From dust to glory: the origins of non-racial cricket in Lenasia

BY THE late 19th century, cricket had taken root in South Africa’s racially-segregated communities.

- ASLAM KHOTA

Despite apartheid divisions, inter-racial matches emerged — though fragile alliances often led to split leagues — inadvertently reinforcing the official policy of racial segregation.

In 1947, the non-white cricket boards united to form the South African Cricket Board of Control (Sacboc), organising national competitions across racial lines.

By 1960, Sacboc became the first non-racial, national cricket body, leading South African cricket until 1976.

Football and rugby would later follow similar paths.

Reverend Sigamoney and the fight for fields

Access to sporting facilities for non-whites was a persistent challenge.

Reverend Bernard Sigamoney, a Durban-born teacher, activist and Anglican minister, moved to Johannesburg and began advocating for Indian sports grounds.

He formed the Johannesburg Indian Sports Ground Association, and after six years secured land for the Natalspruit Sports Ground in 1934 —a vital space for football and cricket.

Alongside Durban’s Currie’s Fountain and Cape Town’s Green Point, it became a hub for non-white sport in Transvaal.

However, forced removals from the 1950s through to the 1970s decimated such facilities.

Natalspruit was closed in 1973, and Queenspark in Vrededorp followed in 1975.

Cricket finds a home in Lenasia

Between 1955 and 1963, apartheid-era relocations forced Indian families to Lenasia.

The first rudimentary field emerged at the Lenasia High School.

Players initially remained with Witwatersrand clubs, but in 1965, the Western Districts Indian Cricket Association (Wdica) was formed with Solly Patel as chairman and Solly Chothia as secretary.

The Wdica rapidly expanded, becoming the largest affiliate of the Transvaal Cricket Federation.

Fixture shortages led to matches with Johannesburg clubs. In 1967, four fields in Lenasia Extension 6 were allocated to ease the pressure.