South African cricket team in England in 1947 South African cricket team in England in 1947 The South African cricket team toured England in the 1947 season to play a five-match Test series against England. The team was captained by Alan Melville with Dudley Nourse as his vice-captain (v/c). England won the series with three wins and two matches drawn. This was the second Test series hosted by England since the end of World War II in 1945. South Africa's previous visit to England was their successful 1935 tour. 1947 was a year in which the weather frequently made headlines in Great Britain. After one of the coldest
Tony Greig for a top order batsman. The West Indian bowlers managed to hit Greig's stumps often. Apart from a formidable performance in the fourth Test at Leeds, where he fought back with 116 and 76 not out and shared a big partnership with keeper Alan Knott, Greig scored just 51 runs in seven innings. Worse, his bowling lost penetration and he took only five wickets as England slumped to a 0–3 loss. However, Greig did not lose his sense of humour: playing on his "grovel" comment, he pretended to crawl on his hands and knees in front of the open stands