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Peter Ewart
| Joined: 31 Aug 2005 |
| Posts: 1797 |
| Location: Near Canterbury, Kent, England. |
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 Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2006 11:47 am |
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Peter
Ah, but was that single-glove snapshot not taken in London? (In Alexander Bassano's famous studio).
Which would suggest very strongly, to me, that he was in London for the Test which took place in late August at the Oval. As this was the very event which led to that historic mock obituary in the Sporting Times (which, in its turn, led to the creation of The Ashes) I have no doubt as to the real reason for his dapper appearance at Bassano's that day. Perhaps he had an invitation to the pavilion? I only hope he intended to spectate, as that single glove would have afforded scant protection against one of Spofforth's bouncers.
Because the King's comparatively brief London sojourn coincided exactly with an event at Kennington which changed the course of history, I have long contended (including on the old forum) that Cetshwayo's real reason for travelling to London was inextricably linked to the noble game, and his political aspirations merely a convenient "front." Indeed, can we entirely eliminate the possibility that he was the very spectator who is famously reported to have chewed entirely through his brolly handle during that nerve-racking denouement? And why else, with that solemn announcement in the ST ringing in his ears the following day and with the Empire rocked by these tidings, would he immediately sail for Zululand?
I wonder if the Mashie was more Dinizulu's scene, whose reign coincided fairly closely with the sudden rise in that activity's popularity during the '80s and '90s?
Peter  
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Peter Quantrill
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| Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2006 6:12 pm |
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Peter,
You are absolutely right, the photo was taken in London, but it has been recorded that as Cetshwayo had parred two of the nine holes in Cape, he insisited on wearing the glove whenever the opportunity arose.
You are also bang on with regard to his cricket prowess. In addition to the seven pounders, all the cricket paraphernalia belonging to the 24th ( bats, balls, stumps and pads) were removed to oNdini. To begin with this was a mystery to the Zulu, but Cornelius Vijn, a dab hand, educated them in the finer points of the game.
Cetshwayo, a master of stonewalling, immediately took to cricket. He was never given out as any umpire who dared was immediately knobkerried. "My Regiments have come to see me" echoed the King with words similar to that used in due course by the immortal Dr W.G.
In the famous game held to raise the moral of the nation prior to the battle of Ulundi, Cetshwayo captained the Thulwana's against Zibhebhu's uMxapho on the oNdini square. The game disintergrated when fighting broke out after Cetshwayo had hit Zibhebhu over his head for six, the ball reaching the White Umfolozi. The uMxapho long-on was taken by a croc in his effort to retrieve the ball. Zibhebhu duly extracted fearsome revenge on Cetshwayo's return from England in the war that broke out between the two, the real reason being the original cricket match.
Cetshwayo tried to raise an international eleven that included Sir Garnet and John Dunn but failed when no Zulu volunteered to act as Umpire.
The original oNdini square still exists with a ring of stumps marking the spot from which Cetshwayo dispatched Sibhebhu. The plaque is inscribed in Zulu, the translation being, " Hau! Zibhebhu out "
This, believe it or not, is the origin of the modern game's phrase for an lbw appeal, now shortened to "Howszut."
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