A decent middle-age spread

Simon Katich’s name being cut from the contracts list, Sanath Jayasuriya’s final fling in ODIs, and Martin Crowe’s decision to return to first-class cricket in New Zealand, have all raised the issue of age in the game. That, in itself, is not entirely new. In the first-ever Test, New South Walesbatsman Ned Gregory made his debut as a 37-year old. In addition to his making the first duck, it is not surprising given his age (which made him the third-oldest in the match), and his family commitments, that he did not play again.

Three Tests and over three years later the bold doctor, WG Grace, made his debut at a comparatively young age of 32. His sporadic international career concluded with the 60th Test at Trent Bridge in 1899. He was almost 52 and “the ground was getting too far away”, however, not quite far enough to stop him from turning out in first-class matches until he reached the grand age of 60.

Don Blackie, the offspinner from Bendigo in the Victorian goldfields, made his debut at the age of 46 at the SCG in the second Test of 1928-29, the game subsequently made famous by the selectors excluding a young Don Bradman. Bradman had made his debut in Brisbane a fortnight earlier, along with medium-paced spinner “Dainty” Ironmonger, who at 45 years, had started his first-class career when Bradman was an infant.

Ironmonger’s 26-year first-class career was surpassed in length by, Cyril Washbrook, the Lancastrian stalwart. Washbrook, who played 592 first-class matches, was known as a technically sound right-hand batsman and an excellent cover fielder, although his fielding must surely have slowed a tad by the time he approached his 50th birthday. Washbrook’s career was interrupted by the Second World War, before he returned to enjoy his best two seasons in 1946 and 1947.

By contrast, Bob Simpson’s career ended on 31st January, 1968, after he batted down the order rather than opening. But, with the split due to World Series Cricket, Simpson was to return almost ten years later, on December 2, 1977, to captain Australia against India at Brisbane at the age of 41. Opening the batting for the opposition was Sunil Gavaskar, still regarded by some as India’s best-ever batsman. With 125 Tests and 108 ODI matches to his name, Gavaskar played his final international game in Mumbai at the age of 38.

Gavaskar’s successor as the ‘Little Master’, Sachin Tendulkar, now 38, is still apparently improving. In the last two-and-a-half years of his Test career, Tendulkar has averaged over 70. In all probability, Tendulkar may continue for a few years yet. Four more years would see him well past 40 and about the same age that Jayasuriya currently is.

Jayasuriya’s last hurrah is scheduled for June 28, 2011 at The Oval. He will be two days shy of his 42nd birthday, but just a youngster compared to Martin Crowe. It was a shame that injuries forced the retirement of New Zealand’s best-ever batsman when he still had so much to offer. Although, his mooted return is merely to the ranks of the Plunkett Shield, at 48 it would still require one heck of an effort. One cannot, however, but wish him luck should he decide to go ahead. In his prime, he was one of the most watchable batsmen anywhere and a lesson in technique to almost all.

One hopes, also, that Katich can continue to contribute to Australia’s Sheffield Shield. Katich has been a fine servant of New South Wales for many years and it would be shame to lose him. In these days of ultra-professionalism, while a burgeoning body-mass index is definitely out, one hopes that the game can still offer its best players a decent middle-age (career-wise) spread.