Alan Melville
A stylish South African batsman whose elegant Test career was bookended and defined by the global disruption of the Second World War.
1910–1983 (age 73)·South African cricketer·Birthday: May 19·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Alan Melville's cricket story is one of sublime talent and historical interruption. Emerging as a graceful right-handed batsman for Natal and later Oxford University, where he captained the Blues, he carried an air of classical authority to the crease. His Test debut for South Africa in 1938 was commanding, scoring a century at Lord's that announced a major new talent. He captained the side on their challenging 1947 tour of England, leading from the front with two more centuries. Yet the six years of war that fell in the middle of his prime robbed him of his peak cricketing years, a hiatus that forever alters the measurement of his legacy. After the war, he returned to lead his country, but the burden of a struggling team and perhaps the lost time took a toll; he retired from first-class cricket relatively young. Melville is remembered as much for his polished strokeplay as for the poignant 'what if' his career represents.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Alan was born in 1910, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Alan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1910
Alan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1910Born
Halley's Comet makes its closest approach
President: William Howard Taft
1915Started school
The Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat
President: Woodrow Wilson
1923Became a teenager
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1926Could drive
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1928Could vote
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1931Turned 21
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1940Turned 30
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1950Turned 40
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1960Turned 50
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1970Turned 60
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1980Turned 70
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Died at 73
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
Key Achievements
- Scored 103 on his Test debut for South Africa against England at Lord's in 1938.
- Captained the South African national team on their 1947 post-war tour of England.
- Averaged over 52 in his 11-Test career, a remarkable figure for a batsman of his era.
- Captained Oxford University in the 1934 Varsity match, scoring a century against Cambridge.
Did You Know?
He served as a major in the South African Army during the Second World War.
After retiring from cricket, he became a successful stockbroker in Johannesburg.
He was educated at Hilton College in Natal and later at Oxford University.
His final first-class match was the 1949 Test against England in Port Elizabeth, after which he retired at age 38.
“You must play each ball on its merits, not on the reputation of the bowler.”
