Swallows and Hawke: England's Cricket Tourists, the MCC and the Making of South Africa 1888-1968

by Richard Parry, André Odendaal, Peter Hain (Foreword)

Swallows and Hawke is a captivating account of 80 years of compelling cricket. From South Africa's stunning first ever Test win by one wicket in 1907 to Syd Barnes and Herby Taylor locked in iconic combat in 1914, to Cliff Gladwin's scrambled last-ball victory in 1949, all the standout moments are here. On the pitch, the cricketers faced extreme heat and dust, unplayable wickets and a wily and resilient opposition. Off the pitch they inspected mining compounds, were terrified by Zulu dancers and found themselves in jail or chased by rhinos.

Over 15 tours the emissaries of Empire bestrode the pavilions of power with mine-owners and politicians, from Kruger to Verwoerd. They turned a blind eye to oppression and resistance and colluded with a new national mythology of white supremacy featuring ox-wagons and Blood River. The cricketing dramas take place within the perennial African struggles over land, labour and freedom as the cricketing relationship between the MCC and South Africa forges the bonds of Empire.

448 pages, Hardcover

First published July 4, 2022

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting stories of the various MCC tours of South Africa, rather spoiled by the political polemics and value judgements with which the authors felt the need to favour the reader throughout the book.