Sydney Burke
Encyclopedia
Sydney Frank Burke is a former South Africa
n cricket
er who played in two Tests
, one each in 1962 and 1965.
Burke was a middle to lower order right-handed batsman and a fast-medium right-arm bowler who played first-class cricket
mainly for North Eastern Transvaal and Orange Free State
between 1954 and 1968. Both of his main first-class sides competed in the weaker B section of the national Currie Cup
competition, and Burke's batting and bowling success at that level did not bring recognition until, in the 1961–62 season, injuries to other bowlers and a willingness among the selectors to try new players brought him into the Test team for the third game in a five-match series with New Zealand
.
The move was a personal success, though South Africa
lost the match. Burke took six wickets for 128 runs in New Zealand's first innings and five for 68 in the second to finish with match figures of 11 for 196. These are the second-best match figures in a South African bowler making his Test debut, beaten only by the 11 for 112 of Alf Hall against England
in 1922–23. Further hampered by injury to fellow fast bowler Godfrey Lawrence
, Burke bowled 81 overs in the match. Wisden
noted that he bowled in the first innings with "commendable steadiness" as New Zealand made 385, and that in the second innings "the accredited batsmen failed to master Burke's in-swinger". It added: "He shouldered a tremendous burden and virtually bowled himself to a standstill."
Despite this performance, Burke was dropped for the next Test in favour of Peter Heine
, who had not played Test cricket for three years and when that did not prove successful the selectors recalled Neil Adcock
and Peter Pollock
for the final match of the series.
In the 1963–64 season, Burke was not picked for the South African tour to Australia
, but as captain of North Eastern Transvaal had his best bowling season in domestic cricket, taking 35 wickets an average of just 8.45 runs apiece. He was mentioned in Wisden among a group of players who had failed to make the Australian tour but "gave indications of their intention to renew their claims". That he was still in the selectors' thoughts was demonstrated by his selection for the Test trial match at the start of the 1964–65 season, when England
were the tourists, though in a one-sided match he failed to take a wicket.
Exactly three years after his previous triumphant Test appearance, Burke was again picked for the third Test of the series against England. This time, he was not a success, failing to take a wicket in a match which was noted for some dull batting and which ended in a draw. Again, he lost his place after the single Test match, and this time he did not regain it.
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 cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er who played in two Tests
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...
, one each in 1962 and 1965.
Burke was a middle to lower order right-handed batsman and a fast-medium right-arm bowler who played first-class cricket
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...
mainly for North Eastern Transvaal and Orange Free State
Orange Free State cricket team
The Free State cricket team is the first-class cricket team representing the province of Free State in South Africa....
between 1954 and 1968. Both of his main first-class sides competed in the weaker B section of the national Currie Cup
Currie Cup
The Currie Cup tournament is South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition, played each winter and spring , featuring teams representing either entire provinces or substantial regions within provinces...
competition, and Burke's batting and bowling success at that level did not bring recognition until, in the 1961–62 season, injuries to other bowlers and a willingness among the selectors to try new players brought him into the Test team for the third game in a five-match series with New Zealand
New Zealand cricket team
The New Zealand cricket team, nicknamed the Black Caps, are the national cricket team representing New Zealand. They played their first in 1930 against England in Christchurch, New Zealand, becoming the fifth country to play Test cricket. It took the team until 1955–56 to win a Test, against the...
.
The move was a personal success, though South Africa
South African cricket team
The South African national cricket team represent South Africa in international cricket. They are administrated by Cricket South Africa.South Africa is a full member of the International Cricket Council, also known as ICC, with Test and One Day International, or ODI, status...
lost the match. Burke took six wickets for 128 runs in New Zealand's first innings and five for 68 in the second to finish with match figures of 11 for 196. These are the second-best match figures in a South African bowler making his Test debut, beaten only by the 11 for 112 of Alf Hall against England
English cricket team
The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...
in 1922–23. Further hampered by injury to fellow fast bowler Godfrey Lawrence
Godfrey Lawrence
Godfrey Bernard 'Goofy' Lawrence is a former South African cricketer who played in five Tests in the 1961–62 season....
, Burke bowled 81 overs in the match. Wisden
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
noted that he bowled in the first innings with "commendable steadiness" as New Zealand made 385, and that in the second innings "the accredited batsmen failed to master Burke's in-swinger". It added: "He shouldered a tremendous burden and virtually bowled himself to a standstill."
Despite this performance, Burke was dropped for the next Test in favour of Peter Heine
Peter Heine
Peter Samuel Heine was a South African cricketer who played in fourteen Tests from 1955 to 1962...
, who had not played Test cricket for three years and when that did not prove successful the selectors recalled Neil Adcock
Neil Adcock
Neil Amwin Treharne Adcock is a former South African cricketer who played 26 Tests. A tall aggressive fast bowler, he could lift the ball sharply off a length. He was the first South African player to take 100 Test wickets.Making his Test debut in 1953 at home against New Zealand, he had only 9...
and Peter Pollock
Peter Pollock
Peter Maclean Pollock, has played a continuing role in the South Africa cricket team as a player, selector, and father of a future captain. He was voted a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1966...
for the final match of the series.
In the 1963–64 season, Burke was not picked for the South African tour to Australia
South African cricket team in Australia in 1963-64
The South Africa national cricket team toured Australia in the 1963-64 season and played 5 Test matches against Australia. The series was drawn 1-1.-Series summary:* at Brisbane Cricket Ground – match drawn...
, but as captain of North Eastern Transvaal had his best bowling season in domestic cricket, taking 35 wickets an average of just 8.45 runs apiece. He was mentioned in Wisden among a group of players who had failed to make the Australian tour but "gave indications of their intention to renew their claims". That he was still in the selectors' thoughts was demonstrated by his selection for the Test trial match at the start of the 1964–65 season, when England
English cricket team
The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...
were the tourists, though in a one-sided match he failed to take a wicket.
Exactly three years after his previous triumphant Test appearance, Burke was again picked for the third Test of the series against England. This time, he was not a success, failing to take a wicket in a match which was noted for some dull batting and which ended in a draw. Again, he lost his place after the single Test match, and this time he did not regain it.