Tour of South Africa 1996-97              Captain: Mark Taylor

63rd official Test tour

Ninth Test-playing tour of South Africa by Australia  

(February - April 1997)

Mark Taylor’s poor batting form from the Australian domestic season continued and his place in the team came under question until Ian Healy threw his bat on the steps leading to the dressing room after being caught behind and was suspended for the next two one-day internationals so Taylor, who was unfit, had to play and lead the side. 

It was a highly successful tour in terms of playing results: the Test series was won by two matches to one and the Standard Bank one-day series by 4 to 3.  Since defeat in the 1996 World Cup final Australia’s one-day form had slumped so it was surprising that South Africa were beaten.

Other Australian Tours

Previous tour

India 1996-97

Next tour

England 1997

Next tour of South Africa

2001-02

Members of the Test tour party (14)

Opening batsmen  Mark Taylor, Matthew Hayden, Matthew Elliott.

Middle-order batsmen  Justin Langer, Mark Waugh, Steve Waugh, Greg Blewett, Michael Bevan.

Wicket-keepers  Ian Healy.

Spin bowler  Shane Warne.

Fast bowlers  Andy Bichel, Paul Reiffel, Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie.

State representation

   Sheffield Shield teams

N   New South Wales (5)

Q  Queensland (3)

S   South Australia (2)

T   Tasmania (0)

V   Victoria (3)

W  Western Australia (1)

Average age of  team at time of first Test match

    (28 February 1997):

       27 yrs  9 months

ODI - member of squad of 15 to play in the Standard Bank ODI series

Test Appearances made before the tour

SR Waugh 86,  Healy 85,  Taylor 78,  M E Waugh 60,  Warne 49,  McGrath 25, Reiffel 25,  Blewett 13,  Bevan 11,  Langer 8,  Hayden 4,  Bichel 2,  Elliott 2,  Gillespie 2. 

Tour Officials

http://www.acecricketcoaching.com/bio_smith.html

Selectors

Trevor Hohns (chairman),   Andrew Hilditch,  Steve Bernard,  Geoff Marsh (coach).

Selection

Unavailable:

Tour Party Announced :   x 1997

Not selected :  Michael Slater,  Mike Kasprowicz,  Damien Fleming,  Brad Hogg.

Dale,  di Venuto,  Julian and  Law were chosen to play in the one-day internationals

Mark Taylor was given the option of going home at the end of the Test series to rest before the tour of England but he chose to stay on.

Time between selection and departure from Australia      

 x days

     ( - 10? February

Travel

Sydney?   Q  Johannesburg

The team arrived in Johannesburg on 11 February 1997 and were met by Dr Ali Bacher, head of the United Cricket Board of South Africa.  On arrival the Australian players expressed concern over possible riots in Johannesburg, which had recently left two dead, but Bacher reassured that security fears were unfounded.

Time spent in South Africa

   62 days

(11 February - 14 April)

On-tour selection panel

Mark Taylor (captain),  Geoff Marsh (coach),  Ian Healy  (vice-captain).

Reinforcements

Adam Gilchrist was called up to keep wicket when Ian Healy was suspended for dissent by match referee Raman Subba Row from the first two one-day internationals.

Mark Waugh split the webbing on his right hand whilst fielding in the 3rd ODI in Cape Town and was unable to play again until the last match of the series.

Fixtures/Results

† not first-class

§  one-day international (Standard Bank series)

Time spent in South Africa before First Test: 

  17 days

(11 February - 28 February)

Test appearances on tour

3  -   Bevan,  Blewett,  Elliott,  Gillespie,  Hayden,  Healy,  McGrath,  Taylor,  Warne,  M Waugh,  S Waugh.

0  -   Bichel,  Langer,  Reiffel.

Highlights

•   Steve and Mark Waugh appeared together in a Test for the 44th time at Johannesburg, passing the record of the Chappell brothers who had played together 43 times for Australia.

•   Steve Waugh (160) and Greg Blewett (214) shared a partnership of 385 for the 5th wicket at Johannesburg. Their stand was spread over three days.

•   Australia recorded its greatest victory margin over South Africa at Johannesburg - an innings and 196 runs.

•   Jason Gillespie took 5-54 at Port Elizabeth; and 14 wickets in the series at an average of only 20.5.

•   Mark Waugh scored 116 to secure the series victory at Port Elizabeth.

•   Glenn McGrath took 6-86 at Centurion.

Tour Summary

Return to Australia

Johannesburg   Q Sydney

At the end of the Test series Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Glenn McGrath and Matthew Elliott went home.

Last ODI played 13 April

Time away from Australia  

   64 days  

(10 February?  to 15 April)

Finances

Accounts of the tour

Postscript

This was the first time since readmission to Test cricket that South Africa had lost a home series.  The next tour made to South Africa was by the West Indians in 1998-99, and they restored their record with a thumping five-nil victory.