Wisden’s all-time over-35 Test XI

Graham Gooch – England

52 matches, 4563 runs, Ave 48.54, HS 333, 100s 12

The all time leading run scorer for the over 35s, Gooch locks in his place at the top of the order. His 333 against India, still to this day England’s most recent triple century, came in the days following his 37th birthday.

Jack Hobbs – England

33 matches, 2945 runs, Ave 56.53, HS 211, 100s 10

Over half of Hobbs’ Tests came after he turned 35, with his career interrupted by World War One. Hobbs final Test century came at the age of 46 and he played is final Test at the age of 47 against Australia at The Oval in 1930. Known as “The Master”, Hobbs scored 199 first-class centuries in total.

Younis Khan – Pakistan

39 matches, 3534 runs, Ave 52.74, HS 218, 100s 14

No player as scored as many centuries after their 35th birthday as Younis Khan. His 14 hundreds puts him two clear of anyone else as he remained Pakistan’s talisman until he retired at the age of 39.

Clive Lloyd – West Indies

45 matches, 2921 runs, Ave 52.16, HS 161*, 100s 8

Like a fine wine, Lloyd got better with age. Up until his 35th birthday, Lloyd averaged 43.75 in Test cricket from 65 matches. In his final 45 games, he averaged 52.16.

Misbah-ul-Haq – Pakistan

63 matches, 4509 runs, Ave 47.46, HS 135, 100s 8

Misbah played the most Tests of anyone after their 35th birthday, representing Pakistan in Test cricket on 63 occasions. Misbah played effectively his whole career after turning 35, only playing for Pakistan 12 times beforehand.

Patsy Hendren – England

44 matches, 3189 runs, Ave 53.15, HS 205*, 100s 7

Hendren played 44 of his 51 Tests after the age of 35. A compatriot of Jack Hobbs, Hendren scored the third-most first-class runs in history, scoring 57,611 runs across a 30-year career. He is, behind Hobbs, the second oldest man to ever score a Test century.

Alec Stewart – England

58 matches, 3310 runs, Ave 37.19, HS 164, 100s 5

Of Stewart’s 58 Tests after turning 35, 53 came as wicketkeeper. Only Bob Taylor, also for England, can boast of having played more matches as wicketkeeper past the age of 35.

Shane Warne – Australia

33 matches, 181 wickets, Ave 24.66, 5-fors 18

No all-time XI is complete without the king and this one is no different. Warne edges out fellow Australian leggie Clarrie Grimmett who had an extraordinarily similar record between 1928-36, taking 192 wickets at 24.66. Warne gets the nod, however. Because, well, it’s Warne.

Rangana Herath – Sri Lanka

46 matches, 233 wickets, Ave 26.83, 5-fors 18

The only player to take more than 200 Test wickets after their 35th birthday. Herath’s career spanned 19 years but only really took off when Muralitharan’s retirement made him Sri Lanka’s go-to tweaker. Over half of his 433 Test wickets came after the age of 35.

James Anderson – England

48 matches, 178 wickets, Ave 21.56, 5-fors 10

48 matches and counting. Anderson seems incapable of slowing down even after turning 40 this year. His record has been nothing short of phenomenal since turning 35, taking his wickets at 21 apiece.

Sydney Barnes – England

18 matches, 139 wickets, Ave 14.80, 5-fors 18

Edging out Courtney Walsh (180 wickets at 21.61) is England’s Sydney Barnes, who between 1909-1914 dominated Test cricket, taking over 100 wickets at an average of just 14. Barnes is the oldest player to ever take 10 wickets in a match. A feat he achieved at 40 years and 301 days. A record that Anderson may well have his eye on.