Bert Sutcliffe’s career in numbers

Bert Sutcliffe can be considered one of the most unlucky players in the history of cricket as he never tasted a victory in Test cricket during his 18-year career. The New Zealander appeared in 42 Test matches for his country between 1947 and 1965 but couldn’t fulfil his dream of rejoicing a victory. At the first-class level, Sutcliffe had rich success as he scored runs everywhere he played and finished with 17447 runs in his 233-match career.

On occasion of Bert Sutcliffe’s 94th birthday anniversary, we look at the numbers and stats from his career

2 – Number of 350+ scores he has to his name in FC cricket. He is one of the four players with two scores of 350+ FC scores. He scored 385 and 355 for Otago in Plunkett Shield competition. Sir Donald Bradman, Bill Ponsford and Brian Lara all have three 350+ scores in this format.

41y 108d – At the age of 41 years and 108 days, Sutcliffe scored 151* against India in 1965. Thus he became the oldest centurion for New Zealand and the only player to score a century for them after turning 40.

41y 191d – Sutcliffe is the 2nd oldest cricketer to represent New Zealand in a Test match in fact in any International game. He played his last Test in May 1965 against England. Jack Alabaster played his last Test in 1972 against Pakistan at the age of 41 years and 242 days.

42 – Number of Test appearances he made in his career. These are the most for any player without being a part of a win. His 2727 runs and five centuries in Test cricket are also the most for any player who never won a Test. Sutcliffe was a part of 23 losses and 19 drawn Tests.

54.71 – His batting average of 54.71 in Plunkett Shield is the highest for any player with over 6000 runs. Sutcliffe scored 6894 runs in 139 innings with 18 centuries and 34 fifties.

230* – Bert Sutcliffe’s 230* against India in Delhi in 1955 was only the 2nd Test double hundred for New Zealand after Martin Donnelly’s 206 in 1949. Sutcliffe was the 1st Kiwis opener to post a double ton in Test.

385 – Sutcliffe’s 385 in 1952/53 against Canterbury is the highest individual first-class innings on New Zealand soil. His 355 in 1949/50 against Auckland stands at the 2nd spot on the list. He is the only player to score more than one triple hundred in FC cricket in New Zealand.

611 – His 611 runs during the India series in 1955/56 season are the 2nd most runs for a New Zealand player in a Test series. Glenn Turner made 672 runs in West Indies in 1971/92.