Basil D’Oliveira was a cricketer born in South Africa who played test cricket for England. In 1968, the English side added D’Oliveira to their side and classified him as a “colored” player. This was opposed by the South African side, leading to the cancellation of the tour.
The first test series between England and South Africa took place in 1888. Up until 2003, the two nations faced each other in 29 series. South Africa won seven of these series, whereas England won 18 series. The 2004-05 series was the first test series that started the competition for the Basil D’Oliveira Trophy.
The tournament is organized by the English and Wales Cricket Board, and the South Africa Cricket Board. There is no fixed interval at which the tournament takes place. A series can have anywhere between two to five test matches. As of 2024, England have won the trophy five times, whereas South Africa have won it twice. One series ended in a draw which led to South Africa retain the trophy.
As of 2024, out of the 31 matches they have played, South Africa has won 10 matches, whereas England have won 14 matches. The remaining seven matches ended in a draw. Hashim Amla is the leading run-scorer of the tournament with over 1900 runs to his name. The leading wicket-taker is Morne Morkel with 75 wickets to his name. England’s Ben Stokes has won the man of the series title for a record three times. Since 2015, England have retained the title.
