Introduction

The Cape Town-based cricket club, St Augustine Cricket Club, was habitually involved in spectacular cricket displays, on and off the field, during the 20th and 21st centuries. Despite its image of grandeur and success on and off the field, St Augustine Cricket Club was never materially rich, and it struggled to make ends meet financially. It derives its name from colonial influence in South Africa in the 19th century. A historical outline of how this name evolved in early 20th-century Cape society is one of the signposts of the club&s;s historical evolution. It was a club that evolved out of 19th-century Christian missionary work, where the ties between St Paul&s;s Anglican Church, Cape Town and the St Augustine Cricket Club have been concreted for over 120 years. This club, unlike many 19th-century Cape cricket clubs, has an international historical record, producing three players who influenced the international landscape of cricket. This history is presented in this chapter and is accompanied by an explanation of the methodological procedures used to uncover this narrative.