Stats: Top players who scored Test hundreds after turning 40

Tags: Test match, Test hundreds, Vijaysingh Madhavji Merchant, Clive Hubert Lloyd, Graham Alan Gooch, Geoffrey Boycott, Jack Hobbs

Published on: Sep 18, 2014

West Indies’ Shivnarine Chanderpaul joined Clive Lloyd as only the second player from his country to score a Test hundred after crossing the ripe age of 40.

West Indies’ Shivnarine Chanderpaul joined Clive Lloyd as only the second player from his country to score a Test hundred after crossing the ripe age of 40. Chanderpaul was 40 years and 28 days old when he scored a ton against Bangladesh at Gros Islet on September 13, 2014. West Indies went on to win the Test by an impressive margin of 296 runs to win the two-match series 2-0. Here’s a look at some other top players to register a Test ton after the age of 40.


Vijay Merchant: The Indian batting legend was 40 years and 21 days when 154 against England at Delhi on November 2, 1951. Opening the innings, Merchant made 154 having batted for 450 minutes before being clean bowled by Brian Statham. The match ended in a draw. Vijay Hazare slammed an unbeaten 164 in the same innings. England’s Allan Watkins was made an unbeaten 137 in England’s second innings to help them save the Test.


Clive Lloyd: The former West Indian captain was 40 years and 84 days old when he scored 114 for his team against Australia at Brisbane on November 23, 1984. Lloyd batted at number seven in this game, and his knock came from 154 balls, with the help of 14 fours and three sixes. For a Test match, he had an impressive strike rate of 74. This was the second Test of the five-match Frank Worrell series that West Indies won by eight wickets. Richie Richardson (138) was the other centurion in the match.


Graham Gooch: The England great was 40 years and 314 days old when he smashed a double hundred (210) against New Zealand at Nottingham on June 2, 1994. Gooch batted at number three and smashed 210 from 317 balls with the aid of as many as 29 fours. England went on to win the Test by a massive margin of an innings and 90 runs. This was the first match of the three-match series. England skipper Mike Atherton was the other centurion in the match.


Geoff Boycott: The former England captain was 41 years and 63 days old when he made 105 against India at Delhi on December 23, 1981. Opening the innings, Boycott batted for 440 minutes and faced 285 balls during his knock. Boycott hit only seven fours during his innings. England’s Chris Tavare and India’s Gundappa Viswanath were the other centurions in the drawn encounter.


Jack Hobbs: The England legend remains the oldest cricketer to score a Test hundred. He was 46 years and 82 days when he scored 142 runs against Australia at Melbourne on March 8, 1929. Hobbs’ knock came off 301 balls with the help of 11 fours. Hobbs added 65 in the second essay as well, but Australia went on to win the Test thanks to centuries from Bill Woodfull and Don Bradman.


--By A Cricket Analyst

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