Alan Thomas Burgess (1 May 1920 – 6 January 2021) was a New Zealand cricketer who played first-class cricket for Canterbury from 1940 to 1952. He was a tank driver in World War II. From June 2020 to January 2021, Burgess was the world's oldest living first-class cricketer.[1]
Burgess attended Phillipstown School in Christchurch before becoming an apprentice upholsterer.[4][3] In his first first-class match in December 1940 Burgess played as a bowler,[5] taking 6 for 52 and 3 for 51 with his left-arm spin against Otago.[6] Later that season he batted as high as number seven, scoring 61 not out against Wellington.[7]
He joined the New Zealand Army when he turned 21 in 1941, and was soon posted overseas.[4] He served in Egypt and Italy as a tank driver in the 20th Armoured Regiment.[8] He fought in the Battle of Monte Cassino in 1944.[9][2] After the war ended in Europe he toured England with the New Zealand Services team from July to September 1945, playing as a batsman. He made another score of 61 not out in the only first-class match.[10]
In nine matches for Canterbury between 1945–46 and 1951–52, Burgess's top score was 42 against Auckland in 1950–51, when he put on 105 for the first wicket with Ray Emery.[11]
Burgess ran his own upholstery business in Christchurch. He was married twice, and had three children. He lived in Rangiora.[2] He became New Zealand's oldest living first-class cricketer when Tom Pritchard died in August 2017.[12]
Burgess celebrated his 100th birthday in May 2020.[13] On 13 June 2020, following the death of Vasant Raiji, Burgess became the oldest living first-class cricketer.[14][15] He died in Rangiora on 6 January 2021 at the age of 100.[16][17] Following Burgess' death, India's Raghunath Chandorkar became the oldest living first-class cricketer,[18] and Iain Gallaway became New Zealand's oldest living first-class cricketer.[19]
