An English
cricket team, organised and led by
Lord Hawke, toured
South Africa from December 1895 to March 1896. The team played three matches against the
South Africa national cricket team which were retrospectively awarded
Test status. There is uncertainty about the status of South African cricket as a whole in the late nineteenth century and so only two of Hawke's matches against provincial teams, those involving
Transvaal and
Western Province, are rated
first-class. Hawke's XI is designated
England for the Test series which they won 3β0, winning all three matches by substantial margins.
Tim O'Briencaptained England in the first Test, although Hawke was playing, and Hawke was captain in the second and third Tests. The South African teams were captained by
Ernest Halliwell (first two Tests) and
Alfred Richards (third Test). Hawke's team was not a full-strength England team, but it did include four of the best players of the time in
Tom Hayward,
C. B. Fry,
George Lohmann and
Sammy Woods.[1]
The South African total of 30 was the lowest in Test cricket until 1954-55.
Hugh Bromley-Davenport's 2nd innings analysis of 1-23 was 76.66% of the innings total score - the highest percentage of runs conceded by just one bowler in a completed Test match innings.
Note: during the isolation of South Africa from international cricket between 1970 and 1991, there were seven unofficial tours (italicised below) by various teams, collectively known as the
South African rebel tours.