Who was the first coloured cricketer to play for South Africa?
(28 September 2001)

It was a full 103 years after South Africa's international debut that a coloured player was capped in Tests. At 40 years and 295 days, Omar Henry was no spring chicken. In fact, he was South Africa's oldest debutant when he stepped onto the field in South Africa's first Test against India on November 13, 1992.

A left-arm spinner, Henry had previously played three one-dayers between March 2, 1992 and April 11, 1992. That was also a first for a coloured South African.

Henry was born on 23 January, 1952 into a family of sportsmen. His father and most of his uncles were good rugby players. They though weaned Henry primarily on cricket. So it was no surprise that little Henry grew up to be a good cricketer. Apartheid meant that he had to wage a long battle to get accepted as a cricketer of merit. He was 26 when he finally got into a Provincial side.

It was another 14 years, before the winds of change let loose by a radical white dispensation headed by FW de Klerk, saw Henry being given his moment in the international arena at long last. His tryst with destiny made, he played two more Tests against the Indians. The grand old debutant of South African cricket has recounted his cricketing experiences in a 'Man in the Middle', published in 1993.

Henry though was not the first coloured South African to play Test cricket. That credit goes to Basil D'Oliviera, who first turned out for England in 1966. Well, more about him another day...

For more details on all the above facts check out [ StatsGuru ]

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