Name:

Oldfield, William A S

Nickname:

Bill, Cracker

Date of Birth:

09 Sep 1894

Gender:

Male

Place of Birth:

Alexandria, Sydney

Career:

Test: 1920 - 1937

Teams:

NSW (Regional)
Australia (Country)

1936 2nd Test: Nourse hits double ton against Aussies (J'borg)

Bill Oldfield: Fine wicketkeeper, central character in Bodyline series

Bill Oldfield was born in Alexandria, Sydney and educated nearby at Newtown and Cleveland Street, Surry Hills Superior Public Schools. He took an interest in playing cricket and became an all-rounder while attending Cleveland Street School. Later, at Glebe and then Gordon Cricket Clubs. He was small and wiry and switched to becoming a wicket keeper. He had quick reflexes and a wonderful technique.

Oldfield saw action in World War 1 and was severely injured on the front line in France in 1917. He was selected as wicket-keeper for the AIF cricket team that played 28 first class matches in Britain, South Africa and Australia in 1919. He was discharged from the army in March 1920 upon returning to Australia.

In 1922, Oldfield made his Test debut for Australia. After an uncertain start to his Test career, Oldfield established himself as Australia's automatic selection for wicket-keeper in the 1924-25 series against England. He missed only one other  Test in his career after that, that being the fourth Test of the 1932-33 Bodyline series. This was after he was knocked out by a Larwood bouncer during the acrimonious 3rd Test at Adelaide. He retired from Test cricket in 1938.

Oldfield played 54 Tests matches and effected 130 dismissals;78 catches and stumped 52. The 52 stumpings are a record for Test match cricket. In first-class cricket he played 245 matches, scoring 6,135 runs at an average of 23.77, and taking 399 catches and 263 stumpings.

He was named a Wisden Cricketer of the Year for 1927. In 1970, Oldfield was named in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List as a Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to cricket.

Oldfield died of natural causes at Killara, Sydney on 10 August 1976, aged 81 years.