Oldest international cricketer: England-born grandmother breaks record after T20 debut for Gibraltar

A grandmother of three plans to “play as long as possible” after recently becoming the oldest ever international cricketer.

Wicketkeeper Sally Barton made her debut in Gibraltar’s second T20 international against Estonia, external at the age of 66 and 334 days.

“The words ‘too old’ just aren’t in my vocabulary,” Barton told BBC Sport.

“I never thought I would play international cricket in my sixties, but it goes to show that you should not let anyone tell you it is time to stop playing sport.”

Barton eclipsed the previous record for an International Cricket Council (ICC) sanctioned match which was held by Portugal’s Akbar Saiyad.

Mozambique-born Saiyad was 66 years and 12 days when he played a T20 for the Portuguese against Finland in 2012.

The three-match series between ICC Associate members Gibraltar and Estonia – won 3-0 by the former – was the first time the British Overseas Territory had played a women’s T20 international.

Barton is nearly three decades older than Gibraltar’s next most senior player with some members of the team still teenagers.

“We play on an artificial pitch in Gibraltar so the bounce can make wicketkeeping tricky at times, but I’ve developed my unique style,” she said.

“I might not be as fast as I used to be, but my endurance and everything is still there. My overriding memory of my debut, though, is the efforts of my team-mates to get that win.”

Barton did not bat in the match at the Europa Sports Complex – which Gibraltar won convincingly by 128 runs – but performed solidly behind the stumps.

Seven of the 10 Estonian wickets to fall were out lbw, two bowled and one run out which deprived Barton of a catch or stumping but she conceded just a solitary bye.

London-born Barton credits her parents – from Yorkshire and Lancashire – and her twin brother for fostering an early interest in cricket.

Growing up in Ilford she played for Essex at junior level and kept wicket for Nottingham University men’s 3rd XI during her student days.

Barton moved to Gibraltar in 2020 after her husband Ian Tarrant, an Anglican priest, was appointed Dean of Gibraltar and she began playing regularly in the men’s domestic league on ‘The Rock’.

She also keeps herself fit by playing football, badminton, cycling and walking but does have one secret to her longevity.

“Two squares of dark chocolate,” added Barton, who lectured in mathematics at London School of Economics before retiring shortly after the pandemic.

“I think it’s good for the brain, good for the heart and actually keeps the weight off because you’re not tempted to nibble on anything else.”

Barton eclipsed the previous T20 women’s record set by Guernsey’s Philippa Stahelin (62 years and 28 days) versus Jersey last year.

The men’s T20 record is also held by Gibraltarian – Christian Rocca was 57 years and 67 days old when he played against Romania in 2022.

Barton was also the oldest debutant for either gender in T20s, beating Osman Goker who was 59 years 181 days old when he appeared for Turkey’s men against Romania in 2019.

England’s Wilfred Rhodes (52 years and 156 days v West Indies in 1930) and New Zealand’s Phyllis Blackler (47 years and 54 days v England in 1966) hold the records for the oldest Test male and female cricketers respectively.

In one-day internationals Nolan Clarke was 47 years and 257 days old when he played for the Netherlands’ men against South Africa in 1996.

West Indies’ Stephanie Power was 46 years and 355 days old when she played a women’s ODI against South Africa in 2005.

The ICC granted T20 international status to all matches between its members in 2018 (women’s) and 2019 (men’s).

Nearly all players and officials towards the lower end of Associate cricket are unpaid amateurs.

Neither Gibraltar nor Estonia have played a sufficient number of women’s T20s to be included in the ICC rankings.

Source: CricViz.