The Flourishing Fawns - a 1969 view of the Zimbabwe U-15 team.

The recent Zimbabwe Under-15 team to tour South Africa, the Fawns, enjoyed considerable success. Here we reprint an article from the Sunday Mail of 26 January 1969, which traces the origins of the Fawns team in Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia). The article was written by Glen Byrom.

Rhodesian cricket is beginning to reap a rich harvest from the Fawns organisation. The seeds were sown about 16 years ago by Mr L H 'Weary' Maxwell, Mr E T 'Teddy' Bridges and Mr George Wells, and have grown into a prize crop. Testimony to this was the composition of the recent Rhodesian Nuffield team, which included nine ex-Fawns.

The biggest vote of thanks for this happy state of affairs must go to Mr George Wells, who has worked tirelessly and quietly over the years for the benefit of schoolboy cricketers. He has built up what must be the finest cricket nursery in Southern Africa and the Rhodesian senior game is only just beginning to feel - and realise - its immense value.

Highlight of the Fawns calendar came in 1962 when a team of 15 boys went on a six-week overseas tour. This was the first time any Rhodesian schoolboy team of any sport had toured overseas.

The boys had the thrill of playing on such hallowed grounds as Lord's and the Oval, and finished the tour with a magnificent record - they were unbeaten in 25 matches and there were only four draws.

It was a performance which brought the following comment from Mr Harry Altham, the 1961 president of MCC: "On this really astonishing tour these Fawns have shown the schools in England just how this game of cricket should be played." Almost every day there were words of praise from the English press.

Let's look back at the progress the Fawns have made.

"It all started about 16 years ago during the Christmas holidays," recalls Mr Wells. "The boys used to go out during the week and play against other boys in the country districts. They were mostly nine-year-olds.

"Teddy Bridges would get a team together at Ruwa, say, and Weary Maxwell would arrange for the boys to go out. Then on Saturday afternoon there used to be matches at Blakiston School, when several senior cricketers used to come along and play and coach."

But it was in 1957 that the Fawns really became established. Mr wells went to Johannesburg on business and he decided to see if he could get the schools there interested in touring.

"I eventually got hold of Mr Rex McCullough, a teacher at King Edward (now at Prince Edward in Salisbury) and we decided to do a pilot scheme. He came up to Salisbury in 1958 with a Transvaal Under-15 team, which included Ian Bond, the Rhodesian rugby player."

The name Fawns was chosen in 1958 after a game at Ruwa when Mrs Maxwell gave the boys a bambi mascot and suggested the name.

The Transvaal tourists were beaten and then the Rhodesian Under-15 Fawns went to Johannesburg in 1959. They were the first Fawns to leave the country.

"Much to my surprise," says Mr Wells, "the Transvaal schools refused to play under-15 teams against us. We had to play open cricket against first teams, which included Nuffield players.

"Our boys played five games and lost only two, winning the other three. They beat Jeppe, including five Nuffield players, although they lost to the Combined Transvaal Schools. Our best bowlers then were Jack du Preez and Clive Allin."

Since 1958 there have been matches between Transvaal and Rhodesia under-15s every year and the Fawns have now increased their ranks to include under-13s.

Then came the 1962 tour of England, the Fawns' finest hour. Included in that team were many cricketers who are well known in the senior game today.

The team was: Terry Wells (captain), Stan Barbour, Donald Northcroft, *Alistair Carlisle, Chris Nourse, George Linden, R Dewar, Peter Rennie, A Suleman, *Russell McTavish, Hugh Capon, *Mike Burton, *Giles Ridley, *Bill Hodnett and *Barry May. [Note: * inserted to denote those who later played first-class cricket.]

Former Rhodesian fast bowler Huntsman Williams was selected, but was not fit to tour. The manager was former Rhodesian batsman Mr Harry Birrell and Mr George Wells also travelled with the side.

There was no rest for Mr Wells when he returned. "After this I felt that the primary schools were being neglected, and so I started moving the idea for a primary schools tournament. For the first time the Fawns went to Durban in 1967 for such a tournament."

There were only a few provinces at that tournament and Rhodesia can take credit for staging the first full-scale Primary Schools Cricket Week in December last year [1968]. Again, this was the direct result of work done by Mr Wells.

Also last year the Fawns took part university the Under-15 week at Cape Town and later under-13 and under-15 teams went to Johannesburg.

What of the future? Said Mr Wells: "I am hoping to get the Fawns back to the UK, but for the moment all planning has been shelved. As soon as things come right here we'll go again." [Note: this was due to the political situation in the wake of Rhodesia's unilateral declaration of independence in 1965.]

A major problem for the Fawns has been finance, although Mr Wells has always found ways and means of doing the things he wanted. Right up to 1968 the Mashonaland Cricket Union used to give the Fawns a little money for cricket balls - but all other finance had to be provided by Fawns. This included accommodation for visiting masters and teams, transport and sending the Fawns to outlying areas.

Perhaps better support should have been forthcoming for such a worthwhile organisation. Only last year did the Rhodesian Cricket Union give the Fawns a £100 grant for touring. Another £250 came from the Rhodesia Bottling Company, through the RCU.

Consider what Rhodesian cricket has gained over the years. The last Rhodesian Under-23 side chosen included nine former Fawns, including Eldon Gilmour, Duncan Fletcher, Jack Heron, Stuart Robertson, Brian Wishart, Bill Hodnett and Derek Hinde. This year's Nuffield side also had nine Fawns, and even the manager, Ross Fuller, was a Fawn. Both boys chosen for the South African Schools XI - Rikki Cameron and Robin Jones - played with the Fawns for several years.

Other former Fawns have included [Keith] Tattersall (now opening bat for Western Province), Peter Swart (Western Province), Alistair Carlisle (Transvaal B) and Colin Fletcher (Cape Town University).

True to character, Mr Wells refuses to take full credit for the growth and progress of the Fawns. "The whole thing would never have been a success without the help of the parents of the children, who have always provided accommodation, meals, teas and transport. I also must mention one of our greatest supporters, Mrs Summerville, who never used to miss a match. Today she can't manage to get around so much."

There are already two Fawns in the senior Rhodesian team - Jack du Preez and Stuart Robertson. There will be a lot more in the future. Thanks to Mr George Wells.