Ben Hollioake - Definition and Overview

Benjamin Caine Hollioake (11 November 1977 - 23 March 2002) was an all rounder for the England cricket team. He was born in Melbourne, Australia, and moved to England as a boy, along with his older brother Adam.

The Hollioakes were both signed by Surrey County Cricket Club, and were selected for England's one day international side, Adam first in 1996 and Ben in 1997. They made their Test debuts together, in the fifth match of the 1997 Ashes series, but a loss in that match meant Ben lost his place in the team, and was relegated to England A for the winter tours. He played one more Test match, against Sri Lanka the following summer, and drifted in and out of the one day team, but never quite established himself as first choice all rounder, although he remained a popular player.

Ben Hollioake died in 2002 in Perth, Australia, when he crashed his Porsche into a wall on his way home from a family dinner. His death at the age of 24 years 132 days was the youngest of any England Test cricketer.