Lists of oldest cricketers

Last updated

This is a set of lists of the oldest Test and first-class cricketers.

Contents

Oldest living Test cricketers

NameCountryDate of birthDebutLast matchAge as of 11 May 2024
Ronald Draper South Africa 24 December 192610 February 19506 March 195097 years, 139 days
Neil Harvey Australia 8 October 192822 January 194820 February 196395 years, 216 days
Trevor McMahon New Zealand 8 November 192913 October 19556 February 195694 years, 185 days
Wazir Mohammad Pakistan 22 December 192913 November 195213 November 195994 years, 141 days
C. D. Gopinath India1 March 193014 March 195128 January 196094 years, 71 days
Ian Leggat New Zealand7 June 19301 January 19545 January 195493 years, 339 days
Chandrakant Patankar India24 November 193028 December 19552 January 195693 years, 169 days
Gavin Stevens Australia29 February 193221 November 19596 February 196092 years, 72 days
Godfrey Lawrence South Africa31 March 19328 December 196120 February 196292 years, 41 days
Bob Blair New Zealand23 June 19326 March 195313 March 196491 years, 323 days

Oldest living Test cricketers by country

CountryPlayerAge as of 11 May 2024
Afghanistan Mohammad Nabi 39 years, 131 days
Australia Neil Harvey 95 years, 216 days
Bangladesh Enamul Haque 58 years, 74 days
England Micky Stewart 91 years, 238 days
India C. D. Gopinath 94 years, 71 days
Ireland Ed Joyce 45 years, 232 days
New Zealand Trevor McMahon 94 years, 185 days
Pakistan Wazir Mohammad 94 years, 141 days
South Africa Ronald Draper 97 years, 139 days
Sri Lanka Somachandra de Silva 81 years, 335 days
West Indies Cammie Smith 90 years, 287 days
Zimbabwe John Traicos 76 years, 360 days

Note: Twenty-seven first-class cricketers are known to have attained centenarian status (see relevant section below).

Source: [1]

Oldest Test cricketers still playing at Test level

NameCountryDate of birthDebutAge as of 11 May 2024
James Anderson England30 July 198222 May 200341 years, 286 days
Fawad Alam Pakistan8 October 198512 July 200938 years, 216 days

Oldest Test cricketers still playing at Test level, by country

CountryNameAge as of 11 May 2024
Afghanistan Amir Hamza 32 years, 270 days
Australia Usman Khawaja 37 years, 145 days
Bangladesh Shakib Al Hasan 37 years, 48 days
England James Anderson 41 years, 286 days
India Ravichandran Ashwin 37 years, 237 days
Ireland Craig Young 34 years, 37 days
New Zealand Ajaz Patel 35 years, 203 days
Pakistan Fawad Alam 38 years, 216 days
South Africa Rassie van der Dussen 35 years, 94 days
Sri Lanka Angelo Mathews 36 years, 344 days
West Indies Shannon Gabriel 36 years, 13 days
Zimbabwe Craig Ervine 38 years, 266 days

Note: The above lists include players who have played Test cricket within the past 24 months and have not formally announced their retirement.

Longest-lived Test cricketers

Norman Gordon of South Africa, the only Test cricketer to live to 100 Norman Gordon of South Africa.jpg
Norman Gordon of South Africa, the only Test cricketer to live to 100
Bill Brown, longest-lived Australian Test cricketer BillBrown2.jpg
Bill Brown, longest-lived Australian Test cricketer

See also Oldest living Test cricketers above.

