JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Cricketer and longtime apartheid foe Basil D'Oliveira has died in England after a long illness. He was 80.

He was born in South Africa and played at cricket's top level for England, his adopted country. His death Saturday was announced by Cricket South Africa.

D'Oliveira played 44 tests and four one-day internationals for England. He was prevented from playing top-tier cricket in South Africa in the 1950s because he wasn't white. He was the central figure in cricket's decision to finally turn its back on South Africa during its apartheid era.

D'Oliveira was on the England team that was to tour South Africa in 1968. South Africa deemed that unacceptable and the tour was called off, leading to more than 20 years of cricket isolation.

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JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Cricketer and longtime apartheid foe Basil D'Oliveira has died after a long illness. He was 80.

He was born in South Africa and played at cricket's top level for England. His death Saturday was announced by Cricket South Africa.

D'Oliveira played 44 tests and four one-day internationals for his adopted nation of England. He was prevented from playing top-tier cricket in South Africa in the 1950s because he wasn't white. He was the central figure in cricket's decision to finally turn its back on South Africa during its apartheid era.

D'Oliveira was on the England team that was to tour South Africa in 1968. South Africa deemed that unacceptable and the tour was called off, leading to more than 20 years of cricket isolation.

(Photo: AP)