Alfred Richards (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
Alfred Renfrew Richards (14 December 1867 – 9 January 1904), was an South Africa
n sportsman who represented his country at Test cricket
and rugby union
. He was capped three times for South Africa
in rugby, including captaining them once and made one Test cricket appearance.
Richards was born in Grahamstown
, Cape Colony
. He played for Western Province in some of the earliest provincial matches in South Africa, and in 1893-94, his 108 was the highest score as his team beat Natal to win the Currie Cup
.
His next first-class
match was against "Lord Hawke's XI" in 1895-96 and his 58, scored out of a total of 122, won him selection for the third representative match of the series, retrospectively accorded Test match status. Richards captained the side, but scored only 6 and 0 as South Africa lost by an innings and 33 runs. He never played first-class cricket again.
Richards made his international rugby debut for South Africa in 1891, the year that the British Isles rugby team
came to South Africa for the very first time. He made his debut on July 30 in Port Elizabeth. South Africa were outscored three tries to nil, and Great Britain won the match 4 points to nil. He was capped again on August 29 in Kimberley
, which Great Britain also won, 3 to nil.
On September 5, he was chosen as the captain to lead South Africa out against Great Britain once again, in Cape Town
at Newlands
. The tourists also won the match, four points to nil. Richards did not play for South Africa again after the tour. Richards did however referee one match in 1896, when Britain returned, at Newlands, which South Africa won five points to nil. He died in Salisbury
, Rhodesia
in 1904.
Richards' older brothers, Dicky and Joseph, also played for Western Province and Dicky appeared in one Test match in 1888-89.
He died at Harare
, Zimbabwe
(then Salisbury, Rhodesia).
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n sportsman who represented his country at Test cricket
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
and rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
. He was capped three times for South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
in rugby, including captaining them once and made one Test cricket appearance.
Richards was born in Grahamstown
Grahamstown
Grahamstown is a city in the Eastern Cape Province of the Republic of South Africa and is the seat of the Makana municipality. The population of greater Grahamstown, as of 2003, was 124,758. The population of the surrounding areas, including the actual city was 41,799 of which 77.4% were black,...
, Cape Colony
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
. He played for Western Province in some of the earliest provincial matches in South Africa, and in 1893-94, his 108 was the highest score as his team beat Natal to win the Currie Cup
SuperSport Series
The SuperSport Series is the main domestic first class cricket competition in South Africa, first contested in 1889-90. From 1990-91 it became known as the Castle Cup, and from 1996-97 by its current title...
.
His next first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
match was against "Lord Hawke's XI" in 1895-96 and his 58, scored out of a total of 122, won him selection for the third representative match of the series, retrospectively accorded Test match status. Richards captained the side, but scored only 6 and 0 as South Africa lost by an innings and 33 runs. He never played first-class cricket again.
Richards made his international rugby debut for South Africa in 1891, the year that the British Isles rugby team
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
came to South Africa for the very first time. He made his debut on July 30 in Port Elizabeth. South Africa were outscored three tries to nil, and Great Britain won the match 4 points to nil. He was capped again on August 29 in Kimberley
Kimberley, Northern Cape
Kimberley is a city in South Africa, and the capital of the Northern Cape. It is located near the confluence of the Vaal and Orange Rivers. The town has considerable historical significance due its diamond mining past and siege during the Second Boer War...
, which Great Britain also won, 3 to nil.
On September 5, he was chosen as the captain to lead South Africa out against Great Britain once again, in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
at Newlands
Newlands Stadium
Newlands Stadium, currently referred to as DHL Newlands for sponsorship reasons, is located in Cape Town, South Africa.The stadium currently has a capacity of 51,900 people, but is not an all seater venue....
. The tourists also won the match, four points to nil. Richards did not play for South Africa again after the tour. Richards did however referee one match in 1896, when Britain returned, at Newlands, which South Africa won five points to nil. He died in Salisbury
Harare
Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
, Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
in 1904.
Richards' older brothers, Dicky and Joseph, also played for Western Province and Dicky appeared in one Test match in 1888-89.
He died at Harare
Harare
Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
(then Salisbury, Rhodesia).
See also
- List of footballers (rugby union) by country
- South African rugby union captainsSouth African rugby union captainsEvery player to captain the South Africa national rugby union team in a test match are listed here. Captains are listed in chronological order of their first match as captain.-Male:...
External links
- Alf Richards on the Springbok Rugby Hall of Fame
- Referee data
- Cricinfo: Alfred Richards