A cricket team representing the East African countries of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda toured England in the 1972 season as part of a drive to encourage the development of cricket in that part of Africa.
The 1972 touring team played 18 matches. Their opponents included the Marylebone Cricket Club and many first-class county teams, although none of the matches had first-class status. The tour helped East Africa to be invited to participate at the 1975 Cricket World Cup where they achieved temporary One Day International status.
Team PlayerYear of BirthBatting styleBowling styleNational team Jawahir Shah (c) 1942 Right hand – Kenya Zulfiqar Ali 1947 Right hand Right arm medium Kenya Lawrence Fernandes 1945 Right hand Leg break googly Uganda Duncan Kibaya 1949 Right hand Right-arm off-break Uganda Anil Lakhani 1938 Unknown Unknown Kenya Praful Mehta 1941 Left hand Wicket-keeper Tanzania Raghuvir Patel 1944 Unknown Wicket-keeper Kenya Upendra Patel 1942 Right hand Right arm fast-medium Uganda Mehmood Quaraishy 1942 Right hand – Kenya Harilal Shah 1943 Right hand Right arm medium Kenya Jagoo Shah 1953 Unknown Leg-break and googly Kenya Narendra Thakker 1945 Right hand Wicket-keeper Kenya Charanjive Sharma 1946 Unknown Unknown Kenya Vasant Tapu 1936 Left hand Left arm fast-medium Tanzania Kishore Vasani 1939 Unknown Slow left-arm orthodox Uganda Samuel Walusimbi 1948 Right hand Left arm medium Uganda
Tour matches The following matches were played during the tour:
Leading players Kenyan Charanjive Sharma was the most consistent batsman, scoring 725 runs in 24 innings. Harilal Shah scored 680 runs in 23 innings and took 22 wickets in 159 overs. Zulfiqar Ahmed took 49 wickets for 308 runs. Jawahir Shah played several good innings and captained the side well.Hugh Collins, "East African Tour", The Cricketer, Winter Annual 1972, p. 79.
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