Oldest triple centurions in First-Class cricket

Srikar Bharat of Andhra became the fifth-youngest Indian to score a triple century in First-Class cricket. On the occasion, Bharath Seervi lists the oldest triple centurions overall and for each country in First-Class cricket. Read: Youngest triple centurions in First-Class cricket

The highest score by a batsman at an age of more than 45 in Tests is 159 by Jack Hobbs; and the highest by a batsman at an age of more than 40 is 236 by Eric Rowan. Hence, there has been no Test triple century by anyone at the age of more than 40. Read: First wicketkeeper to score a triple century in Ranji Trophy

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But in First-Class cricket there have been four men who scored triple centuries after they turned 40. The oldest of all is WG Grace who scored a triple century at age of more than 48! He scored 301 for Gloucestershire against Sussex at Bristol on August 4, 1896 at the age of 48 years 17 days. The three others to do it at an age of more than 40 are Bobby Abel in 1899, Dave Nourse in 1920 and Patsy Hendren in 1933.

Oldest triple centurions in First-Class cricket

–          Among the top ten in the above list, two of them did it in a Test  — Andy Sandham (the first triple-centurion in Tests) and Graham Gooch (only Test triple-centurion at Lord’s).

–          Grace was the first ever batsman to score a triple century in First-Class cricket. He scored two triple centuries in a span of six days in 1896. His scored 344 on August 12 and 318 not out on August 18 and a 177 on August 15 in between those two innings.

–          Others to score triple-centuries after 36 are Bill Ashdown in 1935, Graeme Hick in 2002, Darren Lehmann in 2006, Justin Langer in 2007, Murray Goodwin in 2009 and Kumar Sangakkara in 2014.

–          Jimmy Cook made his test debut for South Africa in their second test match after readmission into International cricket in 1992 and he was duck out on the very first ball of the match against India at Durban.

Oldest First-Class triple centurions for each country

–          Among the above players, only Kumar Sangakkara scored it in a Test.

–          Raman Lamba did it on his 35th birthday.

–          Dave Nourse was born in England but played First-Class cricket in and Tests for South Africa.

–          Percy Tarilton was the first West Indian to score a triple century in First-Class cricket, in 1920. He is still the oldest from his country to do so.

–          This was Darren Lehmann’s second triple century. He had scored 301 not out in Sheffield Shield on November 15, 2005 at age of more than 35.

Bonus trivia:

Two batsmen have completed a triple century on their birthdays — Colin Cowdrey (MCC vs South Australia, 1962) on his 30th birthday and Lamba (Delhi vs Himachal Pradesh, 1995) on his 35th birthday.