John Emburey

[AndrewB]

My take on the matter was that his bowling was better before his three-year exile for going to SA in 1982. Or at least he was more willing to give the ball a rip in those days. Thereafter, rather less so. One journalist's comment when he twisted his ankle in 1987 was that it was the first thing he'd turned all summer. As for his mid-40s recall in 1995, after another SA-related exile, no I don't think we'll see that again. At the time, I was relieved that the then chairman of selectors (or whatever Illingworth called himself) didn't see fit to pick himself as he was that desperate for an experienced off-spinner.

While Emburey was recalled in 1995, it wasn't his first Test after the second ban - he played a Test each against India, Sri Lanka and Australia in 1993.

 

[wpdavid]

While Emburey was recalled in 1995, it wasn't his first Test after the second ban - he played a Test each against India, Sri Lanka and Australia in 1993.

So he did.

 

[AndrewB]

Naturally this got me thinking of players who were recalled by England after their 40th birthday. So far I have, Gooch, Emburey, Cowdrey, Close, Illingworth, Titmus, Washbrook and Rhodes. Bob Taylor was one month short of his 40th when recalled in 1981 so I'll claim him at 45 when he had to leave his hospitality duties to briefly don the gloves in 1986. That's nine. Can we raise a full XI? If not, Brearley and MJK Smith were both 39 when recalled.

The recalls for Gooch and Illingworth (after the age of 40) were a bit different from those of the others listed; they each opted out of a winter tour and returned to the side the following summer. Illingworth didn't even lose the captaincy.

 

[wpdavid]

The recalls for Gooch and Illingworth (after the age of 40) were a bit different from those of the others listed; they each opted out of a winter tour and returned to the side the following summer. Illingworth didn't even lose the captaincy.

I know, but I was trying to raise an XI, and they were recalled even if their absences were self-imposed.

 

[AndrewB]

One thing I remember noticing about Emburey's many recalls was that it was as if someone didn't want him to end his career with a fifty.

- In what looked (due to the second SA ban) like being his last Test, against Australia in 1989, he scored 64.
- Recalled after the ban, aged 40, he played two Tests in 1992-3, scoring 59 in the second one, but didn't bowl well so was dropped - again, you could have been forgiven for assuming that was the end of his England career.
- But in fact he was brought back for the 5th Test in the Ashes the next summer, scored 55* and 37, but again didn't bowl well so was dropped again - surely now his career was over?
- But it wasn't: in 1995 he was recalled yet again (for no apparent reason), scored 8, and his Test career finally ended.

 

[Burgey]

How old was David Steele when he played in 75, although that was a debut* rather than a recall.

*dayboo

 

[Starfighter]

33, though he looked 53.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Geoff Boycott and Wayne Larkins were both 36 when recalled after 3 and 9 years respectively.

 

[AndrewB]

Graveney was dropped for 3 years, then brought back aged 35. He was then dropped for another 3 years before being brought back aged 39. He then played for another 3 years, averaging 49.

Tate, Les Jackson and Freddie Brown would give the "recalled over 40" team some pace bowling.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Always fascinated when a cricketer gets recalled at a late age. Don't think it will happen so much in test cricket that much any more though, but can definitely see it happening in T20s a bit. All it takes if for some old pro (eg. Brad Hogg, Dan Christian-type) to gun it in some low quality franchise tournament and national selectors could jump all over them.

 

[Burgey]

Bob Simpson recalled to captain Aus at 41 a good shout here. Averaged 54 over the five tests including two tons.

What a player he was. Genuinely under rated when looking at all-timers.

 

[The Sean]

Bob Simpson recalled to captain Aus at 41 a good shout here. Averaged 54 over the five tests including two tons.

What a player he was. Genuinely under rated when looking at all-timers.

Absolutely - and when you add to that he was a very useful leggie, a good captain and one of the greatest ever first slips, you've got a hell of a valuable cricketer.

 

[nightprowler10]

This dude made it into the Stick Cricket All-Star team because of what?

I was wondering where I knew that name from.

 

[Starfighter]

One of the oddest recalls has got to be Norman Gifford's. Having last played a test in 1973 and having never played an ODI he was recalled for the Rothmans Four Nations Cup in Sharjah a few days short of his 45th birthday in 1985. And they made him captain as well.

 

[TheJediBrah]

One of the oddest recalls has got to be Norman Gifford's. Having last played a test in 1973 and having never played an ODI he was recalled for the Rothmans Four Nations Cup in Sharjah a few days short of his 45th birthday in 1985. And they made him captain as well.

Damn did alright too. 4/23 in his 2nd (and final) ODI including wickets of Saleem Malik and Imran Khan.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Such was England's paucity of batting resources for the 72 Ashes we recalled MJK Smith at the age of 39 after 6 years out of the side and Peter Parfitt aged 36 after 3 years out of the side, and he'd already announced he was retiring at the end of the season.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Gareth Batty must've been nudging his fifth decade when we called him back to the colours.

 

[wpdavid]

A rare example of a faster bowler being recalled in his late 30s was John Lever in 1986 at the age of 37. IIRC he had been suspended from 1982 to 1984 after going to SA and everyone thought that his test career was over.

 

[wpdavid]

Gareth Batty must've been nudging his fifth decade when we called him back to the colours.

Yup, just turned 39

 

[wpdavid]

One of the oddest recalls has got to be Norman Gifford's. Having last played a test in 1973 and having never played an ODI he was recalled for the Rothmans Four Nations Cup in Sharjah a few days short of his 45th birthday in 1985. And they made him captain as well.

I think that England may have been playing in India at the same time as this ODI tournament, hence the rather odd looking selection.