Approaching a Century South African Norman Gordon, 99, Is Set to Become the Oldest Test Cricketer Ever in March
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THE OLDEST LIVING TEST CRICKETER Norman Gordon Approaching a century South African Norman Gordon, 99, is set to become the oldest Test cricketer ever in March. He talks to Daniel Lightman about the Timeless Test, meeting Brian Lara and why anti-Semitism may have stopped him from playing more CRICKETERS ARE used to a Latin master. At that time I crowd was Sir Sydney Kentridge, reaching new landmarks. Yet was recognised as a much better the eminent QC, who more there is a significant one that batsman than bowler, but just than 70 years later recalls the has yet to be arrived at: no one after I left school I played for the moment clearly: “During the who has played a Test match has Old Boys and took a few wickets 1938-39 series in South Africa scored a century in age. and became the opening bowler Norman Gordon was the best This summer, on August or first change.” At Jeppe he met South African bowler, the one 6, Norman Gordon is due to his wife, Mercy, to whom he was most likely to take wickets. become the first to reach three married for more than 60 years So there was always a buzz figures. More immediately, until her death in 2001. around the ground when he he will become the oldest After a wicketless debut for came on to bowl. international player ever on Transvaal in the 1933-34 season, “On the first morning of the March 23, overtaking the New Gordon did not play for them Newlands Test he shattered the Zealander Eric Tindill, who died again for four seasons. He puts stumps of the great Len Hutton, last August aged 99 years and this down to the change from who had just made his famous 226 days. matting to turf wickets in South off-drove the ball and you tried 364 against Australia. This was a Affectionately known as Africa. “I had quite a difficult to stop it, it would probably go tremendous moment.” Mobil because of the way he time moving from matting to right through you. I once asked However, Gordon had less slicked back his hair as if it was turf,” he says. “I had to adjust the him why he often left balls alone success in the famous Timeless covered in oil, Gordon played height and trajectory to make on the leg side, and he said it was Test at Durban, which lasted for five Tests for South Africa in the ball come up off the turf.” because that’s the easiest way of 10 days. In 92.2 (eight-ball) overs the 1938-39 home series against His hard work eventually getting out. He was also a very he took just one wicket for 256 England. A quick bowler, he was paid off as he led the wickets useful bowler and a wonderful runs. Didn’t he lose heart after an effective swinger of the ball, table in the 1937-38 Currie Cup. slip fielder – I can’t ever bowling 738 balls – more than delivering it from close to the The following season, after remember him missing a catch. any other pace bowler in a Test stumps and consistently finding dismissing the England captain, But he was very modest about his match – for so little success? a good length. Now, 62 years Walter Hammond, in Transvaal’s cricket. He and I were very “Quite frankly I was bowled too after his retirement, Gordon match against the tourists, good friends.” much,” he says. “I was noted remains energetic, engaged and Gordon forced his way into The admiration was mutual. for fantastic stamina and often interested in the world. the South African team – with In a series in which he scored bowled 10 or 15 eight-ball overs considerable success. Indeed, he 609 runs at 87, Hammond at a stretch. But I didn’t lose GORDON grew up in the ended up with more wickets – was dismissed three times heart – I was so crazy about hilly Johannesburg suburb of 20 – than any other bowler on by Gordon. Writing in 1946, cricket, I didn’t get worried that Kensington, where he attended Hammond stated that Gordon I wasn’t taking wickets.” Jeppe High School for Boys. The He heard a (whom he erroneously called Numerous cricketers thought school has produced more than } Nigel) “showed himself a really Gordon’s bowling would thrive in 10 Test cricketers for South heckler in the reliable fast right-hander, always England. Gordon did not get the Africa, and Gordon soon got the crowd shout ‘Here attacking and very difficult opportunity to find out.S outh cricketing bug. comes the Rabbi’ indeed to knock on to the Africa’s 1940 tour of England “From the age of 10 I was ~ defensive. But for the war we was cancelled because