Steve Rhodes
A dependable wicket-keeper and gritty batsman for Worcestershire who later stepped into the global spotlight as a national team coach.
Born 1964 (age 62)·Former English cricketer·Birthday: June 17·Baby Boomers
Biography
Steve Rhodes's story is one of quiet county loyalty followed by a high-pressure international coaching career. For nearly two decades, he was the bedrock of Worcestershire cricket, a wicket-keeper of safe hands and a batsman known for pugnacious, lower-order runs that often rescued his side. His playing days were defined by consistency rather than flashy headlines, embodying the professional county cricketer's grind. This deep, practical understanding of the game's daily demands formed the foundation for his second act. After moving into coaching at Worcestershire, he was appointed head coach of the Bangladesh national team in 2018. His tenure saw the Tigers achieve historic milestones, most notably their first-ever multi-format series victory over Australia in 2021. Rhodes brought a methodical, disciplined approach to a talented but inconsistent side, helping to solidify their credentials as formidable opponents at home.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Steve was born in 1964, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Steve Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Steve's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
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
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
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
1994Turned 30
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 40
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 62 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played over 400 first-class matches for Worcestershire, scoring over 11,000 runs and claiming over 1,000 dismissals as wicket-keeper.
- As head coach, guided Bangladesh to their first-ever Test match victory over Australia in 2017 (though he was appointed later, the team built on this momentum).
- Led Bangladesh to a historic ODI series victory over the West Indies in 2018, a clean sweep on Caribbean soil.
- Was part of the Worcestershire team that won the County Championship in 1988 and the Sunday League in 1987.
Did You Know?
He once scored a century and claimed ten wicket-keeping dismissals in the same first-class match, a rare 'double' feat.
His son, George Rhodes, also became a professional cricketer and played for Worcestershire.
He served as a national selector for the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) after his playing career ended.
He briefly played Australian grade cricket for Northern Districts in South Australia during the English off-season.
“My gloves were for catching the ball, not for waving at the crowd.”
