George Moore (cricketer) facts for kids

George Moore (born April 18, 1820 – died September 29, 1916) was an Australian cricket player. He played three important matches, called first-class games, for the New South Wales team in the early 1870s. George was born in Bedfordshire, England. When he was 32, he moved to Maitland, New South Wales, in Australia.

He first played cricket for the New South Wales colony during an English team's visit in 1861–62. George was a round-arm bowler. He played his first major match when he was almost 51 years old! Over the next two seasons, he played two more matches and took 15 wickets. George stayed involved in cricket even when he was very old. He passed away at his home in Maitland at the age of 96. Many people in George's family also played cricket at a high level. His grandson, Charlie Macartney, became a very famous player for the Australian national team.

Early Life and Moving to Australia

George Moore was born in Ampthill, Bedfordshire, England, in 1820. In 1852, he decided to move to Maitland, New South Wales, in Australia. There, he started his own business. He opened a bakery and a shop that sold sweets and cakes.

Cricket Career Highlights

George played in two matches during the 1861–62 tour of Australia by an English team. One match was for New South Wales, and the other was for a combined team of New South Wales and Victoria players. In these games, the Australian teams had 22 players, while the English team had 11.

Taking Many Wickets

In one of these matches, George showed off his bowling skills. He took ten wickets in total, which is called a ten-wicket haul. He bowled alongside another player named George Gilbert. George's bowling was very good, especially when he took 6 wickets for only 39 runs. This helped to get the English team out for just 60 runs in their second turn at batting.

Playing at an Older Age

Even though he was getting older, George played for New South Wales again in 1863–64. He bowled first with Nat Thomson. This match was not officially a "first-class" game because New South Wales had 18 players. Still, George took four wickets in the English team's first turn at batting.

First-Class Debut

George Moore finally played his first official first-class match in March 1870. He was 50 years and 325 days old! This game was against Victoria at the Albert Ground in Sydney. George was the last player to bat for his team. He scored eight runs and stayed not out (meaning he wasn't out). He helped his team reach 200 runs for the first time in these types of matches. His teammates were so excited that they carried him off the field on their shoulders!

Later Matches and Achievements

George played two more first-class matches, both against Victoria. His best bowling performance was taking 6 wickets for 56 runs. This happened during the 1871–72 season. Even though New South Wales lost that match, George was given the match ball, which was placed on a silver stand, to celebrate his great effort.

George played another match for New South Wales in 1873–74 against an English team led by W. G. Grace. He didn't play a big role in this game, only taking one wicket. He also played for a team from the Northern Districts of New South Wales in 1877. This match is famous because Fred Spofforth took 26 wickets in it.

Life After Cricket

George Moore stopped running his successful sweet-making business in 1885. However, he continued to be involved in cricket for many years. It is said that he played his last match in 1895, when he was 74 years old!

George Moore passed away at his home in Maitland in September 1916. He was 96 years and 171 days old. When he died, he was the oldest living cricketer from New South Wales. He held the record for being the longest-lived New South Wales cricketer until 2011.

Family Connections

George had four children. One of his sons, Augustus Frederick Moore, became the mayor of Newcastle in 1893. Two of George's grandchildren also played first-class cricket. They were Frank Cummins and Charlie Macartney. Charlie Macartney became very famous and played 35 Test matches for Australia. George actually taught Charlie how to play cricket using a small bat made of cedar wood and apples from their family orchard! George's younger brother, Jemmy Moore, also moved to Australia. Jemmy and his children, Leon and Bill Moore, all played cricket for New South Wales.