Worcestershire cricketing legend Basil D’Oliveira is to be honoured with a lasting memorial at the Cape Town cricket club where he began his historic career.

A charity dinner is to be held at Worcestershire County Cricket Club on Friday October 8 to raise the funds needed to build a new pavilion at St Augustine Cricket Club, which will be named after the England cricketer.

St Augustine’s is the club where D’Oliveira learned to play cricket and it is hoped the new pavilion will become a focal point of the community, as well as creating five new jobs.

D’Oliveira moved to England in 1960, settling in Worcester in 1964, and was memorably involved in a scandal now commonly referred to as the ‘D’Oliveira affair’.

In 1968 he was excluded from the England cricket team, for which he made 44 test appearances across his career, ahead of their tour to South Africa due to apartheid rules which prevented black and mixed-raced players from competing against white players.

Following public outcry D’Oliveira was recalled to the team but South Africa cancelled the tour.

The affair is considered a significant moment in turning international opinion against the apartheid regime and lead to significant changes in South African sport and society.

In memory of this, D’Oliveira was posthumously granted freedom of the city in 2018, the highest honour Worcester City Council can bestow.

Now there is a chance for his legacy to be further immortalised.

The charity event at Worcestershire CCC will feature two guest speakers in Worcestershire legend Phil Neale and former Warwickshire player Paul Smith, who became the first white cricketer to play for St Augustine’s.

With their £60 ticket guests will also be treated to a three-course dinner, live music and much more.

To get a ticket for the event you can contact Mark Ashbourne at ma004g2691@gmail.com or on 07506 747619