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England Cricket has produced some exceptional wicket-keeper batsmen over the years, with several achieving the feat of scoring a Test century at a very young age.
Here are the 5 youngest wicket-keepers to score a Test century for England:
5. Ollie Pope
Ollie Pope, the Surrey keeper-batsman, scored his maiden Test century against Pakistan in Rawalpindi in 2022 at the age of 24 years and 333 days. Pope has gone on to cement his place in the England middle-order, with his elegant batting style and solid glovework.
4. Alan Knott
Alan Knott, one of England’s greatest ever wicket-keepers, scored his first Test ton against New Zealand in 1971 at the age of 24 years and 330 days. Knott went on to play 95 Tests for England, holding the record for most dismissals by an England keeper with 269.
3. Les Ames
Kent’s Les Ames scored his maiden Test century against West Indies in Kingston in 1930 at the age of 24 years and 121 days. Ames was a pioneer of the wicket-keeper batsman role, revolutionizing the position with his attacking batting style. He finished his career with 3,056 Test runs at an average of 40.56.
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2. Les Ames
Ames makes the list again, scoring his second Test ton against West Indies in Port of Spain 1930 at the age of just 24 years and 60 days. Ames was a dominant force in the 1930s, holding the record for most dismissals by an England keeper until Alan Knott surpassed him.
1. Jamie Smith
The youngest wicket-keeper to score a Test century for England is Jamie Smith, who achieved the feat against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on August 23 at the age of 24 years and 40 days. Smith, the Surrey gloveman, announced himself on the international stage with a mature, 111 in only his fourth Test match.
These five players demonstrate the rich history of talented wicket-keeper batsmen in the England set-up. Scoring a Test century at such a young age is a testament to their skill and temperament. The future looks bright for England’s wicket-keeping stocks with the likes of Pope and Smith leading the way.
