Chris Old
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| Chris Old | ||||
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 England |
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| Personal information | ||||
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| Batting style | Left-hand bat | |||
| Bowling style | Right-arm fast-medium | |||
| Career statistics | ||||
| Tests | ODIs | |||
| Matches | 46 | 32 | ||
| Runs scored | 845 | 338 | ||
| Batting average | 14.82 | 18.77 | ||
| 100s/50s | 0/2 | 0/1 | ||
| Top score | 65 | 51* | ||
| Balls bowled | 8858 | 1755 | ||
| Wickets | 143 | 45 | ||
| Bowling average | 28.11 | 22.19 | ||
| 5 wickets in innings | 4 | 0 | ||
| 10 wickets in match | 0 | n/a | ||
| Best bowling | 7/50 | 4/8 | ||
| Catches/stumpings | 22/- | 8/- | ||
Christopher Middleton Old (born 22 December 1948 in Middlesbrough, Yorkshire) is a former English cricketer who played in 46 Tests and 32 ODIs from 1972 to 1981.
Chris Old played first class cricket for 20 years between 1966 and 1985 and was a regular member of the England side for a decade. A skillful and accurate right arm swing bowler and powerful late order left handed hitter, he was once described by his England Captain Mike Brearley as a talent to rival Ian Botham. He won his Yorkshire cap in 1969 and was named as the Cricket Writer's Club Young Cricketer of the Year in 1970. Despite being a fine natural athlete, standing 6 feet 3 inches and possessing a glorious natural sideways on action, his career was hampered by regular injury problems and his tendency to fall prey to 'niggles' in his back and legs became legendary in the game.
"Chilly" played county cricket for his native Yorkshire, making his debut at 17, and captained the county in 1981 and 1982 before moving on to Warwickshire towards the end of his illustrious career when also appeared for Northern Transvaal in South Africa.
Although best remembered as a bowler supreme in English conditions, he thrashed the third fastest Century of all time at Edgbaston in 1977 with 100 runs from 72 balls in 37 minutes and the final 50 taking just 9 minutes. This feat won him the Walter Lawrence Trophy for the fastest century of the year. In 379 first class matches he took 1070 first class wickets at the remarkable average of 23.48 and scored 7756 first class runs with 6 centuries.
He famously took four wickets in five balls on the opening day of the Test Match against Pakistan at Edgbaston on the first of June 1978, the wicketless third ball of the series being a no ball. Bowling at pace from the City End, the second ball of his 19th over was top edged by Wasim Raja to keeper Bob Taylor before his third ball nipped back though the gate to remove Wasim Bari's off stump. Old's fourth ball, the no-ball, was edged by Iqbal Qasim into the ground but Qasim nicked a late outswinger to the keeper off the next legitimate delivery before Sikander Bakht found the safe hands of Graham Roope at second slip. Old thus equalled the record of four wickets in five balls set by Maurice Allom on his Test debut at Christchurch in 1929-30, a feat which has since been repeated by Pakistan's Wasim Akram.
Often remembered as one of Ian Botham's partners at the wicket during the memorable Headingley Ashes game of 1981, he also took the key wicket of Allan Border for 0 in the Australian 2nd innings. It was his second last test match. He was the only England cricketer to play in both Centenary Test Matches against Australia and was one of Wisden's five cricketers of the year in 1979. Chris Old turned down an invitation from Tony Greig to play in Kerry Packer's rebel World Series Cricket, fearing the withdrawal of the traditional benefit season offered by Yorkshire C.C.
After struggling to cope with retirement for several years Chris now runs his thriving 'Clipper Restaurant' in Praa Sands, Cornwall with his second wife Letitia. In addition to his successful business, he coaches a local club in Falmouth, tutors cricket coaching courses and took charge of Cornwall U-17s in 2001.
His brother, Alan Old, is a former England rugby union international who briefly played alongside his brother for Yorkshire.
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