Just finished reading Peter Oborne's book about Basil D'Oliveira: it's a terrific read.
It reveals for the first time (officially anyyway) the depths of collusion between the South African government and MCC, and how far the establishment would go to kow tow to the apartheid regime.
It also serves as a salutary reminder as to how evil the whole apartheid system was; not just the major factors like the poverty but the thousand petty cruelties.
Most of all, it reminds us what a dignified cricketer and human being, D'Oliveira was (and still is), overcoming a host of handicaps to become a top cricketer and never throwing his toys out of the pram, despite the pressures. What a sharp contrast to the likes of Dyer, Bellamy and the dozens of other spoiled prima donnas in the Premiership.
A fantastic book; and City Books on Western Road has a handful of copies signed by the great man himself.
It reveals for the first time (officially anyyway) the depths of collusion between the South African government and MCC, and how far the establishment would go to kow tow to the apartheid regime.
It also serves as a salutary reminder as to how evil the whole apartheid system was; not just the major factors like the poverty but the thousand petty cruelties.
Most of all, it reminds us what a dignified cricketer and human being, D'Oliveira was (and still is), overcoming a host of handicaps to become a top cricketer and never throwing his toys out of the pram, despite the pressures. What a sharp contrast to the likes of Dyer, Bellamy and the dozens of other spoiled prima donnas in the Premiership.
A fantastic book; and City Books on Western Road has a handful of copies signed by the great man himself.