David Sheppard his clerical career and declined to tour unless required as a captain. In 1956 he was recalled to play Australia and made 113 in the Fourth Test at Old Trafford, where Jim Laker famously took 19 wickets and England won by an innings. He refused to play against the touring South Africans in 1960, and was a vocal opponent of the proposed MCC tour in 1968–69 which was ultimately cancelled after the South African government refused to allow Basil D'Oliveira to play. Sheppard was willing to take a sabbatical from his church mission in the East End in order to
History of cricket in South Africa from 1970–71 to 1990 History of cricket in South Africa from 1970–71 to 1990 This article describes the history of South African cricket from 1971 to 1990. Following the D'Oliveira affair in 1968, feeling against South Africa's application of apartheid to sport grew to the extent that by 1971 the country was isolated in sporting terms. Its last Test series for 22 years had taken place against Australia in 1969–70. For a description of South African cricket in the years of isolation, see: International cricket in South Africa from 1971 to 1981. Nelson Mandela was released from Victor Verster Prison in Paarl on 11