St George's Park History

Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Women's Cricket

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During the weekend of September 17, 1951, the team from the St Croix Women’s Cricket Club travelled up to Grahamstown to play a match against the Rhodes Women’s Cricket Club.

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St Croix Ladies Cricket Club captain, Mary Ingamells,and Rhodes University Ladies' Cricket Club captain, Sybil Finkelstein,toss for the innings. Picture: Hepburn & Jeanes,Evening Post - September 17, 1951

The visitors won the toss and elected to bat, but suffered an early reverse when Peggy Sapsford was clean-bowled by Piggles van der Merwe in the first over of the day.

Miss Maureen Gates started most promisingly, but was dismissed with her score at 12 when Rhodes captain, Sybil Finkelstein, took an excellent catch at ground level.

From now on the visitors’ batting could not cope with the Rhodes bowling and, after an hour’s play, they were all out for 36.

The two most successful Rhodes bowlers were Van der Merwe, who took four wickets for 10 runs, and Finkelstein, who took two wickets for only one run.

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Dorothy Birk, Mavis Cowley and Heather Scottpractice at the nets with their captain,Mary Ingamells, batting. Picture: Evening Post, August 11, 1951.

St Croix took an early Rhodes wicket when Gates clean-bowled E Birrell, a sister of Harry Birrell.

Cole Rous made 22, while D Mather Pike was the highest scorer for the home side with 25. The Rhodians knoeck up the most satisfactory total of 96.

Norma Povey was the most successful bowler for St Croix with five wickets for 19.

In the second innings the St Croix girls struggled hard to avoid an innings defeat, but were all out for 32 for Rhodes to win by an innings and 28 runs.

The game was watched by a large number of spectators.

A fashion note: The St Croix girls all turned out in white blouses and slacks, while the Rhodians were dressed in tennis frocks.

Evening Post,
September 17, 1951.