English cricket team in South Africa in 1948–49
# English cricket team in South Africa in 1948–49

The England national cricket team toured South Africa in the 1948-49 season. The tour was organised by the Marylebone Cricket Club and the side played five Test matches as England and 16 other first-class matches as "MCC". Two of the first-class matches took place in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). There were also two non-first-class matches.

England won the first and last Test matches; the other three were drawn. Though the margin of victory in both the England wins was small, Wisden was in no doubt that the better team had won: "Much less than justice would have been done if England had not won the rubber," it said. "In all five Tests clearly they were the superior team".

## England team

The MCC team was captained by George Mann, with Billy Griffith as vice-captain. The Worcestershire secretary Brigadier Michael Green was the tour manager.

The full team was:

    George Mann; Billy Griffith (wicketkeeper); Alec Bedser; Denis Compton; Jack Crapp; Godfrey Evans (wicketkeeper); Cliff Gladwin; Len Hutton; Roly Jenkins; Charles Palmer; Reg Simpson; Maurice Tremlett; Cyril Washbrook; Allan Watkins; Doug Wright; Jack Young

## Test series summary

### First Test

* 16–20 December 1948 (4-day match) Scorecard
* England won by 2 wickets Kingsmead, Durban Umpires: RGA Ashman and GL Sickler
* South Africa won the toss and elected to bat.
* 19 December was taken as a rest day.
* OE Wynne, DW Begbie and CN McCarthy (all SA), and RT Simpson, FG Mann and RO Jenkins (all ENG) made their Test debuts.

### Second Test

* 27–30 December 1948 (4-day match) Scorecard
* Match drawn Ellis Park, Johannesburg Umpires: JV Hart-Davis and GL Sickler
* England won the toss and elected to bat.

### Third Test

* 1–5 January 1949 (4-day match) Scorecard
* Match drawn Newlands, Cape Town Umpires: RGA Ashman and JV Hart-Davis
* England won the toss and elected to bat.
* 2 January was taken as a rest day.
* MA Hanley (SA) made his Test debut.

### Fourth Test

* 12–16 February 1949 (4-day match) Scorecard
* Match drawn Ellis Park, Johannesburg Umpires: RGA Ashman and JV Hart-Davis
* England won the toss and elected to bat.
* 13 February was taken as a rest day.
* LA Markham (SA) made his Test debut.

### Fifth Test

* 5–9 March 1949 (4-day match) Scorecard
* England won by 3 wickets St George's Park, Port Elizabeth Umpires: RGA Ashman and DV Collins
* South Africa won the toss and elected to bat.
* 6 March was taken as a rest day.
* JE Cheetham (SA) made his Test debut.
