Ron Draper, the oldest surviving Test cricketer, passed away at 98 years and 63 days in Gqeberha, his family informed us on Friday. Draper, a top-order batsman and occasional wicketkeeper who played two Tests for South Africa against Australia in 1950, is no more.
Following Draper’s passing, Australian cricket legend Neil Harvey, 96, is now the oldest surviving Test cricketer. Australia previously held this distinction twice in South Africa in the persons of Norman Gordon, who lived until 103 when he died in 2016, and John Watkins, who died at the age of 98 in 2021.
Born on December 24, 1926, Draper left an early impression with a century on his first-class debut for Eastern Province versus Orange Free State on his 19th birthday. His 86 against visiting Australians in 1949-50 earned him a place in the national team. But in his brief Test career, he managed to score only 25 runs in three innings. Harvey, aged 21 at that time, scored centuries in both matches.
Draper played first-class cricket through to the season of 1959-60, at an average of 41.64. His high point came arguably in the season of 1952-53 when he scored a century by lunchtime on the first day of his initial two matches.
He passed away on Tuesday at a retirement village in Gqeberha, his death confirmed on Friday by his son-in-law Neil Thomson. Draper will be remembered as a great batsman and one of the well-respected cricket personalities in the history of South African cricket.