of the crazy about cricket,” he says. docile pitches in a five-Test series should have heard a great deal of War and he was not picked for “I saw my first Test at the most famous for the longest Test him, and perhaps may do so yet.” the 1947 tour. Hutton, writing Wanderers at that age – the match ever, played at Durban. Gordon also enjoyed success in 1984, declared that he had Australian team included Gordon’s first Test victim was against the young Len Hutton. “little doubt that if the war had Gregory and McDonald, who Hammond, whom he regards as In the Newlands Test with his not intervened Norman Gordon were very difficult to face on being “by far” the best batsman fifth ball Gordon produced a would have made a big name for matting wickets. At school the he bowled against: “He was a superb offcutter which took out himself had he toured England”. outstanding cricket coach was tremendous offside player. If he Hutton’s middle stump. In the So why wasn’t he picked in 82 www.wisdencricketer.com “Humbling experience”: Norman Gordon meets Brian Lara in Johannesburg last November of feeling about Jews even after the War in England.” Whatever the real reasons for Gordon’s exclusion, Gordon isn’t bitter. He finished his playing career in 1949, with 126 first- class wickets from 29 matches. He went on to run a sports shop, Luggagecraft. One regular AN visitor was the future South PL A African captain, Ali Bacher. RD RD K “Once a year I used to buy my ICHA R bat from him,” says Bacher. “He used to serve me, a very affable and dignified man.” 1947? His Currie Cup record in found elsewhere. MJ Susskind, “Fortunately I took five 1945-46 (12 wickets at 18.41) and who was second in the South wickets in that innings,” says GORDON and his son Brian now 1946-47 (10 wickets at 23.30) African Test batting averages Gordon, “and that shut him up live in the same flat in Hillbrow, was good. In his book MCC in on the 1924 tour of England, for the rest of the tour.” Johannesburg, in which he has South Africa, Brian Bassano “was Jewish but didn’t profess More than 30 years after the lived for more than 55 years. incorrectly stated that Gordon to be Jewish, didn’t admit to it”. 1947 tour Gordon feels being a Every day they both go had “retired when the next side Gordon, in contrast, was the first Jew may have played a part in to Houghton Golf Club, near openly Jewish Test cricketer. not being selected. “A friend of Johannesburg – where, last I often bowled He was a source of mine told me that he had heard November, there was an } considerable pride for the South from one of the tour selectors unexpected visitor: Brian Lara. 10 or 15 eight-ball African Jewish community, who that [South Africa and Sussex Gordon says that he “was so overs at a stretch “were very proud that a Jew was batsman] Alan Melville had told pleased to meet him and I couldn’t ~ playing for their country”, but them not to select me as there believe how modest he was”. visited the United Kingdom in also came across anti-Semitism. might be anti-Semitism and Lara also recalls their 1947”. The South African cricket When he ran up to bowl the unpleasantness in England. He meeting with pleasure. “I was writer Louis Duffus, in The first ball on hisT est debut at the thought it expedient to let me very keen to meet him; we share Cricketer Spring Annual of 1947, Wanderers, he heard a heckler out of the tour. I am sure that my the same two passions, cricket acknowledged that his omission in the crowd shout: “Here comes friend wouldn’t have told me if it and golf,” says Lara. “I don’t surprised overseas students of the Rabbi.” wasn’t true. There was quite a bit know if he was told but with no South African cricket. But he did hesitation the minute we met he say that “at the age of 36 … it was Oldest Test cricketers voiced my name. That was a probably felt that he would not AGE PLAYER BIrth & death TeaM TESTS Span humbling experience. His stand up to a strenuous tour”. 99y 226d Eric Tindill 1910-2010 New Zealand 5 1937-47 appreciation for the game still This explanation does not 99y 184d* Norman Gordon 1911- South Africa 5 1938-39 reigns and his knowledge of the pass muster with Gordon, who 98y 324d Francis MacKinnon 1848-1947 England 1 1879-79 changes in the game since the states that he “would have been 96y 150d Jack Kerr 1910-2007 New Zealand 7 1931-37 last Test he played brought a fit enough to do the tour and 95y 252d Wilfred Rhodes 1877-1973 England 58 1899-30 smile to my face.” 95y 229d Bill Brown 1912-2008 Australia 22 1934-48 had no ailments whatsoever.