11 international cricketers born on Christmas day

Jonhenry Wilson 25 Dec 2024

Alastair Cook was born on Christmas Day in 1984.

Several international cricketers of yesteryear were born on 25 December – Christmas day.

Find out more about these relatively famous birthdays.

There are a few Ashes cricketers among this select list.

1. Simon Jones

Simon Jones was born on 25 December, 1975. His career could have lasted a lot longer than 18 Tests, were it not for long-term injuries. Jones was an outstanding seam and swing bowler before fragile knees caught up with him.

2. Alastair Cook

Alastair Cook was born on 25 December, 1984. He grew up to captain England in Test cricket – and collected several famous Ashes wins over the old enemy, Australia. Cook was England’s leading run-scorer in Test cricket before Joe Root took over.

3. Marcus Trescothick

Marcus Trescothick was born on 25 December, 1975. He struck 14 centuries in 76 Tests for England. A gritty, left-handed opener, Trescothick moved into coaching with the national team after retiring from playing.

4. Azhar Saeed

Azhar Saeed was born on 25 December, 1970. He played first-class cricket in Pakistan before being capped seven times at ODI level by the United Arab Emirates.

5. Charlie Smith

Born on 25 December, 1872, Charlie Smith went on to play three Tests for South Africa. All were against Australia in 1902, when put in a few good starts but never converted beyond 45.

6. Walter Lees

Walter Lees came into this world on 25 December 1875. Three decades later, he debuted for England in Test cricket and added four more caps – all against South Africa – for a total of five.

7. Mohammad Ramzan

Mohammad Ramzan was born on 25 December, 1970. He only ever played one Test for Pakistan. He was an unknown named in that 1997 XI, which included big fish Waqar Younis, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mushtaq Ahmed and Saeed Anwar.

8. Tapash Baisya

Tapash Baisya was born on 25 December 1982. He eventually forged a five-year international career with Bangladesh, which comprised 21 Tests and 56 ODIs. A 10-year ban from the Bangladesh Cricket Board eventually ended his career.

9. Hedley Howarth

On 25 December, 1943, Hedley Howarth was born. He played 30 Tests for New Zealand from 1969 to 1997 – and too 86 wickets. His Test career started at the home of cricket, Lord’s, and ended at home in Auckland.

10. Clarrie Grimmett

One of Australia’s greatest leg-spinners, long before the emergence of Shane Warne, Clarrie Grimmett was born on 25 December, 1891. He took a remarkable 216 wickets in 37 Tests – this included seven match 10-fors.

11. Walter Cornford

Affectionately known as ‘Tich’, Walter Cornford was born on 25 December, 1900. He played four Tests for England in 1930. He was one of the shortest wicketkeepers in first-class cricket, standing at a little more than five feet.