Age is just a number if you have the intent to play a sport. The same stands true in the case of Alex Steele, an 83-year-old former Scottish cricketer who nowadays plays with an oxygen cylinder on his back. In a video that has taken several social media platforms by storm and has numerous cricket fans buzzing, Steele can be seen performing wicketkeeping duties with an oxygen cylinder on his back.
Even at the age of 83, Steele's reflexes haven't slowed down much. The video shows him standing up to the stumps to a right-arm medium pacer and collecting wides down the leg side without breaking much sweat. Anticipating that the ball was drifting down the leg side, Steele made a swift move towards his left and safely gloved the delivery to make sure that his side didn't concede any unwanted extras.
Steele, a former first-class wicketkeeper-batter from Scotland, made his debut back in 1967. He played 14 games (first-class) during his career and aggregated 621 runs at an average of 24.84 with his willow. He had two memorable outings with his bat as he scored two fifties, with an individual best of 97.
While shouldering his responsibilities as a wicketkeeper, Steele grabbed 11 catches and affected two stumpings. His first-class career spanned close to 13 years and came to a halt in 1980.
Steele's love for the sport recognises no boundaries and the same can be understood by taking into consideration that the 83-year-old has been suffering from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a terminal respiratory disease, since 2020 as per several reports. But his love for the game doesn't seem to die down anytime soon.
When a disease like idiopathic pulmonary couldn't lower the spirits of Steele, it looks highly unlikely that his growing age will hold him back from following his passion.
