Cricket Thread. Only Mad Dogs And Englishmen

[YoungWillz 21,044]

Someone has hinted on Twitter that Don Smith, England's oldest Test cricketer, has died. Might just be a rumour, was living in Australia?

[Cerberus 302]

That's a shame if true, was hoping to see him ton up in a couple of years. It's still only Norman Gordon of South Africa who's made it to three figures so far. And Eileen Whelan from the women.

[Deathrace 1,171]

13 minutes ago, Cerberus said:

That's a shame if true, was hoping to see him ton up in a couple of years. It's still only Norman Gordon of South Africa who's made it to three figures so far. And Eileen Whelan from the women.

Male cricketers don't have especially great longevity. Not as bad as footballers but still nowhere near as good as tennis players. 

[time 8,601]

Colin McDonald, Aussie batsman, has died aged 92. Top scored for Oz in the match where Jim Laker took 19 wickets (32 & 89).

[YoungWillz 21,044]

On ‎12‎/‎01‎/‎2021 at 13:03, YoungWillz said:

Someone has hinted on Twitter that Don Smith, England's oldest Test cricketer, has died. Might just be a rumour, was living in Australia?

 

20 hours ago, Cerberus said:

That's a shame if true, was hoping to see him ton up in a couple of years. It's still only Norman Gordon of South Africa who's made it to three figures so far. And Eileen Whelan from the women.

Don Smith Sussex CC Obit: https://sussexcricket.co.uk/news/don-smith-1923-2021

 

Edit: Just checked, DDP pick.

[Cerberus 302]

Think that might leave Ted Dexter, Ray Illingworth, Raman Subba Row and Roy Swetman as England's only surviving Test players from the Fifties. Illy wouldn't have been a bad shout if they'd wanted a cricketer to replace John Edrich. 

[YoungWillz 21,044]

29 minutes ago, YoungWillz said:

 

Don Smith Sussex CC Obit: https://sussexcricket.co.uk/news/don-smith-1923-2021

 

Edit: Just checked, DDP pick.

Don Smith BBC Obit: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/55647774

[time 8,601]

1 hour ago, YoungWillz said:

 

Don Smith Sussex CC Obit: https://sussexcricket.co.uk/news/don-smith-1923-2021

 

Edit: Just checked, DDP pick.

Unique last year, not this. Them's the breaks.

[time 8,601]

49 minutes ago, Cerberus said:

Think that might leave Ted Dexter, Ray Illingworth, Raman Subba Row and Roy Swetman as England's only surviving Test players from the Fifties. Illy wouldn't have been a bad shout if they'd wanted a cricketer to replace John Edrich. 

Jim Parks Jr. debut in 1954, against Pakistan, though had to wait until 1960 for his second.

[Deathrace 1,171]

2 hours ago, time said:

Jim Parks Jr. debut in 1954, against Pakistan, though had to wait until 1960 for his second.

 

3 hours ago, Cerberus said:

Think that might leave Ted Dexter, Ray Illingworth, Raman Subba Row and Roy Swetman as England's only surviving Test players from the Fifties. Illy wouldn't have been a bad shout if they'd wanted a cricketer to replace John Edrich. 

Former England captain MJK Smith debuted in 1958 and is still alive aged 87. He's also Seb Coe's father in law. 

[Deathrace 1,171]

18 hours ago, time said:

Colin McDonald, Aussie batsman, has died aged 92. Top scored for Oz in the match where Jim Laker took 19 wickets (32 & 89).

That makes Neil Harvey as the last survivor of that historic Test match. 

[Deathrace 1,171]

4 hours ago, Cerberus said:

Think that might leave Ted Dexter, Ray Illingworth, Raman Subba Row and Roy Swetman as England's only surviving Test players from the Fifties. Illy wouldn't have been a bad shout if they'd wanted a cricketer to replace John Edrich. 

According to Cricinfo, as well as MJK Smith and Jim Parks, there's also Dick Richardson, Ken Taylor and Harold Rhodes who all played Test cricket for England in the 1950s but are not as well known as they only played 6 Tests between them. So it appears nine 1950s England Test cricketers are still batting. Not quite enough for a full team but close. 

[Deathrace 1,171]

As a postscript, there's also nine Australian Test cricketers from the 1950s still alive: 

Gordon Rorke, Keith Slater, Bobby Simpson, Ian Meckiff, Gavin Stevens, John Rutherford, Alan Davidson, Neil Harvey and Ken Archer. 

 

Simpson, Davidson and Harvey are the biggest names on that list. 

[time 8,601]

As a further postscript, England's newest oldest test cricketer (male) is now Ian Thomson, who is 91 (92 next week); he didn't debut until December 1964 aged 35. (took a wicket in each innings, v S. Africa).

[Cerberus 302]

John Ward, the NZ wicket keeper of the 1960s, has died at 83 - he was the sort of player who would never be picked now, a stumper who was also a genuine tail-ender. In his eight Tests he never batted higher than nine, and he reached 50 just once in 95 matches. Coincidentally he was behind the stumps when John Edrich, late of this parish made his 310 not out at Headingley in 1965. 

[time 8,601]

4 minutes ago, Cerberus said:

John Ward, the NZ wicket keeper of the 1960s, has died at 83 - he was the sort of player who would never be picked now, a stumper who was also a genuine tail-ender. In his eight Tests he never batted higher than nine, and he reached 50 just once in 95 matches. Coincidentally he was behind the stumps when John Edrich, late of this parish made his 310 not out at Headingley in 1965. 

Here's a link to a reputable news source (though I'm not sure about the word at the end of the headline).

[time 8,601]

Roy Torrens, former Ireland pace bowler & team manager has died aged 72.

[drol 11,946]

On 02/01/2021 at 10:38, adrian0719 said:

Sourav Gangulay taken to hospital after heart attack.

Back into hospital.

[Bentrovato 1,088]

Just for the connoisseurs.  A 100 on his hundreth test match. Joe Root marks his 100th Test with special hundred for England on day one of first Test in India | Cricket News | Sky Sports

[Cerberus 302]

So nobody died. My heart sank there, thought it might be Harvey or one of the big Fifties names. 

 

Well played Joe - did it just before 10.30 too, allowing me to switch over for PopMaster! 

[Bentrovato 1,088]

2 hours ago, Cerberus said:

So nobody died. My heart sank there, thought it might be Harvey or one of the big Fifties names. 

 

Well played Joe - did it just before 10.30 too, allowing me to switch over for PopMaster! 

Apologies for any distress caused. It may happen again. 

[six feet blunder 161]

Joe Root joins a rare club of players scoring centuries in their 100th test match. Colin Cowdery  Javed Miandad  Gordon Greenidge  Alec Stewart  Inzaman Ul Haq  Graeme Smith Hashim Amla and Ricky Ponting  who so far is the only player to score a century in both innings

[Ulitzer95 12,619]

New Zealand’s Bruce Taylor (wiki) dead at 77.

 

Only cricketer to score a century and take a five wicket haul on debut in a Test match.

 

Obit.

[Cerberus 302]

Enjoying the live coverage on Channel 4, the first live free-to-air Test cricket in Britain since 2005 - but perturbed to see there doesn't seem to be a highlights show later. Maybe OK for the weekend, but many will have to work Monday and miss the rest of the match.

[Bibliogryphon 9,581]

12 minutes ago, Cerberus said:

Enjoying the live coverage on Channel 4, the first live free-to-air Test cricket in Britain since 2005 - but perturbed to see there doesn't seem to be a highlights show later. Maybe OK for the weekend, but many will have to work Monday and miss the rest of the match.

Does C4 have a catch-up service?