OTD in 1965 | Birth of Zimbabwe Test wicketkeeper Wayne James 

When Zimbabwean cricket was witnessing its surge, the name Wayne James was lost due to the presence of one Andy Flower. Despite a brief international career the former Zimbabwean player was considered to be a domestic giant with the bat and behind the stumps. 

Born on the 27th of August in 1965, Wayne James played a total of 4 Test matches and 11 ODI matches for his national side. The presence of Andy Flower and later the emergence of Tatenda Taibu made sure that Wayne James never got his due recognition. 

His first-class career though had much better results with 40 games in the longer format and 36 matches in the List A format. By the time he retired from the sport, Wayne James was only 31 and now his son Brandon James is aiming to make a step up to the game. 

Wayne James: Zimbabwean talent who never got his due

Cricket can be a cruel sport as it can deny many players the chances they duly deserve. Wayne James is one such name as he couldn’t make it big time in Zimbabwean cricket before retiring at the age of 31. 

Wayne James made his debut in 1993 during the tour of Pakistan in Lahore. James picked 2 catches in the first innings and scored 8 with the bat before falling to Waqar Younis. The match ended in a draw which denied Wayne James a chance to bat for the second time. 

His final Test appearance was much like his debut game where he pouched two catches against Sri Lanka. In the only innings Zimbabwe got to bat, Wayne James scored a mere 2 with the bat. 

Before his final innings, Wayne James created a world record as he effected 9 dismissals in a single innings while playing for Mashonaland versus Matabelefield. In the same game, he became the only batter in the history of cricket to score 99 runs in each innings of the game. 

This was sadly the last time Wayne James took to the field before his career ended a few weeks later. Since his retirement James has dabbled in coaching and also been a national selector for his side before he was asked to quit in 2019. 

Also read: OTD | 1930, Birth of West Indies batter Joe Solomon