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Cape Town - Cricket South Africa (CSA) has started collecting memorabilia for its new museum and has opened the door for public donations.
The museum, which will be housed in a gallery area at the Wanderers in Johannesburg, will be inclusive of the country's entire history in the sport, including 124 years of Test cricket - before, during and after the isolation period.
"The collection of objects and memorabilia has already started," Luke Alfred, a researcher for the museum, said on Thursday.
"Several rare artefacts have been unearthed, including a blazer worn by George Kempis, a South African cricketer from the 1890s."
Although SA colours were bestowed on Kempis, his blazer was designed before the green and gold and the arrival of the Springbok as a symbol, which happened only in 1906.
The badge on Kempis' blazer shows the coats of arms of the two republics and two colonies (Natal and the Cape Colony) which provided national players at the time.
Another object to be housed at the museum is the so-called “longest six” ball.
"The six was hit by Jimmy Sinclair at the old Wanderers and found its way into a coal truck in the railway yards nearby," Alfred said.
"The truck was hauled to Cape Town by a goods train shortly afterwards, resulting in Sinclair’s six being the longest ever recorded."
The role of those cricketers denied opportunities to play officially for South Africa - like the famous Malay fast bowler, “Krom” Hendricks, who was excluded from a South African touring party to England in the mid-1890s - would also be honoured by the museum.
So, too, would more contemporary “stalwarts” such as the late Khaya Majola, Morris Garda, Hoosain Ayob and Vinnie Barnes.
Alfred said the current crop of Proteas players had agreed to donate items.
Hashim Amla’s armguard from his record 311 not out at the Oval earlier this year would be displayed, as well as other equipment from the tour which successfully catapulted South Africa into the top spot in the world Test rankings.
There were "fascinating old photographs" currently in the possession of Museum Africa which the cricket museum was hoping to loan, including those showing cricket at the old Wanderers at the turn of the century.
The museum would contain not only photos but equipment, interactive exhibits and touch screens and video monitors showing excerpts from some of South Africa’s famous victories.
If members of the public would like to donate to the museum, Alfred can be contacted on (011) 880 2810 or at LukeA@cricket.co.za.
