During the 1980s, the International Cricket Council placed a ban on its members undertaking tours of South Africa in line with the international sporting community's overall boycott. As a means of obtaining quality opposition for the South African cricket team, groups of players from different countries had been approached privately by the governing body of cricket in South Africa to undertake so-called "rebel tours" of the country. The players that accepted the offer did so in the knowledge that they would likely receive significant sanctions from both their own country's governing body and the ICC. The first tour took place in 1982, when an English side spent four weeks in South Africa. Teams representing both Sri Lanka and the West Indies had subsequently made the trip before, in late 1985, the first Australian side was recruited to make a tour.
Squads
The tour was organised by former Australian test batsman Bruce Francis at the behest of the South African cricket board, then led by Ali Bacher. Bacher had planned to invite an Australian team as early as December 1981, but it was July 1984 before Francis approached any players, and October of that year before a meeting was held to plan the tour. Original players signed for the tour included:
Several players David Hookes and Jeff Thomson seriously considered going including but demanded too much money. Other players were never considered, such as Geoff Lawson, Kim Hughes and Allan Border. Out of the initial players to sign, only Peter Faulkner had never represented Australia in Test matches. Several were in the Australian team when they signed to go to Australia and a number of these players were selected on the 1985 trip to England, including Wood, Phillips, Hilditch, Wellham, Alderman, Rixon, Bennett, and Rackemann. News of the rebel tour broke before this squad left for England.
Withdrawals
Murray Bennett pulled out of the tour after having second thoughts and being selected for Australia over the 1984–85 summer. Phillips, Wood and Wellham pulled out after a financial inducement from Kerry Packer; Packer also tried to get Steve Smith to change his mind but Smith refused. Hilditch also pulled out after being selected for the Australian team over the 84–85 summer. Francis signed up several new players including Trevor Hohns, Greg Shipperd, Mick Taylor and Mike Haysman. The tour received its biggest boost in early 1985 when Kim Hughes, who had been dropped from the Australian team, met with Bacher and Francis, agreed to tour and captain the side.
Matches
The tour was scheduled to last for three months, with the touring side arriving in South Africa in November 1985, and the last game scheduled for the start of February 1986. Included on the itinerary was a three match "Test" series and six one-day games, as well as seventeen tour matches against various provincial and other opponents.
The first test ended in a draw. Highlights included centuries from Mick Taylor and Graeme Pollock as well as an eight wicket haul from Carl Rackemann.
South Africa XI v Australian XI at Cape Town, 2nd unofficial Test, Jan 1-4, 1986
The second test also ended in a draw, with Rackemann taking another eight wicket haul and Kim Hughes scoring 97 not out.
South Africa XI v Australian XI at Johannesburg, 3rd unofficial Test, Jan 16-21, 1986
The third test was closely fought. Australia had to score 250 runs in their second innings to win, thanks to a century from Steve Smith and a 12-wicket haul from Carl Rackemann. However they collapsed to be all out for 61 and South Africa won by 188 runs.
Aftermath
The series was highly controversial in Australia and its Australian participants were banned from interstate cricket for two seasons and international cricket for three seasons. Alderman, Rixon, Rackemann, Maguire and McCurdy lost their chance to tour England in 1985 by sticking to their agreement to tour South Africa.
