Oldest Test match captain (male)

William Gilbert (W.G.) Grace (UK, b. 18 July 1848, d. 23 October 1915) was 50 years 320 days old when he captained England on his Test swansong, playing against Australia at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, UK, on 1-3 June 1899. Described as “the most famous cricketer of them all”, the iconic, larger-than-life all-rounder – complete with bushy beard – played 22 Test matches for England (1880-99), all against Australia, but he cemented his place in cricketing folklore with a first-class career that realised 54,211 runs and 2,809 wickets between 1865 and 1908.

Grace made 152 on his Test debut against Australia (the second-highest hundred and the seventh-highest score ever on Test debut), opening the England innings with his brother Edward, who made 36 in a first-wicket partnership of 91.