John Traicos
Encyclopedia
Athanasios John Traicos is a former cricket
er who represented South Africa
and Zimbabwe
at international level. He was primarily an off spin
bowler, and is one of a small number of cricketers to have played at the highest level for more than one country.
Traicos was born in Zagazig, Egypt in 1947 where his father Tryphon worked in the family business. He is of Greek descent, his father having been born in Lemnos
, Greece and his maternal grandmother in Kalymnos
, also in Greece. In September 1948 the family moved to what was then Fort Victoria
in Southern Rhodesia
. As a child he was known as "Naso", a contraction of his name "Athanasios", but when he started university he adopted the name "John".
Traicos grew up in Rhodesia
and played for that country, which at the time was regarded as a "province" within the South African domestic cricket setup. While a student at the University of Natal
he benefited from being coached by Trevor Goddard
. He made his Test match
debut for the South African cricket team
against Australia at Durban
in February 1970. However, after his three appearances in this series, South Africa were banned from international cricket because of the apartheid regime.
Traicos continued to play for Zimbabwe after the country gained its independence, and appeared for them in the 1982, 1986 and 1990 ICC Trophy
tournaments. He also represented Zimbabwe in the 1983 Cricket World Cup
, and was an important part of the side which inflicted a shock defeat on Australia.
Zimbabwe were raised to Test status in 1992, and Traicos was selected for the country's inaugural Test match which took place in Harare
against India. This appearance came a record 22 years and 222 days since his previous Test appearance, and he repaid the selectors' decision with his best Test bowling figures of 5/86. He played three more Tests for Zimbabwe, and his final appearance came at the age of 45 years and 304 days, making him the oldest Test player since Miran Bux
38 years earlier, and the twelfth oldest of all time. He would have been even further up the list had he been available for selection for the following year's tour of Pakistan
, but Traicos' business commitments prevented this.
In 1997, Traicos and his family moved to Australia as a result of political instability in Zimbabwe and settled in Perth. His elder daughter Chloe is an actress, film director and screen writer and his younger daughter Catherine is an singer-songwriter.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er who represented South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
at international level. He was primarily an off spin
Off spin
Off spin is a type of bowling in the sport of cricket which is bowled by an off spinner, a right-handed spin bowler who uses his or her fingers and/or wrist to spin the ball from a right-handed batsman's off side to the leg side...
bowler, and is one of a small number of cricketers to have played at the highest level for more than one country.
Traicos was born in Zagazig, Egypt in 1947 where his father Tryphon worked in the family business. He is of Greek descent, his father having been born in Lemnos
Lemnos
Lemnos is an island of Greece in the northern part of the Aegean Sea. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within the Lemnos peripheral unit, which is part of the North Aegean Periphery. The principal town of the island and seat of the municipality is Myrina...
, Greece and his maternal grandmother in Kalymnos
Kalymnos
Kalymnos, is a Greek island and municipality in the southeastern Aegean Sea. It belongs to the Dodecanese and is located to the west of the peninsula of Bodrum , between the islands of Kos and Leros : the latter is linked to it through a series of islets...
, also in Greece. In September 1948 the family moved to what was then Fort Victoria
Fort Victoria
Fort Victoria may refer to:* Fort Victoria, Alberta, Canada* Fort Victoria , Canada* Fort Victoria * Fort Victoria , England* Masvingo, Zimbabwe, named Fort Victoria until 1982...
in Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia was the name of the British colony situated north of the Limpopo River and the Union of South Africa. From its independence in 1965 until its extinction in 1980, it was known as Rhodesia...
. As a child he was known as "Naso", a contraction of his name "Athanasios", but when he started university he adopted the name "John".
Traicos grew up in Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
and played for that country, which at the time was regarded as a "province" within the South African domestic cricket setup. While a student at the University of Natal
University of Natal
The University of Natal was a university in Natal, and later KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, that is now part of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. It was founded in 1910 as the Natal University College in Pietermaritzburg, and expanded to include a campus in Durban in 1931. In 1947, the university...
he benefited from being coached by Trevor Goddard
Trevor Goddard (cricketer)
Trevor Leslie Goddard is a former left-hand cricketer. An all-rounder, he played 41 Test matches for South Africa from 1955 to 1970, captaining them over the 1963-64 season and drawing an encounter with Australia. A left-handed, classically correct opening batsman, he was also a successful swing...
. He made his Test match
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
debut for the South African cricket team
South African cricket team
The South African national cricket team represent South Africa in international cricket. They are administrated by Cricket South Africa.South Africa is a full member of the International Cricket Council, also known as ICC, with Test and One Day International, or ODI, status...
against Australia at Durban
Sahara Stadium Kingsmead
Kingsmead is a cricket ground in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It operates under the sponsorship-based name of Sahara Stadium Kingsmead where Sahara is the trademark of a sponsor from the IT industry. Its stated capacity is 25,000, although grass terracing makes up part of the viewing area....
in February 1970. However, after his three appearances in this series, South Africa were banned from international cricket because of the apartheid regime.
Traicos continued to play for Zimbabwe after the country gained its independence, and appeared for them in the 1982, 1986 and 1990 ICC Trophy
ICC Trophy
The ICC World Cup Qualifier is an international one-day cricket tournament run under the auspices of the International Cricket Council. Any Associate or Affiliate member of the ICC may attempt to qualify for the ICC Trophy by means of a system of regional qualifying events. The test-playing Full...
tournaments. He also represented Zimbabwe in the 1983 Cricket World Cup
1983 Cricket World Cup
The 1983 ICC Cricket World Cup was the third edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup tournament. It was held from 9 June to 25 June 1983 in England and was won by India. Eight countries participated in the event. The preliminary matches were played in two groups of four teams each, and each...
, and was an important part of the side which inflicted a shock defeat on Australia.
Zimbabwe were raised to Test status in 1992, and Traicos was selected for the country's inaugural Test match which took place in Harare
Harare Sports Club
Harare Sports Club is a cricket ground in Harare, Zimbabwe. Initially known as Salisbury Sports Club, Harare Sports Club has served as the primary cricket venue in Rhodesia and Zimbabwe since its inception. The ground became a Test venue in October 1992 when Zimbabwe played their inaugural Test,...
against India. This appearance came a record 22 years and 222 days since his previous Test appearance, and he repaid the selectors' decision with his best Test bowling figures of 5/86. He played three more Tests for Zimbabwe, and his final appearance came at the age of 45 years and 304 days, making him the oldest Test player since Miran Bux
Miran Bux
Malik Miran Bux was a Pakistani cricketer who played in 2 Tests in 1955. He was almost 48 years old when he played his first Test, making him the second oldest Test debutant in the game's history....
38 years earlier, and the twelfth oldest of all time. He would have been even further up the list had he been available for selection for the following year's tour of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, but Traicos' business commitments prevented this.
In 1997, Traicos and his family moved to Australia as a result of political instability in Zimbabwe and settled in Perth. His elder daughter Chloe is an actress, film director and screen writer and his younger daughter Catherine is an singer-songwriter.
External links
- Player Profile: John Traicos from CricinfoCricinfoESPNcricinfo is believed to be the largest cricket-related website on the World Wide Web. Content includes news,articles, live scorecards,live text commentary and a comprehensive and searchable database called 'StatsGuru', of historical matches and players from the 18th century to the present...