NameCountryDate of birthDebutLast matchDate of deathAge
Norman Gordon South Africa6 August 191124 December 193814 March 19392 September 2014103 years, 27 days
Eric Tindill New Zealand18 December 191026 June 193725 March 19471 August 201099 years, 226 days
Francis MacKinnon England9 April 18482 January 18794 January 187927 February 194798 years, 324 days
John Watkins South Africa10 April 192324 December 19495 January 19573 September 202198 years, 146 days
Lindsay Tuckett South Africa6 February 19197 June 19479 March 19495 September 201697 years, 212 days
Donald Smith England14 June 192320 June 195727 July 195710 January 202197 years, 210 days
Jack Kerr New Zealand28 December 191027 June 193127 July 193727 May 200796 years, 150 days
Wilfred Rhodes England29 October 18771 June 189912 April 19308 July 197395 years, 252 days
Bill Brown Australia31 July 19128 June 193429 June 194816 March 200895 years, 229 days
Lindsay Weir New Zealand2 June 190824 January 193017 August 193731 October 200395 years, 151 days
Everton Weekes West Indies26 February 192521 January 194831 March 19581 July 202095 years, 126 days
Datta Gaekwad India27 October 19285 June 195218 January 196113 February 202495 years, 109 days
Ken Archer Australia17 January 192822 December 19505 December 195114 April 202395 years, 87 days
Andy Ganteaume West Indies22 January 192111 February 194816 February 194817 February 201695 years, 26 days
Sydney Barnes England19 April 187313 December 190118 February 191426 December 196794 years, 251 days
Esmond Kentish West Indies21 November 191627 March 194821 January 195410 June 201194 years, 201 days
M. J. Gopalan India6 June 19095 January 19348 January 193421 December 200394 years, 198 days
Ron Hamence Australia25 November 191528 February 19475 January 194824 March 201094 years, 119 days
Denis Begbie South Africa12 December 19146 December 19486 March 195010 March 200994 years, 88 days
Jack Newman New Zealand3 July 190227 February 19323 April 193323 September 199694 years, 82 days

Source: [2] [3]

Oldest Test debutants

James Southerton, the oldest player on debut James Southerton.JPG
James Southerton, the oldest player on debut
NameCountryDate of birthDebutAge at debut
James Southerton England16 November 182715 March 187749 years, 119 days
Miran Bakhsh Pakistan20 April 190729 January 195547 years, 284 days
Don Blackie Australia5 April 188214 December 192846 years, 253 days
Bert Ironmonger Australia7 April 188230 November 192846 years, 237 days
Nelson Betancourt West Indies4 June 18871 February 193042 years, 242 days
Rockley Wilson England25 March 187925 February 192141 years, 337 days
Rustomji Jamshedji India18 November 189215 December 193341 years, 27 days

Oldest Test debutant by country

CountryNameAge at debut
Australia Don Blackie 46 years, 253 days
Bangladesh Enamul Haque 35 years, 58 days
England James Southerton 49 years, 119 days
India Rustomji Jamshedji 41 years, 27 days
Ireland Ed Joyce 39 years, 232 days
New Zealand Herb McGirr 38 years, 101 days
Pakistan Miran Bakhsh 47 years, 284 days
South Africa Omar Henry 40 years, 295 days
Sri Lanka Somachandra de Silva 39 years, 251 days
West Indies Nelson Betancourt 42 years, 242 days
Zimbabwe Andy Waller 37 years, 84 days

Note: John Traicos debuted for Zimbabwe at the age of 45 years, 154 days, but had already played three Tests for South Africa 22 years prior. [4]

Note: The oldest debutant, James Southerton, was also the first Test cricketer to die (on 16 June 1880). Miran Bakhsh was known as Miran Bux during his playing career.

Source: [5]

Oldest Test cricketers on final appearance

NameCountryDate of birthTest DebutLast matchAge at last Test
Wilfred Rhodes England29 October 18771 June 189912 April 193052 years, 165 days
Bert Ironmonger Australia7 April 188230 November 192828 February 193350 years, 327 days
WG Grace England18 July 18486 September 18803 June 189950 years, 320 days
George Gunn England13 June 187913 December 190712 April 193050 years, 303 days
James Southerton England16 November 182715 March 18774 April 187749 years, 139 days
Miran Bakhsh Pakistan20 April 190729 January 195516 February 195547 years, 302 days
Sir Jack Hobbs England16 December 18821 January 190822 August 193047 years, 249 days
Frank Woolley England27 May 18879 August 190922 August 193447 years, 87 days
Don Blackie Australia5 April 188214 December 19288 February 192946 years, 309 days
Bert Strudwick England28 January 18801 January 191018 August 192646 years, 202 days

