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Cricketers who have excelled at other Sports..

Zinzan

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A while ago, I found a great long list on the net of cricketers who have excelled at others sports. I since can't seem to find it. Pretty sure it was under misc trivia somewhere on cricinfo, but it seems to have disappeared.

I can only think of a few Cricketers that played other sports at the top level....

Ian Botham - top level soccer Scalbarough united (i think)
Jeff Wilson - All black (rugby)
Martin Donnelly (NZ cricket) played rugby for England
Phil Horne (nz opener) Badminton (commonwealth games)
Steve + Mark Waugh - soccer (don't know who for)
Chris Cairns (NZ secondary schools Rugby)
Viv Richard (soccer??)
Andrew Symonds (rugby league?)
J.Oram (soccer??)
Fanie Devillers (athletics??)

I'm sure there's tons more...I'd been keen to get a list together, so any contributions would be appreciated.

Can we please keep it to cricketers who have actually EXCELLED or played at a high level as opposed to someone who turned out for the "Cornwall under 8s soccer team" :)
 

SJS

Hall of Fame Member
zinzan12 said:
A while ago, I found a great long list on the net of cricketers who have excelled at others sports. I since can't seem to find it. Pretty sure it was under misc trivia somewhere on cricinfo, but it seems to have disappeared.

I can only think of a few Cricketers that played other sports at the top level....

Ian Botham - top level soccer Scalbarough united (i think)
Jeff Wilson - All black (rugby)
Martin Donnelly (NZ cricket) played rugby for England
Phil Horne (nz opener) Badminton (commonwealth games)
Steve + Mark Waugh - soccer (don't know who for)
Chris Cairns (NZ secondary schools Rugby)
Viv Richard (soccer??)
Andrew Symonds (rugby league?)
J.Oram (soccer??)
Fanie Devillers (athletics??)

I'm sure there's tons more...I'd been keen to get a list together, so any contributions would be appreciated.

Can we please keep it to cricketers who have actually EXCELLED or played at a high level as opposed to someone who turned out for the "Cornwall under 8s soccer team" :)
Murali at javellin throw :p

Kidding.

CB Fry : He played Association Football for England against Ireland in 1901; he was at full-back for Southampton in the FA Cup Final of 1902; and he put up a world’s long jump record of 23 ft. 5in. in 1892 which stood for twenty-one years !!!! :-O
 

membersstand

State Vice-Captain
SJS said:
Murali at javellin throw :p

Kidding.

CB Fry : He played Association Football for England against Ireland in 1901; he was at full-back for Southampton in the FA Cup Final of 1902; and he put up a world’s long jump record of 23 ft. 5in. in 1892 which stood for twenty-one years !!!! :-O
LOL (no-one heard me laugh did they?)
 

SJS

Hall of Fame Member
Dennis Compton :In September he made his Football League debut for Arsenal on the left wing against Derby County, scored the opening goal in a 2-2 draw, and was called the success of the afternoon by the Daily Express. Soon he was being marked out as a future England footballer
 

Zinzan

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SJS said:
Dennis Compton :In September he made his Football League debut for Arsenal on the left wing against Derby County, scored the opening goal in a 2-2 draw, and was called the success of the afternoon by the Daily Express. Soon he was being marked out as a future England footballer
Nice one. I'd forgot about Compton. Quite a ladiesman too from all reports.
 

Marius

International Debutant
Peter Kirsten - Rugby (played for an invitation team against the British lions)
Hansie Cronje - Rugby (junior provincial colours)
Darryl Cullinan - Rugby (junior provincial colours)
Gary Kirsten - tennis
Kepler Wessels - tennis
Errol Stewart - played rugby for Natal
Dave Callaghan - played rugby for Eastern Province
Mark Boucher - provincial squash player
Nantie Hayward - baseball
Jonty Rhodes - hockey (nearly made SA team for Atlanta olympics)
Thami Tsolekile - hockey
Herschelle Gibbs - soccer, rugby (when Gibbs was a schoolboy, it was said that he could play for SA in any of those three sports, lucky for us cricket fans he chose our game)
Jimmy Cook - played professional soccer
 

Scallywag

Banned
zinzan12 said:
Top level though??
Charlesworth is a former captain of the Australian hockey team which was the worlds top team. I think he played in the olympics and I know he coached the womens team at the olympics as well as being a doctor. He is also a high performance coach for a football team and a mentor for other coaches at the Australian institute for sports coaches.

I have only heard the commentators refer to Border playing baseball


Ponting has a Handicap of 1 in golf and I believe has had the option of turning professional.
 

Zinzan

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Scallywag said:
Charlesworth is a former captain of the Australian hockey team which was the worlds top team. I think he played in the olympics and I know he coached the womens team at the olympics as well as being a doctor. He is also a high performance coach for a football team and a mentor for other coaches at the Australian institute for sports coaches.

I have only heard the commentators refer to Border playing baseball


Ponting has a Handicap of 1 in golf and I believe has had the option of turning professional.
Nice work..Charlesworth and. We will dump border though. Be good to know more about Pontings golf exploits. Whether he's played in any big amature golf tords or not
 

SJS

Hall of Fame Member
Mr Casson said:
Serious !!

He was a champ at 440 yards(400 mtrs) race and 20 hurdles (dont know what distance that represents. And won lots and lots of races.

So good was he at hurdles that once he chased a thief when someone raised an alarm snd was hurdling over hedges and garden gates and was such a threatening site that the thief turned and surrendered himself to the cops who were panting in their wake ! :p
 

FaaipDeOiad

Hall of Fame Member
SJS said:
Dennis Compton :In September he made his Football League debut for Arsenal on the left wing against Derby County, scored the opening goal in a 2-2 draw, and was called the success of the afternoon by the Daily Express. Soon he was being marked out as a future England footballer
Not only that, but he played in an FA cup victory with Arsenal, and, by all reports, starred.
 

SJS

Hall of Fame Member
He was endowed by nature with a splendid physique as well as with powers of self-restraint and determination. At the acme of his career he stood full 6 ft. 2 in. (1.88m), being powerfully proportioned, loose yet strong of limb.

A non-smoker, and very moderate in all matters, he kept himself in condition all year round, shooting, hunting or running with the beagles as soon as the cricket season was over.

He was also a fine runner, 440 yds. over 20 hurdles being his best distance; and it may be quoted as proof of his stamina that on 30 July 1866 he scored 224 not out for England v. Surrey, and two days later won a race in the National and Olympian Association meeting at the Crystal Palace.
 

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