Gordon Frederick Rorke (27 June 1938 – 5 July 2025) was an Australian cricketer who played in four

Test matches Test match in some sports refers to a sporting contest between national representative teams and may refer to: * Test cricket * Indoor cricket, Test match (indoor cricket) * Test match (rugby union) * Test match (rugby league) * Test match (associa ...

in 1959.

Biography

Rorke made his Test debut in January 1959 in the Fourth Test of

The Ashes The Ashes is a Test cricket series played biennially between England and Australia. The term originated in a satirical obituary published in a British newspaper, '' The Sporting Times'', immediately after Australia's 1882 victory at The Oval, ...

series against

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. It was an impressive debut, taking 3/23 off 18.1 eight-ball overs in the first innings (including the wickets of

Colin Cowdrey Michael Colin Cowdrey, Baron Cowdrey of Tonbridge, (24 December 1932 – 4 December 2000) was an English cricketer who played for Kent County Cricket Club from 1950 to 1976, and in 114 Test matches for England from 1954 to 1975. He was born i ...

for 84,

Tom Graveney Thomas William Graveney (16 June 1927 – 3 November 2015) was an English first-class cricketer, representing his country in 79 Test matches and scoring over 4,800 runs. In a career lasting from 1948 to 1972, he became the 15th player to scor ...

and Willie Watson) and 2/70 from 34 overs in the second innings. Rorke claimed three wickets in the Fifth Test at

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a fortnight later and was selected to tour

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and

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the following year. A six-foot-five-inch (or 1.96 m) "Blond Giant", Rorke was the fastest Australian bowler at the time and was accused of throwing by the English press, but this paled beside his dragging. With his seven-foot stride, if dragging his rear foot, a yard over the crease he could be only eighteen yards from the batsman when he finally delivered the ball. At times, he seemed impossible to score from. Frith, p. 437.

Fred Trueman Frederick Sewards Trueman, (6 February 1931 – 1 July 2006) was an English cricketer who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and the England cricket team. He had professional status and later became an author and broadcaster. Acknowled ...

was no balled for dragging his foot a couple of inches over the crease and wrote "It was really annoying as this umpire seemed to allow Gordon Rorke to bowl with both his feet over the front line!" One picture showed him with his rear foot past the bowling crease before he had even begun to drag.

joked "I was frightened that he might tread on my toes". Rorke did not play

in the opening three Tests of the 1959–60 tour but was selected when

Ray Lindwall Raymond Russell Lindwall (3 October 1921 – 23 June 1996) was an Australian cricketer who represented Australia in 61 Tests from 1946 to 1960. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. He also played top-flight ...

withdrew from the opening Test against

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. Rorke played little role in the following Test at

Kanpur Kanpur (Hindustani language, Hindustani: ), originally named Kanhapur and formerly anglicized as Cawnpore, is the second largest city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Uttar Pradesh after Lucknow. It was the primary ...

, bowling only two overs before being forced to retire ill. His situation became so grave he was flown back to Australia for medical treatment. Following this illness, Rorke struggled in first-class cricket, eventually losing his place in the

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squad in 1964. After the end of his playing career, he had three knee replacements. He and his wife had four children and 11 grandchildren. Rorke died at Arcare Aged Care at Warriewood, New South Wales on 5 July 2025, at the age of 87.

References

Sources

* Brown, A. (1988) ''The Pictorial History of Cricket'', Bison Books: London. * Frith, D. (1987) ''Pageant of Cricket'', The MacMillan Company of Australia: South Melbourne. . * Trueman, F. (2005) ''As It Was'', Pan Books: London. . * Tyson, F. (1982) ''The Cricketer Who Laughed'', Stanley Paul: London. . * Willis, B. & Murphy, P. (1986) ''Starting with Grace'', Stanley Paul: London.

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Rorke, Gordon 1938 births 2025 deaths Australia Test cricketers New South Wales cricketers Australian cricketers Cricketers from Sydney 20th-century Australian sportsmen