St George's Park History

Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Unification

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Hassan Howa vacated the Presidency of SACBOC in 1974 and was replaced by Rashid Varachia. Varachia invited SACA and SAACB to a summit to be held on January 18, 1976 at the President Hotel in Johannesburg.

The following delegates were present:
SACA: WCB Woodin, ER Hammond, J Pamenski, B Wallace, and D Lewis.
SACBOC: R Varachia, P Naidoo, L Petersen, A Kahn, Garda, and MS Mayet.
ASAACB: M Nyangiwe, L Mlonzi, L Moholo, N Mabunu, F Ngxatu, T Magaciso and D Legwane.

The resolution of intent agreed upon was submitted by WCB Woodin.

(a) “South African Cricket Board of Control, South African African Cricket Board, and South African Cricket Association hereby adopt the principle that cricket in South Africa be played on a normal basis under the controlling aegis of one united governing body in South Africa, the name and constitution of which will be agreed upon as soon as possible. “Normal Cricket” shall mean at this stage participation of and competition between all. Cricket, regardless of race, creed or colour in cricket at club level under one provincial governing body”.

(b) That the South African Cricket Board of Control, South African African Cricket Board and South African Cricket Association, shall forthwith require their provincial authorities to enter into dialogue with their opposite members to give effect to resolution (a).

(c) That a motivating committee consisting of not more than three from each of South African Cricket Board of Control, South African African Cricket Board and South African Cricket Association is hereby appointed to ensure that the resolutions as aforementioned be given effect”.

The nine man committee comprised:
SACA: WCB Woodin, ER Hammond, J L Pamenski.
SACBOC: M R Varachia, P Naidoo, M Segers.
SAACB: M Nyangiwe, L Mlonzi, N Mabunu.

This committee was charged with the task of selling sections a & b of the resolution to their respective provinces. The committee resolved that non-racial cricket would be introduced on October 1, 1976.

Subsequent to the January 1976 meeting Varachia colluded with SACA to sanction a tour to South Africa by the International Wanderers which was managed by Ritchie Benaud and captained by Greg Chappel.

Western Province Cricket Board (SACBOC) vehemently opposed the tour. Hassan Howa, who had resigned in 1975, was enticed by Percy Sonn to make a comeback. He agreed and led a coup by ousting Matt Segers as president of WP Cricket Board (SACBOC).

Segers, who was disenchanted with Varachia because of his support for the International Wanderers tour, tendered his resignation as a member of the Committee of Nine. He was replaced by L Petersen who was the president of Eastern Province Cricket (SACBOC).