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Basil D'Oliveira

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Athlete

The Resume

    (circa October 4, 1931-November 19, 2011)
    Born in Cape Town, South Africa
    Cricketer
    Emigrated to England (1960)
    Played for Middleton (1960-63) and Worcestershire (1964-80)
    Played 44 Test matches for England (1966-72)
    Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1967)
    Named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (2005)

Why he might be annoying:

    He was nicknamed Dolly.
    He shaved several years off his age since he was worried he would not be picked for Test matches if his true age were known.
    He was so reticent about his birth year that his son said, 'I'm not even sure my mum knows his real age. Perhaps we will never know.'
    His cricketing was overshadowed by his role in the campaign against apartheid.
    He was named one of South Africa's ten Cricketers of the Century despite not playing for the country.

Why he might not be annoying:

    Because he was classified as 'coloured' under the apartheid system, he was not allowed to play first class cricket in South Africa.
    England initially appeased the South African government by omitting him from the roster of the Test squad that would tour South Africa (1968).
    He was then added to the team to replace an injured player.
    He rejected a £48,000 bribe from a South African tobacco company to withdraw from the tour.
    South African Prime Minister John Vorster announced that the English team would not be allowed into the country with D'Oliveira as a member, forcing the cancellation of the Test series.
    The event initiated the sports boycott of South Africa that lasted until the end of the apartheid system.
    International Cricket Council executive Haroon Lorgat said, 'While he never regarded himself as such, he was a hero to a generation of disenfranchised South Africans.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 12 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 6 Votes: 83.33% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 12 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 13 Votes: 69.23% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 10 Votes: 70.0% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 54 Votes: 77.78% Annoying