History of cricket in South Africa from 1945–46 to 1970 whose team included Basil D'Oliveira. Although the Australians visited South Africa in 1969-70, the end was nigh for apartheid in sport and South Africa was banned from Test cricket for 22 years. This happened just at a time when the South African team was arguably the strongest in world cricket. In 1970, after South Africa's tour of England was cancelled, a Rest of the World team toured instead. It was captained by Gary Sobers and included other non-white players from the West Indies, India and Pakistan. It also included four of the greatest South African players (Eddie Barlow, Graeme Pollock,
D'Oliveira affair middle of the street. The South Africa cricket team was due to tour England shortly afterwards, and the MCC remained keen for the series to go ahead. They cancelled the tour a week before the South Africans were due to arrive, following public protests and pressure from the UK government. Virulent anti-apartheid demonstrations in Australia during the South Africa rugby team's 1971 tour led to soaring police costs, matches played behind fences and barbed wire, and a state of emergency in Queensland, all of which prompted the Australian Cricket Board to cancel the tour by the South Africa cricket team