Dying young

Cricket historians and statisticians usually derive a certain satisfaction from seeing a name added to the record books. The one file at CricInfo, however, that no one likes updating is that entitled "Shortest-lived Test Players".

Last month, the tragic death of Ben Hollioake meant that this list had to be updated for the second time in a year - Trevor Madondo having died in June of last year, also at a young age. Ben Hollioake was the second-youngest Test cricketer to pass away, and the youngest England cricketer to be added to this melancholy list - a compilation of all those who have played Test cricket and died before they reached the age of 35.

The simple list of names hides many a sad story. Many of the names are unfamiliar, in some cases because they died before realising their full potential. The name that tops the list is that of Archie Jackson, who died of tuberculosis in 1933 at the age of just 23 (on the day England regained the Ashes in the Bodyline series). He played only eight Tests, but his brilliance had already left its mark on the game. Debuting in the same series as Don Bradman, in the eyes of many observers he might have been the better bat of the two. A lovely, stylish player, with superb footwork and a magnificent field, his tremendous potential was just beginning to be realised when illness struck him down.

Like Trevor Madondo, Cyril Christiani was just 24 when he died, and was also the victim of malaria. He toured England with the West Indies team of 1933, and showed considerable promise as a wicket-keeper batsman, playing four Tests against the MCC tourists the following year.

Disease has taken other fine young cricketers from us. The youngest England captain to die was Monty Bowden, who led the side on England's first-ever tour of South Africa in 1888-89. He enjoyed South Africa so much that he stayed on at the end of the tour and set up a stock-broking partnership. He subsequently travelled north to what is now Zimbabwe with Cecil Rhodes' Pioneer Column. Two years later he died, after a fall from his cart, in Umtali Hospital - a glorified mud hut where his body had to be protected from marauding lions prior to being interred in a coffin made from whisky cases.

Just above Bowden in the list is Ross Gregory, one of several of that name to represent Australia. He played in just two Tests, both against England, with considerable success, but died in service during the Second World War. Given the enormous death toll in the two World Wars it is perhaps surprising that more on this list did not die in action. Ken Farnes, a very tall, very fast bowler for England, also died in the Second World War, killed in action with the RAF. Arthur Briscoe, who played twice for South Africa, was killed in action in Ethiopia at the age of just 30 in 1941, and his team-mate Arthur Langton was also just thirty when he was killed a year later. Denis Moloney of New Zealand was only 31 when he died of wounds whilst a prisoner. Many cricketers died in the First World War; KL Hutchings of Kent and England was hit by a shell in Ginchy, France at the age of 33. Described in his obituary as "one of the most remarkable batsmen of his generation" he played seven times for England. Tibby Cotter of Australia, and South Africans Reginald Hands and Eric Lundie also met their ends in this war.

The youngest Indian Test player on the list is the fine fast bowler Amar Singh, who died of pneumonia in 1942 before he turned 30. As a youngster of 20 he had made a huge impression during India's inaugural tour of England, and took 28 wickets in his seven Tests. No Pakistani or Sri Lankan Test player has died under the age of 35. Many older readers will recall the youngest New Zealander on the list, Ken Wadsworth, a brilliant wicket-keeper and useful bat, who was claimed by cancer at the age of 29.

Collie Smith played 26 Tests for the West Indies in the 1950's and was an outstanding batsman in a team that included the likes of Weekes, Worrell, Walcott, Sobers and Kanhai. He arrived on the Test scene with a bang, making a century on debut, and added three more in the ensuing years. A good off-spin bowler, he seemed destined for a great all-round career. He lost his life when a car driven by Gary Sobers crashed. A tremendously popular cricketer, over 60,000 people attended his funeral in Jamaica.

Another illustrious name on the list is that of GF Grace, younger brother of the great WG. Known by many as "poor Fred" Grace, he was the youngest of the Grace brothers. In 1880 he made his Test debut, playing on the same side as EM and WG. He made a pair but took a famous catch in the outfield. Two weeks later he was dead, after a severe cold had developed into pneumonia.

The untimely death of Ben Hollioake serves to remind us of this tragic history - so many young men taken by accident, war or disease, leaving friends, family and fans to wonder why, and what might have been. May they all rest in peace.