Gordon Norman Image 1 Transvaal 1938

Description

Boksburg, Transvaal born right-arm fast bowler Norman Gordon was unfortunate in that he broke into the South African side just before the Second World War, and was too old by the time it ended. He was known as “Mobil”, because he used to slick down his unruly hair with handfuls of Vaseline. He made his debut for Transvaal in 1933-34 but took some time to find his feet as at that time the transition was being made from matting to turf wickets and he struggled to adapt.

Making his debut at Johannesburg in December 1938, he played in all five Tests against England in 1938-39, bowling tirelessly in a series during which bat dominated ball. In the first Test, he took his best Test match figures of 7-162, including 5-103 in the first innings. He was stumped by Les Ames off the bowling of Tom Goddard for a golden duck in the drawn match. In the Second Test at Cape Town he took 5-157 in England’s only innings, but was again stumped by Ames off the bowling of Goddard for nought in another drawn match.

In the Third Test match at Durban, Gordon took 2-127 in England’s only innings and was out for 1 and 0, falling to Ken Farnes and Hedley Verity as England won by an innings and 13 runs. In the fourth match, he took 2-47 and 3-58 but did not bat in the drawn Test. He recorded 5-105 in the Fourth Test at Johannesburg. At Durban, in the Timeless Test, he sent down 92.2 eight-ball overs, taking 1-256, and although he conceded 100 runs or more in four innings, but was the leading wicket taker on either side with 20 at an average of 40.35.

He took his career best innings figures of 6-61, followed by 3-86 in the second innings, for Transvaal against Natal at Johannesburg in 1939-40. He would almost certainly have toured England in 1940 where the conditions would have suited him. He continued playing for Transvaal until the 1948-49 season.

In 29 first class matches, Gordon achieved little with the bat, making a top score of 20 with an average of a bit over 5. With the ball he was a different story, taking 126 wickets at 22.24 apiece, recording 8 five wicket hauls.

Gordon lived an exceptionally long life, becoming the oldest-ever Test cricketer on 23rd March 2011, when he surpassed New Zealander Eric Tindill who had died in August 2010. He was the last living player to have played Test cricket before the Second World War. He turned 100 in August 2011 and lived to the age of 103. Following his death, he was succeeded as the oldest living first class cricketer by John Manners.

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