Owen Williams (South African cricketer)

{{short description|South African cricketer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox cricketer

| name =

| country = England

| fullname = Owen Leslie Williams

| nickname =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1932|4|8|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Claremont, Cape Province,
South Africa

| heightft =

| heightinch =

| heightm =

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling = Slow left-arm orthodox

| role =

| family =

| club1 = Western Province

| year1 = 1971/72

| clubnumber1 =

| club2 = Warwickshire

| year2 = 1967

| clubnumber2 =

| columns = 1

| column1 = First-class

| matches1 = 3

| runs1 = 21

| bat avg1 = 10.50

| 100s/50s1 = –/–

| top score1 = 9*

| deliveries1 = 533

| wickets1 = 5

| bowl avg1 = 36.60

| fivefor1 = –

| tenfor1 = –

| best bowling1 = 2/36

| catches/stumpings1 = 1/–

| date = 13 July

| year = 2012

| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/23023.html Cricinfo

}}

Owen Leslie Williams (born 8 April 1932) is a former South African cricketer. Williams was a right-handed batsman who bowled slow left-arm orthodox. He was born at Claremont, Cape Province.

Williams made his first-class debut in England for Warwickshire against Scotland at Edgbaston in 1967.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/33/33904/First-Class_Matches.html|title=First-Class Matches played by Owen Williams|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=13 July 2012}} He later made two further first-class appearances in South Africa for Western Province, against Transvaal in December 1971 and Natal in January 1972. In his three first-class matches, he took a total of 5 wickets at an average of 36.60, with best figures of 2/36.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/33/33904/33904.html|title=Player profile: Owen Williams|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=13 July 2012}} With the bat, he scored 21 runs at a batting average of 10.50, with a high score of 9 not out.

In an attempt to make South African cricket more acceptable to world opinion and to ensure the tour to Australia in 1971-72 went ahead, the South African cricket authorities offered Williams and another non-white player, Dik Abed, a place on the touring team. However, not only did the South African government refuse to allow the initiative to proceed, but Williams and Abed also refused to be a part of what they considered a token gesture.{{cite news|last1=Edwards|first1=Richard|title=Barry Richards: The South African great lost to Test cricket|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cricket/barry-richards-the-south-african-great-lost-to-test-cricket-and-forgotten-in-his-country-a6765656.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220524/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cricket/barry-richards-the-south-african-great-lost-to-test-cricket-and-forgotten-in-his-country-a6765656.html |archive-date=24 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|accessdate=5 March 2018|work=The Independent|date=8 December 2015}}