Bert Ironmonger

Updated on Sep 08, 2024

Edit

Comment

Batting style Left-hand bat Role Cricketer Name Bert Ironmonger		National side Australian Bowling style Left-arm medium

Died May 31, 1971, St Kilda, Australia

Herbert Ironmonger (7 April 1882 in Pine Mountain, Queensland – 31 May 1971 in St Kilda, Victoria, Australia) was a Queensland, Victorian and Australian cricketer.

Bert Ironmonger Bert Ironmonger The finger spinner without his spinning finger

He was the youngest of ten children of a farmer. As a child, he lost the forefinger of his left hand (his bowling hand) in an industrial accident.

A grandstand at the Junction Oval in St Kilda, Melbourne bears his name.

He only made his first-class debut for Queensland at the age of 27, moving to Victoria in 1914, and his Test debut came at 46. He played Test cricket until the age of 50, and first-class cricket until the age of 53. He is the fourth-oldest Test debutant, and the second-oldest Test player, records which are unlikely to be broken.

Unsurprisingly because of his age, his Test career spanned only 14 matches, during which he took 74 wickets at an average of 17.97. In that time though he achieved some outstanding results.

A hat-trick against MCC in 1924–25

11 wickets for 79 runs against the West Indies in Melbourne in 1930–31

9 wickets for 89 runs against South Africa in Brisbane in 1931–32

11 wickets for 24 against South Africa in Melbourne in 1931–32

He took a total of 31 wickets in the 1931–32 South African series

Bert Ironmonger also set the record for becoming the oldest test cricketer to take his maiden five wicket haul as well as 6fer ,7fer in a test innings at the age of 48 years and 312 days. He was also the oldest ever test cricketer to take 5 wicket haul as well as a 6fer in an innings of a test match at the age of 49 years and 311 days. He too set the record for becoming the oldest test cricketer to take 10 wickets in a test match at the age of 49 years and 311 days.

References

Bert Ironmonger Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA