Athanasios John Traicos (born 17 May 1947) is a former
cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...
er who represented
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
and
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and Mozam ...
at international level. He was primarily an
off spin
Off spin is a type of finger spin bowling in cricket. A bowler who uses this technique is called an off spinner. Off spinners are right-handed spin bowlers who use their fingers to spin the ball. Their normal delivery is an off break, which spi ...
bowler, and is one of a small number of cricketers to have played at the highest level for more than one country.
Personal life
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 or Limnos ( el, Λήμνος; grc, Λῆμνος) is a Greek island in the northern Aegean Sea. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within the Lemnos regional unit, which is part of the North Aegean region. The p ...
, Greece and his maternal grandmother in
Kalymnos
Kalymnos ( el, Κάλυμνος) is a Greek island and municipality in the southeastern Aegean Sea. It belongs to the Dodecanese island chain, between the islands of Kos (south, at a distance of ) and Leros (north, at a distance of less than ): ...
. In September 1948 the family moved to what was then
Fort Victoria in
Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia was a landlocked self-governing British Crown colony in southern Africa, established in 1923 and consisting of British South Africa Company (BSAC) territories lying south of the Zambezi River. The region was informally kn ...
. As a child he was known as "Naso", a contraction of his name "Athanasios", but when he started university he adopted the name "John".
In 1997, Traicos and his family moved to Australia as a result of political instability in Zimbabwe and settled in Perth. His wife, Annette Kileff, is a well established artist whose clients have included the late Richard Attenborough and Hollywood actor Denzel Washington.
https://www.annettekileff.com/
His elder daughter Chloe is an actress, and screenwriter and his younger daughter Catherine is a singer-songwriter.
Domestic career
Traicos grew up in
Rhodesia
Rhodesia (, ), officially from 1970 the Republic of Rhodesia, was an unrecognised state in Southern Africa from 1965 to 1979, equivalent in territory to modern Zimbabwe. Rhodesia was the ''de facto'' successor state to the British colony of S ...
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
The University of Natal was a university in the former South African province Natal which later became KwaZulu-Natal. The University of Natal no longer exists as a distinct legal entity, as it was incorporated into the University of KwaZulu-N ...
he benefited from being coached by
Trevor Goddard
Trevor Joseph Goddard (14 October 1962 – 7 June 2003) was an English actor. He was best known for playing Kano in the martial arts film ''Mortal Kombat'', Lieutenant Commander Mic Brumby in the television series '' JAG'' and main villain ...
making his first-class debut on 24 June 1967 when he represented
South African Universities against
Cambridge University
, mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts.
Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge.
, established =
, other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
, taking 5–54 in the first innings. He represented the South African Universities team on two more occasions before making his Rhodesia debut on 27 January 1968.
South African cricket
He made his
Test match Test match in some sports refers to a sporting contest between national representative teams and may refer to:
* Test cricket
* Test match (indoor cricket)
* Test match (rugby union)
* Test match (rugby league)
* Test match (association football)
...
debut for
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
against
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
at
Durban
Durban ( ) ( zu, eThekwini, from meaning 'the port' also called zu, eZibubulungwini for the mountain range that terminates in the area), nicknamed ''Durbs'',Ishani ChettyCity nicknames in SA and across the worldArticle on ''news24.com'' from ...
in February 1970 while still a student, having been selected at the request of the South African captain
Ali Bacher
Aron "Ali" Bacher (born 24 May 1942) is a former South African Test cricket captain and an administrator of the United Cricket Board of South Africa.
Personal life
Bacher was born in May 1942 in Roodepoort to Lithuanian- Jewish parents who emi ...
. He took four catches and three wickets in his debut Test. However, after his three appearances in this series, South Africa were banned from international cricket because of
apartheid
Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid was ...
.
Zimbabwean cricket
Traicos continued to play for Rhodesia, and after the country was renamed in 1980 represented
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and Mozam ...
in the 1982, 1986 and 1990
ICC Trophy tournaments. He also played for Zimbabwe in the
1983 Cricket World Cup, and was an important part of the side which inflicted a shock defeat on
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
. He captained the side for Zimbabwe's six matches at the
1987 World Cup, and also played at the
1992 World Cup.
Zimbabwe were raised to Test status in 1992, and Traicos was selected for the country's inaugural Test match, at
Harare Sports Club
Harare Sports Club is a sports club and the Harare Sports Club Ground is a cricket stadium in Harare, Zimbabwe. Founded in 1900 and known as Salisbury Sports Club until 1982, it is mostly used for cricket matches, and has served as the primary c ...
against
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. This appearance came a record 22 years and 222 days after 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
Malik Miran Bakhsh (20 April 1907 – 8 February 1991) was a Pakistani international cricketer who played in two Test matches in 1955. Known throughout his playing career as Miran Bux, he was aged 47 years and 284 days when he played his first Te ...
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 ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
, but Traicos' business commitments prevented this.
See also
*
List of Test cricketers born in non-Test playing nations
This is a list of Test cricket
Test cricket is a form of first-class cricket played at international level between teams representing full member countries of the International Cricket Council (ICC). A match consists of four innings (two pe ...
*
List of cricketers who have played for two international teams
As of January 2023, fifteen male players have played Test cricket for two nations, sixteen have played One Day International (ODI) cricket for two teams, and sixteen have played Twenty20 International (T20I) matches for two teams, and four have p ...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Traicos, John
1947 births
White Rhodesian people
White Zimbabwean sportspeople
Zimbabwean exiles
University of Natal alumni
Cricketers at the 1983 Cricket World Cup
Cricketers at the 1987 Cricket World Cup
Cricketers at the 1992 Cricket World Cup
Dual international cricketers
Sportspeople from Masvingo
Living people
Mashonaland cricketers
People from Zagazig
Rhodesia cricketers
South African cricketers
South African Universities cricketers
South Africa Test cricketers
Zimbabwean cricketers
Zimbabwean emigrants to Australia
Zimbabwean ODI captains
Rhodesian people of Greek descent
Zimbabwean people of Greek descent
Zimbabwe One Day International cricketers
Zimbabwe Test cricketers