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John Watkins performed in 15 Checks between 1949/50 and 1956/57.© Twitter
John Watkins, who had been the world’s oldest dwelling Take a look at cricketer, has died in Durban on the age of 98, Cricket South Africa (CSA) introduced on Monday. His loss of life leaves fellow South African Ron Draper, 95, because the oldest surviving Take a look at participant, whereas Australian Neil Harvey, 92, is believed to be the one participant nonetheless alive who performed Take a look at cricket within the Forties. Draper performed his solely two Checks, in opposition to Australia, within the early Nineteen Fifties. Watkins was a forceful right-hand batsman, correct away-swing bowler and a effective slip fielder, who performed in 15 Checks between 1949/50 and 1956/57 regardless of being unavailable for excursions of England in 1951 and 1955 attributable to enterprise causes.
He made his highest Take a look at rating of 92, in addition to 50 within the second innings, when South Africa beat Australia within the fifth Take a look at in Melbourne within the 1952/53 season.
The win enabled the underdog vacationers to share the sequence, a efficiency credited to the excellent fielding and health of a workforce led by Jack Cheetham.
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Earlier than making his first-class cricket debut, Watkins skilled as a Spitfire pilot with the South African Air Pressure throughout World Warfare 11 earlier than being consigned to air site visitors management due to color blindness.
In line with CSA, Watkins had been in failing well being earlier than contracting coronavirus 10 days earlier than his loss of life final Friday.
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