CRICKET UNITED

The 1992 Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand is the subject of this book. The fifth world cup was as eagerly awaited as any since the competition began: partly because it was more evenly than ever, and partly beacause the competition saw the return of South Africa to international cricket following its 22 year exile. Woods provides a blow-by-blow account of the 36 round-robin matches leading up to the semi-finals and final, taking a keen interest in the progress of the South Africans, an unknown quantity but tipped by many to spring a few surprises. The book contains detailed match reports and profiles of many leading players, as well as full scorecards of all the matches and a statistical summary. In addition the author discusses the troubled history of South African cricket: the years leading up to 1970, when its young team looked poised to dominate international cricket; the D'Oliveira Affair, which led to the boycott; and the political turmoil in which South African cricket remained inextricably enmeshed until the recent agreement between the warring sports bodies.
Woods has spoken to many of the leading participants in the South African cricket controversy - players, administrators, politicians - and his account of the issues and events off the field is intercut with his coverage of this great festival of cricket. Donald Woods has played a considerable role in the history of South African cricket: he called unsuccessfully for South African cricketers to come out publicly in favour of D'Oliviera in 1968; and founded a high-profile multiracial cricket club in 1975 - three years before his escape into exile. Other work by the author includes "Biko", "South African Dispatches" and "Asking for Trouble".