Bert Oldfield facts for kids
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name |
William Albert Stanley Oldfield
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| Born | 9 September 1894 Alexandria, New South Wales, Australia |
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| Died | 10 August 1976 (aged 81) Killara, Sydney, Australia |
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| Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Wicket-keeper | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National side | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Test debut (cap 109) | 17 December 1920 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 3 March 1937 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1919–1938 | New South Wales | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Cricinfo, 29 September 2009
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William Albert Stanley Oldfield (born September 9, 1894 – died August 10, 1976) was a famous Australian cricket player and businessman. He played for the New South Wales team and the Australian national team. He was a wicket-keeper, which is a special position in cricket. Bert Oldfield is still remembered for his amazing record of 52 stumpings in Test matches. This record has stood for many years!
Contents
Early Life and Cricket Beginnings
Bert Oldfield was born in Alexandria, a suburb of Sydney, Australia. He was the seventh child in his family. His father was an upholsterer from Manchester, England, and his mother was Australian.
Serving in World War I
During World War I, Bert Oldfield joined the army. He served as a Corporal in the 15th Field Ambulance. In 1917, he was injured during a battle in Ypres. He spent six months recovering from the effects of the war.
Playing Cricket After the War
After the war ended, Oldfield was chosen to play for the Australian Imperial Forces cricket team. This team played 28 first-class matches. They traveled to Britain, South Africa, and Australia between 1919 and 1920.
Bert Oldfield's Cricket Career
Oldfield played his first first-class cricket match in England in 1919. His first Test match for Australia was against England. This big game happened in his hometown of Sydney during the 1920–21 season.
Becoming Australia's Top Wicket-keeper
For a few years, Oldfield was sometimes left out of the team. But by the 1924–25 Ashes series against England, he became Australia's main wicket-keeper. From then on, he was almost always chosen for the team.
The Famous Bodyline Series
Oldfield played in the well-known 1932–33 Bodyline series. This was a very intense series against England. In the third Test match in Adelaide, something dramatic happened. The English team used a tactic called "Bodyline." This meant their fast bowlers aimed the ball at the Australian batsmen's bodies.
Oldfield's Injury and Recovery
During this match, a very fast ball from bowler Harold Larwood hit Oldfield on the head. He fell unconscious and had to be carried off the field. Even though it was a serious injury, Oldfield quickly forgave Larwood. They later became good friends, especially when Larwood moved to Australia. Oldfield recovered and was able to play in the fifth Test of the series.
End of His Playing Career
Bert Oldfield continued to play Test cricket for four more years. He finished his career in 1937. His excellent skills were recognized when he was named a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1927.
Oldfield's Cricket Records
Bert Oldfield played 54 Test matches for Australia. He scored 1,427 runs and made 78 catches. He also achieved 52 stumpings. His 52 stumpings is still a world record in Test cricket! A large number of these stumpings (28) were from the bowling of Clarrie Grimmett.
In all first-class cricket, he played 245 matches. He scored 6,135 runs, took 399 catches, and completed 263 stumpings.
Life After Cricket
After he stopped playing cricket professionally, Bert Oldfield became a coach. He took several schoolboy teams on tours to other countries. In 1964, he spent a month coaching cricketers in Ethiopia. There, he even met Emperor Haile Selassie.
In 1970, he was awarded an MBE. This is a special honor from the British Empire.
Legacy and Recognition
To remember his life and contributions, a public school in Seven Hills, New South Wales was renamed Bert Oldfield Public School in 1988. Also, a cricket oval in the Sydney suburb of Killara is named in his honor.
Gallery
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Portrait of Bert Oldfield
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Portrait of Bert Oldfield, 1930.
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A ball from Harold Larwood hits Bert Oldfield in the head.
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Bert Oldfield wicketkeeping
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Autograph written at Bert Oldfield's Sports Store in 243 Pitt Street, Sydney
See also
- List of New South Wales representative cricketers
