English cricket team in South Africa in 1913–14
# English cricket team in South Africa in 1913–14

The English cricket team in South Africa in 1913–14 was organised by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). The team played as MCC in the non-Test fixtures and as England in the five Test matches. They played 18 first-class matches including the Tests, winning 9 times with 8 draws and 1 defeat.

England was captained by Johnny Douglas. South Africa's captain in the Test series was Herbie Taylor. The series is notable for the exceptional bowling of England's Sydney Barnes, and the determined batting of South Africa skipper Herbie Taylor. It would be the last Test series to be played until after World War I, when England toured Australia in December 1920.

## Test series summary

England won the Test series 4–0 with one match drawn.

Match length: 4 days (excluding Sundays). Balls per over: 6.

### First Test

* 13–17 December 1913 Scorecard
* England won by an innings and 157 runs Lord's, Durban Umpires: AJ Atfield and FW Grey
* South Africa won the toss and elected to bat.
* 16 December was taken as a rest day
* PAM Hands, PT Lewis, AHC Cooper, GL Tapscott, HV Baumgartner, JM Blanckenberg and JL Cox (all SA), and Hon. LH Tennyson and MW Booth (both ENG) made their Test debuts.

### Second Test

* 26–30 December 1913 Scorecard
* England won by an innings and 12 runs Old Wanderers, Johannesburg Umpires: AJ Atfield and FW Grey
* South Africa won the toss and elected to bat.
* 28 December was taken as a rest day
* C Newberry (SA) made his Test debut.

### Third Test

* 1–5 January 1914 Scorecard
* England won by 91 runs Old Wanderers, Johannesburg Umpires: AJ Atfield and FW Grey
* England won the toss and elected to bat.
* 4 January was taken as a rest day
* CD Dixon and LR Tuckett (both SA) made their Test debuts.

### Fourth Test

* 14–18 February 1914 Scorecard
* Match drawn Lord's, Durban Umpires: AJ Atfield and FW Grey
* South Africa won the toss and elected to bat.
* 15 February was taken as a rest day.
* D Taylor, FL le Roux and HW Chapman (all SA) made their Test debuts.

### Fifth Test

* 27 February–3 March 1914 Scorecard
* England won by 10 wickets St George's Park, Port Elizabeth Umpires: FW Grey and DJ Smith
* South Africa won the toss and elected to bat.
* 1 March was taken as a rest day
* RHM Hands and EB Lundie (both SA) made their Test debuts.
* After taking 49 wickets at an average of 10.93 in the first four Tests, SF Barnes declined to play due to a "difference of opinion" with the England team management.