Oldest Test cricketers on final appearance by country

Wilfred Rhodes, England Test cricketer from 1899 until 1930 Wilfred Rhodes 1920.tiff
Wilfred Rhodes, England Test cricketer from 1899 until 1930
CountryNameAge
Australia Bert Ironmonger 50 years, 327 days
Bangladesh Mohammad Rafique 37 years, 180 days
England Wilfred Rhodes 52 years, 165 days
India Vinoo Mankad 41 years, 305 days
Ireland Ed Joyce 39 years, 231 days
New Zealand Jack Alabaster 41 years, 247 days
Pakistan Miran Bakhsh 47 years, 302 days
South Africa Dave Nourse 45 years, 207 days
Sri Lanka Somachandra de Silva 42 years, 78 days
West Indies George Headley 44 years, 236 days
Zimbabwe John Traicos 45 years, 304 days

Note: The Test career of Wilfred Rhodes spanned a record 30 years, 315 days. England's youngest Test cricketer and another Yorkshireman, Brian Close (born 24 February 1931), lies second in this regard. He made his debut against New Zealand in 1949 and was recalled, after an absence of almost nine years, to oppose West Indies in 1976 (his career lasting 26 years, 356 days).

Source: [6]

Longest-lived first-class cricketers

This list includes all those first-class players who are known to have lived to 100. [7]

  Deceased  Living

RankNameTeam(s)Birth dateDeath dateAgeNationality
1 John Manners Hampshire, Combined Services 25 September 19147 March 2020105 years, 225 daysFlag of England.svg  England
2 Jim Hutchinson Derbyshire 29 November 18967 November 2000103 years, 344 daysFlag of England.svg  England
3 Syd Ward Wellington 5 August 190731 December 2010103 years, 148 daysFlag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
4 Norman Gordon South Africa, Transvaal 6 August 19112 September 2014103 years, 27 daysFlag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
5 Rupert de Smidt Western Province 23 November 18833 August 1986102 years, 253 daysFlag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
6 Edward English Hampshire 1 January 18645 September 1966102 years, 247 daysFlag of England.svg  England
7 Cyril Perkins Northamptonshire, Minor Counties 4 June 191121 November 2013102 years, 170 daysFlag of England.svg  England
8 John Wheatley Canterbury 8 January 186019 April 1962102 years, 101 daysFlag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
9 Archie Scott Scotland 26 January 19181 November 2019101 years, 272 daysFlag of Scotland.svg  Scotland
10 Ted Martin Western Australia 30 September 19029 June 2004101 years, 253 daysFlag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
11 D. B. Deodhar Hindus, Maharashtra 14 January 189224 August 1993101 years, 222 daysFlag of India.svg  India
12 George Harman Dublin University 6 June 187414 December 1975101 years, 191 daysFlag of Ireland.svg  Ireland
13 Fred Gibson Leicestershire 13 February 191228 June 2013101 years, 135 daysFlag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica (lived in Flag of England.svg  England)
14 Alan Finlayson Eastern Province 1 September 190028 October 2001101 years, 57 daysFlag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
15 Neil McCorkell Hampshire, Players 23 March 191228 February 2013100 years, 342 daysFlag of England.svg  England
16 Raghunath Chandorkar Bombay 21 November 19203 September 2021100 years, 286 daysFlag of India.svg  India
17 Geoffrey Beck Oxford University 16 June 19185 March 2019100 years, 262 daysFlag of England.svg  England
18 Harold Stapleton New South Wales 7 January 191524 September 2015100 years, 260 daysFlag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
19 Alan Burgess Canterbury 1 May 19205 January 2021100 years, 249 daysFlag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
20 Rusi Cooper Parsees, Bombay, Middlesex 14 December 192231 July 2023100 years, 229 daysFlag of India.svg  India
21 Charles Braithwaite English Residents, Players of USA10 September 184515 April 1946100 years, 217 daysFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
22 Harry Forsyth Dublin University 18 December 190319 July 2004100 years, 214 daysFlag of Ireland.svg  Ireland
23 Jack Laver Tasmania 9 March 19173 October 2017100 years, 208 daysFlag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
24 Tom Pritchard Wellington, Warwickshire 10 March 191722 August 2017100 years, 165 daysFlag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
25 Bernarr Notley Nottinghamshire 31 August 191822 January 2019100 years, 144 daysFlag of England.svg  England
26 Vasant Raiji Bombay, Baroda 26 January 192013 June 2020100 years, 139 daysFlag of India.svg  India
27 George Deane Hampshire 11 December 182826 February 1929100 years, 77 daysFlag of England.svg  England

