Howa Bowl


The Howa Bowl was a first-class cricket competition in South Africa that ran from the 1972-73 to 1990-91 cricket seasons. Originally known as the Dadabhay Trophy, it was contested between Eastern Province, Natal, Transvaal and Western Province.
Running alongside the South African apartheid years, the Howa Bowl was limited to non white players, who were not permitted to compete in the Currie Cup. It was organised by the South African Cricket Board and the matches were played over three days. The pitches used in the competition were poor quality, which is highlighted by the fact that a team passed 400 in an innings just six times while falling for under 100 on 87 occasions.
In the early 1990s, when South Africa's sporting isolation ended and the United Cricket Board was formed, the Howa Bowl ended as did any racial divide in the nation's cricket competitions. Although the matches had not been given first-class status at the time, the UCB requested them to be and records were amended to include the 216 Howa Bowl matches as well as seven other representative matches between 'non white' teams. This meant that West Indian Test cricketer Rohan Kanhai, who played early in the competition with success, moved past Plum Warner on the list of all time leading first-class run scorers and joined his former teammate Gary Sobers on 86 hundreds. Furthermore two instances of the rare dismissal - Out handled ball, were added to the records.

Champions by season

The Howa Bowl was dominated by Western Province, who won 13 of the 18 seasons outright, and shared another with Natal. Of the remaining four seasons, Eastern Province won 3 and Transvaal won 1.
TournamentWinnerLeading run-scorerLeading wicket-taker
1972/73Western Province
Natal
Sedick Conrad Ismail Ebrahim
1973/74Western ProvinceMoosa Mangera Keith Barker
1974/75TransvaalRohan Kanhai Saait Magiet
1975/76Western ProvinceYacoob Omar Howard Bergins
1976/77No competition-
1977/78Western ProvinceYacoob Omar Armien Jabaar
1978/79Eastern ProvinceYacoob Omar Rushdi Magiet
1979/80Western ProvinceGraham Francois Lefty Adams
1980/81Western ProvinceRashaad Musson E Frans
1981/82Western ProvinceNeil Fortune Mustapha Khan
1982/83Western ProvinceMansoor Abdullah Vincent Barnes
1983/84Western ProvinceN Edwards Armien Jabaar
1984/85Eastern ProvinceGarth Cuddumbey Stephen Draai
1985/86Eastern ProvinceHaroon Lorgat Vincent Barnes
T le Roux
Jack Manack
1986/87Western ProvinceSaait Magiet Vincent Barnes
1987/88Western ProvinceFaiek Davids Jack Manack
1988/89Western ProvinceFaiek Davids Jack Manack
1989/90Western ProvinceAndre Peters Jack Manack
1990/91Western ProvinceNazeem White Jack Manack

Statistical leaders

PlayerWicketsAverage
Vincent Barnes30411.12
Seraj Gabriels25415.07
Mustapha Khan24819.26
Armien Jabaar23313.39
Khaya Majola21916.64