Bert Oldfield

William Albert Stanley "Bert" Oldfield (9 September 1894, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia - 10 August 1976, Sydney, New South Wales) was an Australian cricket player. He played for New South Wales and the Australian cricket team as wicket-keeper.

Related Topics:
9 September - 1894 - Sydney - New South Wales - Australia - 10 August - 1976 - Cricket - Australian cricket team - Wicket-keeper

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Oldfield made his first-class cricket debut in the 1919-20 season, and played his first Test match against England in his hometown of Sydney the next season. He was dropped for several matches over the next few years, but established himself as Australia's automatic selection for wicket-keeper in the 1924-25 Ashes series against England.

Related Topics:
First-class cricket - 1919 - Test match - England - 1924 - Ashes series

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He missed only one other Test in his career, that being the fourth Test of the 1932-33 Bodyline series. In the notorious third Test at Adelaide, the English Bodyline tactic of bowling fast balls directed at the Australian batsmen's bodies reached its most dramatic moment when fast bowler Harold Larwood hit Oldfield in the head, fracturing his skull. Oldfield was carried from the ground unconscious. He recovered in time for the fifth Test of the series.

Related Topics:
1932 - Bodyline - Adelaide - Fast bowler - Harold Larwood

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Always an easy-going personality, Oldfield immediately forgave Larwood for the incident, and the two eventually became firm friends when Larwood later emigrated to Australia.

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Oldfield played Test cricket for four more years, ending his career in 1937. He was named a Wisden Cricketer of the Year for 1927.

Related Topics:
1937 - Wisden Cricketer of the Year - 1927

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Oldfield played 54 Tests for Australia, scoring 1,427 runs at an average of 22.65, and taking 78 catches and 52 stumpings. His tally of 52 stumpings remains a Test career world record. In first-class cricket he played 245 matches, scoring 6,135 runs at an average of 23.77, and taking 399 catches and 263 stumpings.

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