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15 Facts About John Traicos

1.

Athanasios John Traicos was born on 17 May 1947 and is a former cricketer who represented South Africa and Zimbabwe at international level.

2.

John Traicos was primarily an off spin bowler, and one of a small number of cricketers to have played at the highest level for more than one country.

3.

John Traicos is of Greek descent, his father having been born in Lemnos, Greece and his maternal grandmother in Kalymnos.

4.

John Traicos's wife, Annette Kileff, is a well established artist whose clients have included the late Richard Attenborough and Hollywood actor Denzel Washington.

5.

John Traicos's elder daughter Chloe is an actress, and screenwriter and his younger daughter Catherine is a singer-songwriter.

6.

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.

7.

John Traicos represented the South African Universities team on two more occasions before making his Rhodesia debut on 27 January 1968.

8.

John Traicos made his Test match debut for South Africa against Australia at Durban in February 1970 while still a student, having been selected at the request of the South African captain Ali Bacher.

9.

John Traicos took four catches and three wickets in his debut Test.

10.

John Traicos continued to play for Rhodesia, and after the country was renamed in 1980 represented Zimbabwe in the 1982,1986 and 1990 ICC Trophy tournaments.

11.

John Traicos played for Zimbabwe in the 1983 Cricket World Cup, and was an important part of the side which inflicted a shock defeat on Australia.

12.

John Traicos captained the side for Zimbabwe's six matches at the 1987 World Cup, and played at the 1992 World Cup.

13.

Zimbabwe were raised to Test status in 1992, and John Traicos was selected for the country's inaugural Test match, at Harare Sports Club against India.

14.

John Traicos 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.

15.

John Traicos 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.