A cricket team representing the East African countries of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda toured England in the 1972 season as part of a drive to encourage the development of cricket in that part of Africa.
The 1972 touring team played 18 matches. Their opponents included the Marylebone Cricket Club and many first-class county teams, although none of the matches had first-class status. The tour helped East Africa to be invited to participate at the 1975 Cricket World Cup where they achieved temporary One Day International status.
Team
| Player | Year of Birth | Batting style | Bowling style | National team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jawahir Shah (c) | 1942 | Right hand | – |  Kenya
|
| Zulfiqar Ali | 1947 | Right hand | Right arm medium | Kenya
|
| Lawrence Fernandes | 1945 | Right hand | Leg break googly |  Uganda
|
| Duncan Kibaya | 1949 | Right hand | Right-arm off-break | Uganda
|
| Anil Lakhani | 1938 | Unknown | Unknown | Kenya
|
| Praful Mehta | 1941 | Left hand | Wicket-keeper |  Tanzania
|
| Raghuvir Patel | 1944 | Unknown | Wicket-keeper | Kenya
|
| Upendra Patel | 1942 | Right hand | Right arm fast-medium | Uganda
|
| Mehmood Quaraishy | 1942 | Right hand | – | Kenya
|
| Harilal Shah | 1943 | Right hand | Right arm medium | Kenya
|
| Jagoo Shah | 1953 | Unknown | Leg-break and googly | Kenya
|
| Narendra Thakker | 1945 | Right hand | Wicket-keeper | Kenya
|
| Charanjive Sharma | 1946 | Unknown | Unknown | Kenya
|
| Vasant Tapu | 1936 | Left hand | Left arm fast-medium | Tanzania
|
| Kishore Vasani | 1939 | Unknown | Slow left-arm orthodox | Uganda
|
| Samuel Walusimbi | 1948 | Right hand | Left arm medium | Uganda
|
Tour matches
The following matches were played during the tour:
| 5 June 1972 |
| Sussex Second XI | v |  East Africa
|
| County Cricket Ground, Hove |
| 7 June 1972 |
| Surrey Second XI | v | East Africa
|
| The Oval, London |
| 9 June 1972 |
| Sir FC Hawker's XI | v | East Africa
|
| Lloyds Bank Sports Ground, Beckenham |
| 10 June 1972 |
| Indian Gymkhana | v | East Africa
|
| Indian Gymkhana Cricket Club Ground, Osterley |
| 12-13 June 1972 Scorecard |
| East Africa
|
v | Club Cricket Conference |
| 255/6 dec. (64 overs) Jawahir Shah 91 Michael Dunn 3/53 (16 overs) |
227/5 dec. (69 overs) N Virk 64 Anil Lakhani 2/37 (13 overs) | |
| 151 (46.2 overs) Upendra Patel 32 Michael Dunn 4/42 (10 overs) |
144/8 (42 overs) 38 Michael Dunn Upendra Patel 3/63 (21 overs) |
| Match drawn New Malden Cricket Club Ground Umpires: A.J. Fairs, J.H. Norton |
- Toss not known
| 14 June 1972 Scorecard |
| Warwickshire | v | East Africa
|
| 244 Eddie Hemmings 79 Harilal Shah 4/66 |
128/8 Harilal Shah 41 | |
| Match drawn Edgbaston, Birmingham |
- Toss not known
- No play was possible on the second day
| 17 June 1972 |
Marylebone Cricket Club 
|
v | East Africa
|
| Lord's, London |
| 18 June 1972 Scorecard |
| Cambridge University | v | East Africa
|
| 360 (81.1 overs) Majid Khan 222 Zulfiqar Ali 5/76 (22.1 overs) |
278 (100.5 overs) Anil Lakhani 110 Keith Steele 4/33 (13 overs) | |
| 169 (49.5 overs) Peter Johnson 48 Lawrence Fernandes 7/40 (15.5 overs) |
257/6 (71.4 overs) Jagoo Shah 85 Majid Khan 3/79 (18 overs) |
| East Africa won by 4 wickets FP Fenner's Ground, Cambridge Umpires: N.P. Knight and Ernest Basil Wye |
- Cambridge University won the toss and decided to bat
| 21 June 1972 |
| Worcestershire Second XI | v | East Africa
