Top 10 Oldest Test players still alive

Top 10 Oldest Test players still alive: Tradition and heritage lend acceptance and pride to any civilization. Similarly in every aspect of life, experience has no substitute. With its oldest and the newest forms seemingly competing against one another, and the former looking lonely and lost, cricket is a sport facing big challenges. What should ideally happen is experience being used to nurture talent. This brings us to talking about oldest living Test cricketers. Norman Gordon was the first cricketer to live for 100 years. He died last year in September. As if now the top 10 list of oldest living Test cricketers is dominated by bowlers and all-rounders. Andy Ganteaume of Trinidad – West Indies, is the only wicket-keeper in the list. Let us have a look at the Top 10 Oldest Test players still alive: 10. Ronald Draper – 88 years 297 days, South Africa: At number 10 in the list is South African wicket keeper batsman Ronald Draper. Although Draper played in only two Tests, both against Australia in 1949-50, he hit a hundred before lunch four times in first-class cricket, in what was a commendable achievement. He played first-class cricket from 1945 to 1959. Also Read – List Of Players With Century On Test Debut 9. Len Maddocks – 89 years 146 days, Australia: Len Maddocks. (© Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Len Maddocks will be remembered forever as the man Jim Laker trapped leg-before to complete his famous ten-for at Old Trafford in 1956. Maddocks was a wicket keeper of distinction in his own right, and after retirement became a prominent figure in the administration of Australian cricket. He played 7 Tests from 1954 to 1956. 8. Doug Insole – 89 years 182 days, England: (source) Doug Insole was probably better known for his influence on cricket after the end of his playing days rather than his exploits on the field. He was however, a fine batsman, who made over 50 first-class hundreds. An excellent eye combined with great concentration and tenacity were secrets to his success. He played 9 Tests overall but didn’t have a successful run with the bat. 7. Hubert Doggart – 90 years 91 days, England: (source) He played 2 Tests for England in 1950. Doggart was a stylish middle-order batsman who looked to have a sparkling career ahead of him when he burst onto the scene at Cambridge in the late 1940s. He made 215 not out on his first-class debut, against Lancashire, in 1948, ending the summer with 1169 runs. He also represented the Cambridge University in Football, Squash, racquets and fives. He later became involved in cricket administration, firstly with the MCC committee, then as MCC President in 1981-82, also serving as president of the Cricket Council. 6. Sir Everton Weeks – 90 years 233 days, West Indies: (source) Sir Everton Weeks is the oldest Test cricketer having played most Tests. Along with Frank Worrell and Clyde Walcott, he formed what was known as “The Three Ws” of West Indian cricket. He possessed an admirable variety of strokes most of which were attacking. After being ordinary in his Test debut he responded on the subsequent tour of India in style. He scored 779 runs at 111.28 and set a world record of five successive hundreds, the highest being 194 at Bombay. In 1995 he became the last of the three Ws to be knighted. 5. Roy Miller – 90 years 298 days, West Indies: Roy Miller was a useful all-rounder who made just one Test appearance, against India at Georgetown in 1952-53, scoring 23 and taking 0 for 28. He played only eight games in a brief first-class career.He was a canny bowler and played 7 matches for Jamaica. Gerry Gomez, the guy Roy had replaced came back for the fifth Test against India and Miller never played a game for West Indies again possibly due to his sedate batting. 4. Don Smith – 92 years 126 days, England: (source) A left-handed opening batsman and a left arm medium pacer Don Smith was an integral part of Sussex in the post war period. Interestingly Don started as a spinner but realizing he had the ability to swing the cherry switched to medium pace. He scored over 1500 runs in 1950 playing for Sussex. His international career was nothing off note as in the 3 Tests he managed just 25 runs and a solitary wicket. He coached Sri Lanka after retiring in their early years of Test cricket. On the death of Reg Simpson in November 2013, he became the oldest living English Test cricketer. 3. John Watkins – 92 years 191 days, South Africa: (source) Watkins played 15 Tests from 1949 to 1957. His best series with the bat was in Australia in 1952-53, when he made 679 runs and took 31 wickets at 27.74. He is the last surviving member of the South African side that toured Australia in 1952-53.He also worked as a secretary accountant after retirement. 2. Andy Ganteaume – 94 years 268 days, West Indies: (source) In one respect Andy Ganteaume, a diminutive wicket keeper batsman, eclipsed even Don Bradman. Whereas Bradman ended his career with a Test average of 99.94, Ganteaume’s was 112. On his Test debut, against England at Port-of-Spain in 1947-48, he scored 112 and yet he never played for West Indies again. Although he toured England with the team in 1957 but never got a chance in the eleven. Andy is also the oldest surviving West Indies Test cricketer. 1. Lindsay Tuckett – 96 years 254 days, South Africa: (source) Lindsay Tuckett was a tall, wide-shouldered, well-built, fast-medium bowler and is the oldest living Test cricketer. After the war he was one of South Africa’s premier pacers. He toured England in 1947 where condition should have suited his bowling. As it turned out that summer was one of the hottest and the wickets were batsman friendly and Tuckett suffered from persistent groin troubles and was seriously overbowled. Despite that he managed 69 wickets on the tour at 25.78. Internationally he could take only 19 scalps in 9 Tests at an unimpressive average of 51. Also Read – Unbreakable Records In Test Cricket (Age Data Updated Till 17th October, 2015)

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Top 10 Oldest Test players still alive

1. Lindsay Tuckett – 96 years 254 days, South Africa:

Also Read – Unbreakable Records In Test Cricket

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