John Traicos
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Zimbabwe (ZIM) |
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 |
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| Batting style | Right-handed batsman (RHB) | |
|---|---|---|
| Bowling type | Right arm off-break (OB) | |
| Tests | ODIs | |
| Matches | 7 | 27 |
| Runs scored | 19 | 88 |
| Batting average | 3.16 | 11.00 |
| 100s/50s | 0/0 | 0/0 |
| Top score | 5* | 19 |
| Overs bowled | 268.3 | 254 |
| Wickets | 18 | 19 |
| Bowling average | 42.72 | 51.94 |
| 5 wickets in innings | 1 | 0 |
| 10 wickets in match | 0 | n/a |
| Best bowling | 5/86 | 3/35 |
| Catches/stumpings | 8/0 | 3/0 |
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As of 26 May 2005 |
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Off-spinner Athanasios John Traicos (born 17 May 1947 in Zagazig, Egypt) is one of the small number of cricketers to have played at the highest level for more than one country.
Traicos grew up in South Africa, and made his Test match debut for the South African cricket team against Australia at Durban in February 1970. However, after his three appearances in this series, South Africa were banned from international cricket because of apartheid. Traicos spent many years with Rhodesia, at that time part of the South African domestic cricket setup, and later with independent Zimbabwe, for whom he appeared in the 1982, 1986 and 1990 ICC Trophies.
In 1992, when Zimbabwe were raised to Test status, Traicos was selected for the country's first match at that level, a record 22 years and 222 days since his previous Test appearance, and repaid the selectors' decision with his best Test bowling figures of 5-86. He played three more Tests for Zimbabwe, and his final appearance came at the age of 45 years and 304 days, making him the oldest Test player since Miran Bux 38 years earlier, and the twelfth oldest of all time. He would have been even further up the list had he been available for selection for the following year's tour of Pakistan, but Traicos' business commitments prevented this.
In 1997 Traicos and his family moved to Australia as a result of political instability in Zimbabwe.
