South African cap
This cap belonged to Australian cricketer and collector Edgar Mayne. Its insignia reveals that it originally belonged to a player in the Western Province Cricket Association in South Africa. We don't know who wore the cap, but Mayne probably collected it during his tour of South Africa with the Australian team in 1921.
This flannel cap was worn by a South African cricketer but writing on the inside reveals it was made in Australia. Photo: George Serras.
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Mayne evidently enjoyed touring as well as playing cricket. On his trip to England and South Africa in1920/21 he collected mementos, kept a detailed diary and created a photo album. Perhaps this tour was a particularly happy experience for Mayne. The Australian team was one of the strongest ever selected, with 11 of the 15 players having captained their state or club teams, and they dominated the Test series in England and South Africa.
Left: Edgar Mayne's England and South Africa photograph album. Photo: George Serras.
![A colour photograph of a diary kept by a cricketer during a tour of South Africa in 1921. The diary is opened at two pages. The left-side page has this text at the top: '292 October 10th Month 1921 19 Wednesday [292 73]'. Under this text is the hand-writen entry for that day. The right-side page has this text at the top: '1921 31 Days October 293 20 Thursday [293 72]'. A line has been drawn through '20 Thursday'. Under the text is the hand-written entry for that day. About halfway down the page a line has been drawn across it. Under the line is the written 'Thursday 20th Oct'. The diary entry continues on under this heading.](http://www.nma.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0005/249773/02_Mayne_diary.jpg)
Left: Edgar Mayne's South Africa tour diary. Photo: George Serras.
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