Sid O'Linn Obituary by Peter Martin

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Player:

S O'Linn

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DateLine: 3rd February 2017

 

Former double international – soccer and cricket – Sid O’Linn, died at the Abbey Cross Frail Care Home in Randburg, Gauteng, South Africa on December 11, 2016 at the age of 89.

 

At the age of 20 O’Linn, who was born Sidney Olinsky in Oudtshoorn, Cape Province in 1927, toured Australia and New Zealand with the 1947 South African soccer squad under the captaincy of Horace Smethurst, brother-in-law of 1949 Springbok skipper, Felix du Plessis. He was a patient, even obdurate left-handed batsman and a more than useful wicketkeeper.

 

In 1946, at the age of 18, O’Linn made his first-class debut in a match for Western Province against North-Eastern Transvaal in Brakpan, but he was run out for just nine. International Jack Plimsoll took 7-42 for Province and Jack Cheetham scored 84, the only real highlights of the drawn game.

 

At the end of the year he played against Griqualand West in a Currie Cup match in Kimberley, and again Plimsoll was in good form, with 3-53 and 7-35 this time. O’Linn scored three and 13 in a low-scoring match won convincingly by WP.

 

O’Linn and Cape Town friend Stuart Leary later travelled to England and played for Charlton Athletic while during the summer months O’Linn represented Kent as a wicketkeeper-batsman usually playing when England ’keeper Godfrey Evans was unavailable for the County.

 

In 1952 at The Oval he scored a patient century against Surrey, the County champions that year, battling a top-class attack which included international bowlers Alec Bedser, Jim Laker and Tony Lock and supported by the experienced Eric Bedser and Stuart Surridge.

 

But he was never awarded a County cap.

 

He next appeared for Transvaal in 1957-58 and enjoyed an excellent 1959-60 season with 619 runs (68.77) with one century. With his experience on English wickets a distinct advantage he was selected for the 1960 tour of England under the captaincy of Jackie McGlew.

 

However, there was a problem. Wives of the players were not allowed to be in England the same time as the tourists and O’Linn’s wife was living in England at the time. He promptly divorced her, much to the dismay of his in-laws. Problem solved!

 

In a dismal performance by the South Africans caused by anti-apartheid demonstrations, poor weather and the Griffin throwing controversy, England won the series 3-0. O’Linn was one of the few South African batsmen to face Freddie Trueman and Brian Statham with any degree of confidence and he ended the series with 261 runs (32.62), including a dogged 98 in the third Test at Trent Bridge. He managed another half-century – 55 - in the fifth Test at The Oval.

 

O’Linn was one of four batsmen to top 1000 runs for the tour, scoring 1014 at 36.24 with one century and six fifties.

 

He was, however, unable to continue his good form in two Tests against New Zealand in 1961-62, scoring eight and six at Durban and 17 and five not out at Johannesburg, before being dropped for the third Test at Newlands. He was replaced by Border’s Buster Farrer.

 

O’Linn was a business partner of John Waite, wicketkeeper-batsman from 1951 to 1965, the first South African to appear in 50 Test matches. The company, L F Palmer, was situated at the Wanderers ground.

 

In all first-class cricket he played 92 matches and scored 4525 runs (35.62) with four centuries and 29 fifties. He also took 97 catches and made six stumpings.

 

(Article: Copyright © 2017 Peter Martin)