{{short description|West Indian cricketer (born 1948)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}} {{Infobox cricketer | name = Nolan Clarke | image = | country = Netherlands | fullname = Nolan Ewatt Clarke | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1948|6|22|df=yes}} | birth_place = Saint Michael, Barbados | batting = Right-handed | bowling = Legbreak googly | role = Batsman | international = true | odidebutdate = 17 February | odidebutyear = 1996 | odidebutagainst = New Zealand | odicap = 4 | lastodidate = 5 March | lastodiyear = 1996 | lastodiagainst = South Africa | columns = 3 | column1 = ODI | matches1 = 5 | runs1 = 50 | bat avg1 = 10.00 | 100s/50s1 = 0/0 | top score1 = 32 | deliveries1 = – | wickets1 = – | bowl avg1 = – | fivefor1 = – | tenfor1 = – | best bowling1 = – | catches/stumpings1 = 3/– | column2 = FC | matches2 = 26 | runs2 = 1,331 | bat avg2 = 31.69 | 100s/50s2 = 2/6 | top score2 = 159 | deliveries2 = 60 | wickets2 = 0 | bowl avg2 = – | fivefor2 = – | tenfor2 = – | best bowling2 = – | catches/stumpings2 = 27/– | column3 = LA | matches3 = 8 | runs3 = 185 | bat avg3 = 23.12 | 100s/50s3 = 0/1 | top score3 = 86 | deliveries3 = 54 | wickets3 = 2 | bowl avg3 = 17.50 | fivefor3 = 0 | tenfor3 = 0 | best bowling3 = 2/35 | catches/stumpings3 = 4/– | date = 14 May | year = 2017 | source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/netherlands/content/player/24875.html ESPNcricinfo }}
'''Nolan Ewatt Clarke''' (born 22 June 1948) is a Barbados-born Dutch former cricketer. A big-hitting right-handed batsman, Clarke played five One Day Internationals for the Netherlands in the 1996 Cricket World Cup. At the age of 47, he was the oldest cricketer to play in the World Cup.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/27101025/was-jason-behrendorff-five-first-world-cup-match-lords |title=Was Jason Behrendorff's five-for the first in a World Cup match at Lord's? |work=ESPN Cricinfo |accessdate=5 July 2019}}</ref> He once topped the six hitting tally in the Hong Kong Sixes, a tournament that included Brian Lara.
==Education== Clarke was educated at St Michael's parish, the same school that West Indian cricketers Vanburn Holder and David Murray went to.{{fact|date=October 2023}}
==Domestic career== He represented Barbados in first-class cricket from 1970 until 1978 and played 26 games for them in total. His highest first-class score of 159 was against Mike Denness's touring England side in 1973–74.<ref>{{cite web |title=Barbados v England XI, 28 February, 1,2,3 March 1974 |url=https://i.imgci.com/db/ARCHIVE/1970S/1973-74/ENG_IN_WI/ENG_BDOS_28FEB-03MAR1974.html |website=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=22 November 2024}}</ref>
He then began coaching in the Netherlands and played for Quick Haag before moving to Sparta 1888 in Rotterdam. His score of 265 not out for Quick against Bloemendaal in 1990 remains the highest score ever made in Dutch domestic cricket.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://cricketeurope4.net/CSTATZ/nedHKoverall/NHKhome.htm |title=Archived copy |access-date=2014-09-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303213118/http://cricketeurope4.net/CSTATZ/nedHKoverall/NHKhome.htm |archive-date=2016-03-03 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In 1995, he made 86 for the Netherlands in a NatWest Trophy game against Northamptonshire.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hodgson |first1=Derek |title=Dutch feel force of Fordham |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/dutch-feel-force-of-fordham-1588766.html |access-date=22 November 2024 |work=The Independent |date=27 June 1995}}</ref>
==International career== When the Netherlands qualified for the 1996 World Cup, Clarke was heavily influential in getting them there, having made 121 not out against Bermuda in a crucial 1994 ICC Trophy play-off match.{{fact|date=October 2023}}
Clarke played in all five of the Netherlands' World Cup matches as an opening batsman, though he scored only 50 runs at an average of 10. He did, however, achieve two records: in the first match he became, at the age of 47 years and 240 days, both the oldest One Day International debutant and player in history.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/359404.html |title=Help the aged |publisher=EXPNcricinfo |accessdate=11 March 2017}}</ref> He beat the previous record for oldest debutant, held by England's Norman Gifford, by almost three years,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283461.html |title=Records / One-Day Internationals / Oldest players on debut |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |accessdate=23 September 2007}}</ref> and the previous record for oldest player, held by Zimbabwe's John Traicos, by almost two years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283723.html |title=Records / One-Day Internationals / Oldest players |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |accessdate=23 September 2007}}</ref>
In 2005 Clarke returned to cricket at the age of 56 to play for VVV Amsterdam in the Hoofdklasse and after a gap of six years, he hit 782 runs. He also aired trenchant opinions on the state of cricket in the Netherlands.<ref name="CricketEurope">{{cite web|url=http://www.cricketeurope4.net/DATABASE/ARTICLES/articles/000022/002212.shtml|title=Taking on the bowling - and the Establishment|last=Lyall|first=Rod|date=27 February 2006|work=CricketEurope|accessdate=12 September 2013}}</ref>
Clarke has retired from playing, but remains active as a coach in the Dutch youth programme.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cricketeurope4.net/DATABASE/ARTICLES2/articles/000030/003031.shtml|title=Sparta, VVV face a Hoofdklasse battle|last=Lyall|first=Rod|date=26 March 2008|work=CricketEurope|accessdate=12 September 2013|archive-date=3 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303223428/http://www.cricketeurope4.net/DATABASE/ARTICLES2/articles/000030/003031.shtml|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{ESPNcricinfo|id=24875}}
{{Netherlands Squad 1996 Cricket World Cup}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clarke, Nolan}} Category:1948 births Category:Living people Category:Dutch cricketers Category:Netherlands One Day International cricketers Category:Barbados cricketers Category:Free State cricketers Category:Dutch people of Barbadian descent Category:Cricketers from Saint Michael, Barbados Category:Barbadian cricketers Category:Dutch cricket coaches