S. B. Joel's XI cricket team in South Africa in 1924–25


S. B. Joel's XI cricket team in South Africa in 1924–25 was a team of English cricketers which toured South Africa between November 1924 and February 1925 and played 14 first-class cricket matches and seven other games. The tour was an unofficial one: an official tour of Australia organised by the Marylebone Cricket Club took place at the same time.
The tour was financed by the South African cricket authorities with assistance from the wealthy Anglo-South African financier, Solomon Joel; at the time, it was generally referred to as "the Hon. L. H. Tennyson's XI" after the team captain, Lionel Tennyson.

The team

Most of the players had Test cricket experience before or after the tour: only Bartley, Jameson and Nicholas did not play Test cricket. Astill, who was coaching in South Africa, was not in the touring team but played in two of the matches against South Africa.

The tour

The 14 first-class matches were as follows:
The South African captain, Vivian Neser, was the top scorer on either side, with 80 in the first innings. Buster Nupen took 5 for 54 and 5 for 33 for South Africa.
Ted Bowley scored 118 and Nupen took 5 for 65 in S. B. Joel's XI's first innings; Herbie Taylor scored 112 and Ewart Astill took 5 for 65 in South Africa's. Nupen also took 7 for 46 in the second innings; Alec Kennedy took 5 for 51 for S. B. Joel's XI. Nupen took 22 wickets for 198 in the first two matches.
George Geary took 6 for 37 and 4 for 42. Alf Hall took 6 for 62 in S. B. Joel's XI's first innings. The highest scorer on either side was Jack Russell, with 54 in S. B. Joel's XI's first innings.
There was no play on the final day, when South Africa were chasing a target of 211 to square the series. Nupen took 3 for 73 and 5 for 51. The highest scorer on either side was Jack Russell, with 80 in S. B. Joel's XI's first innings.
The highest scorer on either side was Bob Catterall, with 86 in South Africa's second innings. For South Africa, Hall took eight wickets, Nupen seven; for S. B. Joel's XI, Geary took eight wickets, Kennedy seven. The series ended 2–2.

Leading players

The series was dominated by four bowlers. For South Africa, Nupen took 37 wickets despite missing the third match, and Hall took 27. For S. B. Joel's XI, Geary took 32 wickets, and Kennedy 21. The only two centuries were scored in the second match.