James Franklin (cricketer)
A versatile New Zealand all-rounder whose left-arm swing bowling and gritty batting provided crucial balance across a decade of international cricket.
Born 1980 (age 46)·New Zealand cricketer·Birthday: November 7·Generation X
Biography
James Franklin carved out an 11-year international career for New Zealand as the ultimate utility player. A tall, left-handed presence, he offered the Black Caps two valuable skills: tidy, left-arm medium-pace bowling that could swing the new ball, and a stubborn, lower-order batting technique that often rescued innings. His Test debut in 2001 hinted at his dual value, but it was in the one-day arena where he often shone brightest, providing the team with essential balance. Franklin's journey was one of adaptability, moving up and down the batting order and bowling at various stages of an innings as team needs dictated. He was part of New Zealand's squad for multiple World Cups and witnessed the team's transition through several eras. After his international career, he became a globe-trotting T20 professional, featuring in leagues from the Caribbean to England, before moving seamlessly into coaching, bringing his wealth of experience to guide the next generation of cricketers.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
James was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When James Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
James's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Turned 30
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played 31 Test matches and 110 One Day Internationals for New Zealand between 2001 and 2013.
- Was a member of New Zealand's squads for the 2007 and 2011 ICC Cricket World Cups.
- Scored a Test century against South Africa in 2007, batting at number eight.
Did You Know?
He bowled the final over in a famous tied ODI against India in 2014, defending 18 runs.
Franklin played county cricket in England for Glamorgan, Middlesex, and Nottinghamshire.
He served as the bowling coach for the Welsh Fire in The Hundred competition in 2023.
“My job was to swing the new ball and then scrap for runs when the top order failed.”
