match at Fenners vs Cambridge University in 1906. But in 1907, alongside three other googly bowlers R.O. Schwarz, G.A. Faulkner and Gordon White were part of a formidable South African attack. 

image-l6vv1ijpGoogly master Reggie Schwarz

Percy Sherwell, had been born in Natal but grew up in England and played for Cornwall and MCC before returning to South Africa as a mining engineer. The year before his Lords debut, he had led South Africa to their first victory in Test cricket when they beat England by one wicket at Johannesburg in January 1906. In the days when cricketers were often all round sportsmen, Percy had another string to his bow (or rather racket) too, having been South Africa’s 1904 tennis champion. 



South Africans continue their march 

image-l6vv859eGraham Gooch

Since that first game in 1907, there have been other eminently notable performances at Lords. Whilst Graham Gooch’s 333 is the highest Test score ever, the second highest belongs to Graeme Smith, who features prominently in records between the two teams generally. 

In 2003, his towering 259 placed South Africa in an unassailable position after Pollock, Nitini and Hall had combined to bundle a sorry England out for just 173 in under fifty overs. Whilst they fared better in the second innings it wasn’t enough to make England bat again, with Makhaya Ntini registering his second fivefer. 

South African Lord’s bowling honours go to Sidney Pegler, who in 1912, trumped Albert Vogler by taking 7 for 65, although it did not prevent South Africa subsiding to an innings defeat. For England, Reggie Spooner, much beloved of Neville Cardus, had scored 119 and Frank Foster had combined with Sydney Barnes to take an extraordinary 19 wickets between them. The only other wicket; a run out. 

Nonetheless, Sid Pegler has his place in Lords history and was, in fact, much better known as a player in England than in his own country. His 25 years as District Commissioner in Nyassland put an end to his regular first class cricket after that 1912 tour. He was in the 1924 team for England and played more domestic cricket in England than at home, his final game in South Africa having been back in 1912. 



The first triumph 

image-l6vve3odSouth African cricket team 1935

South Africa’s first win at Lords would come at their sixth attempt in 1935. Their 157 run triumph was set up by a second innings 164* for Bruce Mitchell, backed up by 9 wickets from leg spinner Xen Balaskas, bowling from the Pavillion End on a turning pitch ravaged by leather jackets. Sadly Balaskas, also a capable batsmen with a Test ton to his name played just nine Tests for South Africa. 

Micthell by contrast, appeared in every one of South Africa's 42 Tests from 1929 to 1949 and ranks among the finest batsmen produced by his country. His total of 3471 Test runs is the largest by any Springbok, and amongst contemporaries only Dudley Nourse (nine) made more than his eight Test centuries. Mitchell was renowned as a perfect sportsman both on and off the field. 

In all, South Africa have played seventeenTests at Lords, one of those against Australia as part of a tri nation series in 1912 and whilst they have lost eight and won 5, recent history is very much in their favour, winning four and losing just once since 1965. Although that does include a twenty nine year hiatus of course. 

That on Wednesday England and South Africa compete for the Basil D’Oliviera Trophy is certainly further cause for historical reflection and consideration. Spare a thought too for Sidney Pegler, Albert Vogler, Xen Ballasskas, Bruce Michell and others who paved the way for what is now, thankfully, a fully integrated South African side.