AB has revealed his Parkinson's disease diagnosis.

I noted that many people have wondered about this when watching him on television in recent times.

I noted that many people have wondered about this when watching him on television in recent times.


Allan Border reveals battle with Parkinson’s disease
One of Australia’s greatest ever cricketers Allan Border has revealed he is battling a deadly disease, but the former Test skipper says he doesn’t want anyone to feel sorry for him.

June 30, 2023 - 9:50PM


Allan Border, among the greatest captains to lead the Australian men’s cricket team, has revealed he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

In an emotional article penned by Fox Sports’ executive director in The Australian, Border disclosed he was informed of his Parkinson’s seven years ago.

“I get the feeling I’m a hell of a lot better off than most,” Border said. “At the moment I’m not scared, not about the immediate future anyway. I’m 68. If I make 80 that’ll be a miracle.”

He continued: “No way am I going to get another 100, that’s for sure. I’ll just slip slowly into the west.”

Border represented Australia in 156 Tests and 273 one-day internationals in a decorated 15-year career. After inheriting the captaincy from Kim Hughes, Border led Australia from a period of hardship to an era of triumph, highlighted by breakthrough victories at the 1987 World Cup and 1989 Ashes.

Cricketing legend Allan Border is battling Parkinson’s disease. Picture David Clark
Cricketing legend Allan Border is battling Parkinson’s disease. Picture David Clark
Since his retirement from international cricket in 1994, Border has served in a number of roles including as a long-serving member of the Fox Sports’ commentary team.

Viewers took to social media on several occasions last summer to express concerns for Border’s health. He was also absent from the Australian Cricket Awards in January due to illness. His wife Jane presented Steve Smith with the Allan Border Medal.


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“I walked into the neurosurgeon’s and he said straight up, ‘I’m sorry to tell you but you’ve got Parkinson’s’,” Border told The Australian about his diagnosis in March, 2016.

“‘Just the way you walked in’, he said, ‘Your arms straight down by your side, hanging not swinging.’ He could just tell.”

Border added: “I’m a pretty private person. And I didn’t want people to feel sorry for me.”

Originally published as Allan Border reveals battle with Parkinson’s disease

Ironic that you posted this link twice ...

Sad for Allan. Hopefully he does not have more extensive features.

Sad indeed.

And - more selfishly - never happy to see anyone at all reduced by age and ailments, let alone a famous gritty fighter.

Hang in, AB, you legend.

Michael J Fox shows you can live with this disease.

All the best AB, hasn’t been a good few years for Aussie cricket legends.

Can’t believe a player who I actually witnessed half of his career can be 67…

skully wrote:Hang in, AB, you legend.

Michael J Fox shows you can live with this disease.

The mind also turns to Linda Ronstadt, Billy Connolly, Muhammed Ali ...

Personally, it's a bit close to home. Hard to watch.

Norfolk Ian Goode wrote:All the best AB, hasn’t been a good few years for Aussie cricket legends.

Can’t believe a player who I actually witnessed half of his career can be 67…

Aye beams. He's only a few years older than me. I used to marvel at the fact that a man of his stature close-ish to my generation could stand up and succeed against the might of the Windies. I was a useful A-grade opener, but could not imagine facing the fire that AB did. And he'll always be a God to me for dragging Aus out of the mid-80s mire.

And this is very sad - "If I make 80 that’ll be a miracle.”

lardbucket wrote:

skully wrote:Hang in, AB, you legend.

Michael J Fox shows you can live with this disease.

The mind also turns to Linda Ronstadt, Billy Connolly, Muhammed Ali ...

Personally, it's a bit close to home.  Hard to watch.

Sorry to hear it, Mrbucket.

skully wrote:

Norfolk Ian Goode wrote:All the best AB, hasn’t been a good few years for Aussie cricket legends.

Can’t believe a player who I actually witnessed half of his career can be 67…

Aye beams. He's only a few years older than me. I used to marvel at the fact that a man of his stature close-ish to my generation could stand up and succeed against the might of the Windies.

Has made me think about who the oldest player I actually saw play live is (including on TV, not necessarily at the ground). Looked up the first Test I watched, and appears it was Jeff Thomson’s last one, he’s nearly 73 now. Definitely saw Eddie Hemmings (now 74) play for Notts.

Among blokes that are still with us, 88 year old Lance Gibbs is the oldest I've found so far that I saw play.

Fred Nerk wrote:Among blokes that are still with us, 88 year old Lance Gibbs is the oldest I've found so far that I saw play.

Love Lance.

Mike MJK Smith, who was recalled for the first few Tests of 1972 Ashes, taking a brilliant catch on the boundary to an IC hook and top-scoring in the second innings of Massie's Match, turned 90 a week or so ago

Fred Nerk wrote:Mike MJK Smith, who was recalled for the first few Tests of 1972 Ashes, taking a brilliant catch on the boundary to an IC hook and top-scoring in the second innings of Massie's Match, turned 90 a week or so ago

Saw him and son Neil (also a Warwickshire captain and England ODI player) at a charity sports quiz in Warwick a few years ago.

Oldest living Test cricketers that I’ve seen play, live: Lance Gibbs and Khalid Ibadulla

Oldest living Test cricketers that I’ve seen play, live: Jackie Hendriks, Chandu Borde, Lance Gibbs, Ken Eastwood.

I thought I had seen Jack Alabaster play but maybe I was confusing him with his brother.

I'm assuming horrie saw RNH.

Gren Alabaster didn’t play Tests ... weird, I thought he had too. Must have just seen him in tour games.

You would have seen Jack play in 67-8 NZ tour game, probably. Is Rusi Surti still around?

Rusi died in 2013.

Yes. I thought I had seen Jack in 67/68 but he didn't play against Queensland. Unless they televised part of the match against South Australia which is the only FC game he played.

Did you see Gavin Stevens play, perhaps? Still going at 91 ...

WideWally wrote:Oldest living Test cricketers that I’ve seen play, live: Jackie Hendriks, Chandu Borde, Lance Gibbs, Ken Eastwood.

I thought I had seen Jack Alabaster play but maybe I was confusing him with his brother.

I'm assuming horrie saw RNH.

Ran across Ken a few times down the years. He’s a really nice bloke with a dry sense of humour. Absolutely revered Bill Lawry.

Gavin Stevens never played another FC match after contracting hepatitis when touring the sub-continent in 1959/60. I'm not sure if I had heard of cricket back then.

Ken was a very fine Shield batsman.

... and a canny spin bowler at test level.

WideWally wrote:Gavin Stevens never played another FC match after contracting hepatitis when touring the sub-continent in 1959/60. I'm not sure if I had heard of cricket back then.

Read about Stevens at some stage. Don’t remember him playing.

Around that time I had a primary school teacher called Dave Stevens. Dave was a great middle distance runner who was known as the Flying Milkman as he augmented his training by delivering milk in the mornings. He was a mad lefty who gave up teaching after he burned down a primary school building that had been condemned and several kids had injured themselves playing in the building. He was not charged as the Education Dept. as they were acutely embarrassed.

Dave ended up moving to Verona to learn how to make violins and other stringed instruments. An acquaintance has a cello he made.