Again a popular multi-national team started off the season for Rhodesia, with the visit of a Commonwealth team under the captaincy of the former Yorkshire and England left-handed batsman Willie Watson, and organised by Ron Roberts. Rhodesia, showing much more confidence with the bat especially, came close to victory in the first match and achieved it in the second, with eight current or recent Test players in the opposition on both occasions. The improvement in batting was particularly creditable with the presence in the opposition of West Indian Wes Hall, then generally agreed to be the fastest bowler in the world.

As the Currie Cup reverted to the two-division system, Rhodesia once again found themselves in the B Section. The South African authorities, when constructing the two sections, took little or no notice of the previous Currie Cup table of two seasons back, as North-Eastern Transvaal, third then, also found themselves in the B Section. Rhodesia had a good season and beat Transvaal B, who eventually topped the table, but their failure to complete victory over North-Eastern Transvaal in Pretoria in a match they completely dominated cost them the title and perhaps a place in the A Section the following season. Dropped catches undoubtedly cost them victory.

The season ended with a fine match against Richie Benaud's Cavaliers team touring South Africa. Scores were level in a drawn match, with a magnificent batting double by Tony Pithey just failing to secure what would have been a great victory.

Pithey topped a batting list which contained five players with over 300 runs, scoring 745 himself (average 53.21). He was followed by Ray Gripper (618 at 38.62, which was to be his most productive first-class season), David Pithey (502 at 31.37), Colin Bland (435 at 31.07) and Ian Haig (327 at 32.70). David Pithey enjoyed his best season with the bat, opening the innings to enable his brother to bat first wicket down.

Joe Partridge had another magnificent season with the ball, setting up a new South African record with 64 wickets, of which 53 (average 15.80) were for Rhodesia. Godfrey Lawrence was comparatively disappointing and he missed selection for the coming tour of Australia and New Zealand; he took 32 wickets at an average of 24.03. Also over 20 wickets were the spinners, Jackie du Preez (27 at 22.00) and David Pithey (25 at 24.88). For the first time four Rhodesians were chosen for a South African touring team: the two Pitheys, Bland and Partridge, with Lawrence unlucky to miss out.

In the first Currie Cup match, against North-Eastern Transvaal in Salisbury, Geoff Griffin's first-class career ended in further controversy as he was no-balled on several occasions for throwing.

(Friendly) At Ek Park, Kitwe (Northern Rhodesia); 15, 16, 17 September. RHODESIA 169 (D B Pithey 46, A J Pithey 41; C G Borde 8/52) and 340/9 dec (A J Pithey 120, K C Bland 47, I E Haig 52; T L Goddard 3/33, C G Borde 4/126). COMMONWEALTH XI 308/6 dec (T L Goddard 41, W Watson 100, R B Kanhai 76, W E Alley 33) and 137/8 (R E Marshall 32, W E Alley 54; G M Griffin 4/32). Match drawn.

(Friendly) At Police Ground, Salisbury; 22, 23, 24 September. RHODESIAN INVITATION XI 338/5 dec (D B Pithey 54, A J Pithey 52, K C Bland 50, W S Farrer 96, I E Haig 65*) and 206/5 (R A Gripper 61, A J Pithey 55). COMMONWEALTH XI 239 (T L Goddard 72, R B Kanhai 42, W E Alley 41; G M Griffin 4/48) and 231 (R B Kanhai 110, B L D'Oliveira 45; J T Partridge 5/56, G B Lawrence 3/56). Rhodesian Invitation XI won by 54 runs.

At Police Ground, Salisbury; 17, 18, 19 November. RHODESIA 157 (R A Gripper 50; J T Botten 4/55, E H Bauser 4/28) and 256 (R A Gripper 106, D J Lewis 35, G M Griffin 51; E H Bauser 3/45). NORTH-EASTERN TRANSVAAL 254 (S B Spies 50, E H Bauser 35, P L Corbett 60, S F Burke 30; Partridge 4/60, J H du Preez 3/37). Match drawn, North-Eastern Transvaal leading on first innings.

At Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo; 24, 25, 26 November. ORANGE FREE STATE 83 (J T Partridge 4/22, G B Lawrence 3/33) and 174 (S Strydom 67, N Wessels 43; J T Partridge 4/38, J H du Preez 3/21). RHODESIA 201 (D B Pithey 53, I E Haig 53; R W Fouche 4/34, A McLachlan 3/29) and 60/4 (P Fox 4/27). Rhodesia won by six wickets.

At Police Ground, Salisbury; 8, 9, 10 December. TRANSVAAL B 224 (D Sacco 30, T Rex 81, G G Ritchie 50; J T Partridge 7/69) and 164 (P R Carlstein 31, G G Ritchie 41; G B Lawrence 4/37, D B Pithey 3/30). RHODESIA 165 (A J Pithey 74) and 225/5 (R A Gripper 58, A J Pithey 74, K C Bland 38). Rhodesia won by five wickets.

At Pretoria; 26, 27, 28 December. RHODESIA 560/6 dec (R A Gripper 50, D B Pithey 166, K C Bland 162, I E Haig 72; S F Burke 3/145). NORTH-EASTERN TRANSVAAL 176 (J A Corbett 57; J T Partridge 5/81, J H du Preez 3/17) and 186/8 (J A Corbett 44, D T Lindsay 32, G W Woodward 42*; D B Pithey 3/62). Match drawn, Rhodesia leading on first innings.

At East London; 31 December, 1, 2 January. BORDER 154 (R K Thorne 33; J T Partridge 4/26, J H du Preez 3/31) and 176 (W S Farrer 61; J T Partridge 3/49, D B Pithey 4/22). RHODESIA 245 (D J Lewis 106; A D Wilkins 3/49, R K Thorne 3/41) and 87/2 (D B Pithey 53). Rhodesia won by eight wickets.

At Kimberley; 5, 7, 8 January. GRIQUALAND WEST 90 (G Fleeton 32; J T Partridge 5/36, G B Lawrence 3/22) and 127 (C Tayfield 34; G B Lawrence 3/19, D B Pithey 5/30). RHODESIA 207 (R A Gripper 43, A J Pithey 55, K C Bland 33; M Glover 5/72) and 12/0. Rhodesia won by ten wickets.

At Police Ground, Salisbury; 23, 24, 25 March. CAVALIERS 379/6 dec (J H Edrich 47, P J Sharpe 73, N C O'Neill 96, E R Dexter 46, B K Shepherd 75*; G S Bunyard 3/82) and 136 (W E Alley 42; J T Partridge 4/51, G B Lawrence 3/45). RHODESIA 360 (R A Gripper 111, A J Pithey 141, D J Lewis 32; R Benaud 3/99, J R Reid 4/70) and 155/8 (A J Pithey 67*; J R Reid 3/63). Match drawn with scores level.

It is intended in the future to produce full scorecards, and also much more information about all cricket in Rhodesia during this season. At present, the next entry in this section is for 1963/64