The University of the Western Cape's Professor André Odendaal and Dr Rafaelle Nicholson, secretary of the British Society for Sports History. Image: SuppliedThe University of the Western Cape (UWC) proudly celebrates Professor André Odendaal, who has been honoured with the 2026 Howard Milton Award for Cricket Scholarship. Presented jointly by the British Society for Sports History (BSSH) and the Cricket Society, this international award recognises outstanding contributions to cricket history and scholarship.
Prof Odendaal received the award from Dr Geoff Levett, past Secretary of the Cricket Society, at a ceremony in London on 2 September 2026. A first presentation was also held at the University of Edinburgh on 27 August 2026, during the annual conference of the BSSH. Both events highlighted Odendaal’s lifelong commitment to documenting cricket’s hidden histories and challenging erasure in the sport.
The award citation praised Odendaal’s “outstanding and sustained contribution to cricket scholarship,” noting his pioneering work in uncovering the role of Black cricketers and communities in shaping South African cricket. His scholarship has ensured that these stories are preserved and celebrated, reframing cricket’s narrative to reflect resilience, achievement and inclusion.
As Financial Mail reported in its feature “Fighting Erasure” (31 August 2026), Odendaal’s work has been pivotal in resisting exclusionary histories and foregrounding the contributions of marginalised players. Sport in History further emphasised the global impact of his research, while the Cricket Society’s announcement on LinkedIn described him as a historian whose work “has changed the way cricket history is understood, both in South Africa and internationally.”
Prof Odendaal’s recognition is not only a personal achievement but also a moment of pride for UWC. His scholarship embodies the University’s mission to advance knowledge that is socially responsive, historically grounded and globally relevant.
UWC Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Robert Balfour, said of the achievement: “Prof Odendaal's contribution to scholarship in key areas of transformation that have historically been under-developed or neglected, is invaluable for the ongoing development and reconstruction of South African society, and is thus an important form of redress.”
About the Howard Milton Award
The Howard Milton Award for Cricket Scholarship is conferred annually by the British Society of Sports History and the Cricket Society to honour individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the study and preservation of cricket history. Named after long-serving cricket historian Howard Milton, the award recognises scholarship that deepens understanding of the sport’s cultural, social, and historical significance. Previous winners include Indian scholar Ramachandra Guha and Clem Seecharan, the anthropologist and historian of the Caribbean.
