English cricket team in South Africa in 1948–49

The England national cricket team toured South Africa in the 1948-49 season. The tour was organised by the Marylebone Cricket Club and the side played five Test matches as England and 16 other first-class matches as "MCC". Two of the first-class matches took place in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). There were also two non-first-class matches.

England won the first and last Test matches; the other three were drawn. Though the margin of victory in both the England wins was small, Wisden was in no doubt that the better team had won: "Much less than justice would have been done if England had not won the rubber," it said. "In all five Tests clearly they were the superior team".

England team

The MCC team was captained by George Mann, with Billy Griffith as vice-captain. The Worcestershire secretary Brigadier Michael Green was the tour manager.

The full team was:

George Mann; Billy Griffith (wicketkeeper); Alec Bedser; Denis Compton; Jack Crapp; Godfrey Evans (wicketkeeper); Cliff Gladwin; Len Hutton; Roly Jenkins; Charles Palmer; Reg Simpson; Maurice Tremlett; Cyril Washbrook; Allan Watkins; Doug Wright; Jack Young

Test series summary

First Test

16–20 December 1948 (4-day match) Scorecard

South Africa	v	England
161 (53.5 overs) AD Nourse 37 DW Begbie 37 AV Bedser 4/39 (13.5 overs)		253 (99.4 overs) L Hutton 83 NBF Mann 6/59 (37.4 overs)
219 (89.3 overs) WW Wade 63 DVP Wright 4/72 (26 overs)		128/8 (28 overs) DCS Compton 28 CN McCarthy 6/43 (12 overs)

England won by 2 wickets Kingsmead, Durban Umpires: RGA Ashman and GL Sickler

• South Africa won the toss and elected to bat.
• 19 December was taken as a rest day.
• OE Wynne, DW Begbie and CN McCarthy (all SA), and RT Simpson, FG Mann and RO Jenkins (all ENG) made their Test debuts.

Second Test

27–30 December 1948 (4-day match) Scorecard

England	v	South Africa
608 (149.5 overs) C Washbrook 195 CN McCarthy 3/102 (26 overs)		315 (104.4 overs) B Mitchell 86 RO Jenkins 3/88 (21.4 overs)
		270/2 (f/o) (91 overs) EAB Rowan 156* DVP Wright 1/35 (14 overs)

Match drawn Ellis Park, Johannesburg Umpires: JV Hart-Davis and GL Sickler

• England won the toss and elected to bat.

Third Test

1–5 January 1949 (4-day match) Scorecard

England	v	South Africa
308 (91.2 overs) C Washbrook 74 AMB Rowan 5/80 (31.2 overs)		356 (119.2 overs) B Mitchell 120 DCS Compton 5/70 (25.2 overs)
276/3d (96 overs) L Hutton 87 CN McCarthy 2/75 (20 overs)		142/4 (31 overs) OE Wynne 46 RO Jenkins 4/48 (9 overs)

Match drawn Newlands, Cape Town Umpires: RGA Ashman and JV Hart-Davis

• England won the toss and elected to bat.
• 2 January was taken as a rest day.
• MA Hanley (SA) made his Test debut.

Fourth Test

12–16 February 1949 (4-day match) Scorecard

England	v	South Africa
379 (105.7 overs) AJ Watkins 111 CN McCarthy 5/114 (35.7 overs)		257/9d (85 overs) AD Nourse 129* C Gladwin 2/43 (24 overs)
253/7d (78.2 overs) L Hutton 123 AMB Rowan 4/69 (34 overs)		194/4 (65 overs) EAB Rowan 86* AJ Watkins 2/16 (3 overs)

Match drawn Ellis Park, Johannesburg Umpires: RGA Ashman and JV Hart-Davis

• England won the toss and elected to bat.
• 13 February was taken as a rest day.
• LA Markham (SA) made his Test debut.

Fifth Test

5–9 March 1949 (4-day match) Scorecard

South Africa	v	England
379 (143.5 overs) WW Wade 125 AV Bedser 4/61 (38 overs)		395 (141.4 overs) FG Mann 136* AMB Rowan 5/167 (60 overs)
187/3d (58 overs) B Mitchell 56 JA Young 2/34 (23 overs)		174/7 (23.7 overs) DCS Compton 42 NBF Mann 4/65 (9.7 overs)

England won by 3 wickets St George's Park, Port Elizabeth Umpires: RGA Ashman and DV Collins

• South Africa won the toss and elected to bat.
• 6 March was taken as a rest day.
• JE Cheetham (SA) made his Test debut.