|
| New Road, Worcester |
| 24 June 1972 |
| Hampshire Second XI | v | East Africa
|
| County Ground, Southampton |
| 29 June 1972 Scorecard |
| Leicestershire 211/6 (50 overs) |
v | East Africa 198 (46.4 overs) |
| Jeffrey Tolchard 75 Vasant Tapu 2/12 (10 overs) |
Charanjive Sharma 82 Robin Matthews 4/36 (9.4 overs) |
| Leicestershire won by 13 runs Dog and Gun, Blaby Umpires: W.E. Hickling, R. Julian |
- Toss not known
| 3 July 1972 Scorecard |
| East Africa 176/4d |
v | Olton 159/7 |
| Vasant Tapu 52* Ken Stanley 3/55 |
Mike Ellis 60 Vasant Tapu 2/22 |
| Match drawn Grange Road, Olton |
- East Africa won the toss and decided to bat
| 4 July 1972 |
| Universities Athletic Union | v | East Africa
|
| Bulls Head Ground, Coventry |
| 5 July 1972 |
| Nottinghamshire | v | East Africa
|
| Trent Bridge, Nottingham |
| 6-7 July 1972 Scorecard |
| Derbyshire Second XI | v | East Africa
|
| 259/4 dec. (67 overs) Harold Cartwright 103* Zulfiqar Ali 2/75 (24 overs) |
244/7 dec. (68.5 overs) Zulfiqar Ali 69 Paul Marshall 4/54 (14 overs) | |
| 134/8 dec. (42 overs) Harold Cartwright 53 Upendra Patel 4/51 (20 overs) |
129/9 (29 overs) Zulfiqar Ali 47 Phil Russell 4/29 (10 overs) |
| Match drawn County Cricket Ground, Derby Umpires: B.O. Meakin, L.A. Simpson |
- East Africa won the toss and decided to field
| 8-9 July 1972 Scorecard |
| North Wales | v | East Africa
|
| 126 B. Hughes 30 Zulfiqar Ali 4/21 |
119/4 dec. Jawahir Shah 31* J. Cooper 2/19 | |
| 120 T.G. Jones 31 Vasant Tapu 4/29 |
130/4 Anil Lakhani 32 I Griffiths 3/59 |
| East Africa won by 6 wickets Penrhyn Avenue, Colwyn Bay Umpires: F. Carnall, R. Griffiths |
- North Wales won the toss and decided to bat
| 10-11 July 1972 Scorecard |
| Lancashire Second XI | v | East Africa
|
| 194/8 dec. (70 overs) John Sullivan 62 Harilal Shah 3/46 (17 overs) |
108/3 dec. (41 overs) Jagoo Shah 57 John Abrahams 2/37 (10 overs) | |
| 98/2 dec. 3(1.5 overs) David Bailey 61* Upendra Patel 2/24 (13 overs) |
101/3 (33 overs) Charanjive Sharma 45* John Savage 1/9 (8 overs) |
| Match drawn Alexandra Meadows, Blackburn Umpires: M. Ditchfield, D.L. Thomas |
- Lancashire Second XI won the toss and decided to bat
| 13 July 1972 |
| Somerset | v | East Africa
|
| County Ground, Taunton |
| 15-18 July 1972 Scorecard |
| Warwickshire | v | East Africa
|
| 376 (83.2 overs) Eddie Hemmings 72 Lawrence Fernandes 4/124 (29.2 overs) |
175 (66.4 overs) Anil Lakhani 79 Bill Blenkiron 3/26 (15 overs) | |
| 185 (36.2 overs) Alvin Kallicharran 113 Upendra Patel 5/66 (18 overs) |
100 (44 overs) Charanjive Sharma 33 Stephen Rouse 6/34 (15 overs) |
| Warwickshire won by 286 runs Edgbaston, Birmingham Umpires: D.G.L. Evans, C.G. Pepper |
- Warwickshire won the toss and decided to bat
Leading players
Kenyan Charanjive Sharma was the most consistent batsman, scoring 725 runs in 24 innings. Harilal Shah scored 680 runs in 23 innings and took 22 wickets in 159 overs. Zulfiqar Ahmed took 49 wickets for 308 runs. Jawahir Shah played several good innings and captained the side well.
References
- "Prudential World Cup 1975". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
- "East Africa in England 1972". Cricket Archive. Archived from the original on 1 October 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
- Hugh Collins, "East African Tour", The Cricketer, Winter Annual 1972, p. 79.
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