Note: Although born in New South Wales, Australia, Syd Ward and John Wheatley appear to have been raised in New Zealand. George Harman, who acquired two Rugby Union caps for Ireland, died in Cornwall. Charles Braithwaite was born in England. Fred Gibson moved to England in 1944. Neil McCorkell was born in England, but lived in South Africa from 1951. The prominent Antiguan cricketer, Sir Sydney Walling, who died aged 102 years, 88 days in October 2009, never appeared in matches accorded first-class status.

The oldest person, and only septuagenarian, to play first-class cricket was Raja Maharaj Singh, aged 72, his sole appearance being for the Bombay Governor's XI against a Commonwealth XI in November 1950. [8] Thirteen players have played first-class cricket in their sixties, most of them in England in the 19th century. [9]

Oldest women cricketers

England women's cricketer Eileen Whelan (later Eileen Ash), born 30 October 1911, was the first female Test cricketer to attain centenarian status; she died on 3 December 2021, aged 110 years 34 days. [10]

Oldest living ODI cricketers

The first One-Day International took place on 5 January 1971 when Australia played England.

NameCountryDate of birthDebutLast matchAge as of 11 May 2024
Lance Gibbs West Indies29 September 19345 September 19737 June 197589 years, 225 days
Rohan Kanhai West Indies26 December 19355 September 197321 June 197588 years, 137 days
Bob Simpson Australia3 February 193622 February 197812 April 197888 years, 98 days
Sir Garfield Sobers West Indies28 July 19365 September 19735 September 197387 years, 288 days
Bill Lawry Australia11 February 19375 January 19715 January 197187 years, 90 days
Farokh Engineer India25 February 193813 July 197414 June 197586 years, 76 days
Michael Tissera Sri Lanka23 March 19397 June 197514 June 197585 years, 49 days
Alan Connolly Australia29 June 19395 January 19715 January 197184 years, 317 days
Ron Headley West Indies29 June 19397 September 19737 September 197384 years, 317 days
Brian Hastings New Zealand23 March 194011 February 197318 June 197584 years, 49 days

Oldest living Twenty20 International cricketers

The first Twenty20 International took place on 17 February 2005 when Australia played New Zealand.

NameCountryDate of birthDebutLast matchAge as of 11 May 2024
Osman Göker Turkey 1 March 196029 August 201929 August 201964 years, 71 days
Cengiz AkyüzTurkey1 June 196229 August 201929 August 201961 years, 345 days
Serdar KansoyTurkey6 July 196229 August 201931 August 201961 years, 310 days
Christian Rocca Gibraltar 8 March 196513 May 202214 May 202259 years, 64 days
Hasan AltaTurkey25 May 196529 August 201931 August 201958 years, 352 days
James Moses Botswana 8 August 196520 May 20197 November 202158 years, 277 days
Mark Oman Slovenia 5 September 196625 July 202230 July 202257 years, 249 days
Sunil Dhaniram Canada 17 October 19682 August 200810 February 201055 years, 207 days
Tony Whiteman Luxembourg 24 May 196929 August 20195 September 202154 years, 353 days
Sanath Jayasuriya Sri Lanka30 June 196915 June 200625 June 201154 years, 316 days

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References

  1. ↑ Cricinfo: Oldest living players
  2. ↑ Cricinfo: Longest lived players
  3. ↑ Rediff: Oldest Test cricketers at the time of death
  4. ↑ Cricinfo: Traicos debut
  5. ↑ BBC Test Match Special, Ask Bearders: "Can you tell me who is the oldest cricket player to make a Test match debut"
  6. ↑ Cricinfo: Oldest players
  7. ↑ "It takes a rare cricketer to reach a century, not just make one". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  8. ↑ Cricinfo: Ripe old age
  9. ↑ "First-Class Oldest Players". The Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  10. ↑ "Eileen Ash, 1911-2021". England and Wales Cricket Board. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
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