Cec Abrahams

Cec Abrahams was a member of an important cricketing dynasty. Among the Coloured community in Cape Town in the 1950s, Abrahams made his name both as a fast-bowling allrounder and a man of principle: he led the successful campaign against non-white teams being organised into different racial groups, which he regarded as a surrender to apartheid. Abrahams toured East Africa with the non-white South African side in 1958, and shaded his captain, Basil D'Oliveira, in the batting averages. Following D'Oliveira's success in English league cricket in 1960, Abrahams was invited to pro for Milnrow in the Central Lancashire League: he was made very welcome, settled in the area and never left. In Lancashire, he cut down his pace to bowl often unplayable cutters, and hit entertainingly if not reliably. In 1967, he switched to Radcliffe and led them to two league titles; after that Abrahams played for Oldham, and Elland in the Huddersfield League, then happily returned to be (amateur) captain of Milnrow and, later, the Lancashire Over-50s. Originally a dental technician, he worked as a golf club steward in later life, and won a golf competition at Penrith two days before he died. His father, Sakkie, and his three sons, John, Peter and Basil, all played cricket - John became captain of Lancashire and is now in charge of England's age-group teams.
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack