View source for South African Defence Force (cricket team)

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Use South African English|date=October 2023}}
'''South African Defence Force''' was a [[first-class cricket]] team in [[South Africa]]. They played six first-class [[friendly match]]es, one match per season, between October 1984 and October 1989.
At the time the strength of the [[South African Defence Force]] was boosted by [[conscription]] for all young [[White South Africans|white]] men, and as a consequence the South African Defence Force team were able to call on many young first-class cricketers, some of whom went on to play at [[Test cricket|Test]] level in the 1990s.
==Matches==
South African Defence Force began with a high-scoring draw against [[Eastern Province cricket team|Eastern Province]] in 1984-85, then lost narrowly to [[Boland cricket team|Boland]] in 1985-86, easily beat [[Griqualand West cricket team|Griqualand West]] in 1986-87, lost narrowly to [[Natal cricket team|Natal]] in 1987-88, drew against Boland in 1988-89, and finally drew against [[Orange Free State cricket team|Orange Free State]] in 1989-90.{{fact|date=October 2023}}
The 1988-89 match against Boland was played at the Defence Force Ground, [[Windhoek]]. It was the first first-class match ever played in [[Namibia]].{{fact|date=October 2023}}
==Leading players==
Five South African Defence Force players scored centuries. The highest was 172 by [[Mark Logan (cricketer)|Mark Logan]], the side's first captain, against Eastern Province.<ref>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/45/45267.html Eastern Province v South African Defence Force 1984-85]</ref> The best bowling figures were 4 for 80 and 7 for 63 by [[Allan Donald]] in the victory over Griqualand West.<ref>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/47/47892.html Griqualand West v South African Defence Force 1986-87]</ref> The South African Defence Force players who later played Test cricket were Donald, [[Dave Callaghan]], [[John Commins (cricketer, born 1965)|John Commins]], [[Clive Eksteen]], [[Steve Elworthy]], [[Brian McMillan]], [[Dave Richardson (South African cricketer)|Dave Richardson]] and [[Mark Rushmere]].{{fact|date=October 2023}}
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* [https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Teams/1/1248/match_lists.html Lists of matches played by South African Defence Force at CricketArchive]
[[Category:South African first-class cricket teams]]
[[Category:Former senior cricket clubs in South Africa]]
[[Category:Military cricket teams]]
[[Category:Military of South Africa]]