Harold Gibbons (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
Harold Harry Ian Haywood Gibbons (8 October 1904 - 16 February 1973), sometimes known as "Doc" Gibbons, was an English
cricketer
: a right-handed opening batsman and occasional right-arm bowler who was the first man to win a county cap for Worcestershire
, as well as a reliable fielder in the deep.
Gibbons made his first-class
debut for Worcestershire against the touring New Zealanders
at New Road
in June 1927, making 19 and 17, and taking 2-27 in the first innings, which was to remain his best bowling. He retained his place for the rest of the season, but did not set the world alight. However, the next year
was another matter, as he scored four hundreds, including an unbeaten 200 against the West Indians in July. In this year, he was capped by his county: the first cap Worcestershire had awarded.
He continued to play a key role for his county up until the Second World War, forging a very useful opening partnership with Cyril Walters
in the early 1930s. Most years Gibbons averaged
in the thirties, and in 1933
he passed 2,000 runs in a season for the first time, but in 1934
he had the best summer of his career, scoring 2,654 runs at 52.03 with eight centuries; this remains the highest season's aggregate for the county.
Indeed, a purple patch in late May and early June of that year produced successive scores of 93, 7, 88, 104, 157, 70*
, 100 and 129.
Never again did Gibbons quite reach the heights of 1934, although he did pass 2,000 runs once more, when averaging 43.26 in 1938
. The following year he recorded his career-best innings when he hit 212 not out against Northamptonshire
, but the Second World War intervened, and though he returned to play three matches for Worcestershire in 1946
, he was not a success and his career came to an end.
Gibbons scored first-class hundreds against all the other counties with the single exception of Somerset
. Nevertheless, he was never capped by England
, and had to content himself with appearances for the Players
and the North of England
, both in 1928
, as well as a benefit season
ten years later.
He died in Worcester
at the age of 68.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
cricketer
Cricketer
A cricketer is a person who plays the sport of cricket. Official and long-established cricket publications prefer the traditional word "cricketer" over the rarely used term "cricket player"....
: a right-handed opening batsman and occasional right-arm bowler who was the first man to win a county cap for Worcestershire
Worcestershire County Cricket Club
Worcestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Worcestershire...
, as well as a reliable fielder in the deep.
Gibbons made his first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
debut for Worcestershire against the touring New Zealanders
New Zealand cricket team
The New Zealand cricket team, nicknamed the Black Caps, are the national cricket team representing New Zealand. They played their first in 1930 against England in Christchurch, New Zealand, becoming the fifth country to play Test cricket. It took the team until 1955–56 to win a Test, against the...
at New Road
New Road, Worcester
New Road, Worcester, England, has been the home cricket ground of Worcestershire County Cricket Club since 1896. Immediately to the northwest is a road called New Road, part of the A44, hence the name.- Overview :...
in June 1927, making 19 and 17, and taking 2-27 in the first innings, which was to remain his best bowling. He retained his place for the rest of the season, but did not set the world alight. However, the next year
1928 English cricket season
The 1928 English cricket season was notable for the first Test series in England by a West Indies team.-Honours:*County Championship - Lancashire*Minor Counties Championship - Berkshire...
was another matter, as he scored four hundreds, including an unbeaten 200 against the West Indians in July. In this year, he was capped by his county: the first cap Worcestershire had awarded.
He continued to play a key role for his county up until the Second World War, forging a very useful opening partnership with Cyril Walters
Cyril Walters
Cyril Frederick Walters was a Welsh cricketer who had most of his success after leaving Glamorgan to do duty as captain-secretary of Worcestershire. In this role he developed his batting to such an extent that for a brief period he became an England regular and even captained them in one match as...
in the early 1930s. Most years Gibbons averaged
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
in the thirties, and in 1933
1933 English cricket season
In the 1933 English cricket season, Yorkshire's dominance continued with a third successive championship.-Honours:*County Championship - Yorkshire*Minor Counties Championship - undecided...
he passed 2,000 runs in a season for the first time, but in 1934
1934 English cricket season
The 1934 English cricket season saw England lose the Ashes they had won via Bodyline in 1932-3, with Don Bradman again the crucial difference between two very strong teams.-Honours:*County Championship - Lancashire...
he had the best summer of his career, scoring 2,654 runs at 52.03 with eight centuries; this remains the highest season's aggregate for the county.
Indeed, a purple patch in late May and early June of that year produced successive scores of 93, 7, 88, 104, 157, 70*
Not out
In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress...
, 100 and 129.
Never again did Gibbons quite reach the heights of 1934, although he did pass 2,000 runs once more, when averaging 43.26 in 1938
1938 English cricket season
The 1938 English cricket season was notable for England's remarkable total at The Oval with Len Hutton contributing a record 364.-Honours:*County Championship - Yorkshire*Minor Counties Championship - Buckinghamshire...
. The following year he recorded his career-best innings when he hit 212 not out against Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire County Cricket Club
Northamptonshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Northamptonshire. Its limited overs team is called the Northants Steelbacks. The traditional club colour is Maroon. During the...
, but the Second World War intervened, and though he returned to play three matches for Worcestershire in 1946
1946 English cricket season
The 1946 English cricket season was the first full season of first-class cricket to be played in England after World War II. It featured a three-match Test series between England and India, which was arranged at short notice...
, he was not a success and his career came to an end.
Gibbons scored first-class hundreds against all the other counties with the single exception of Somerset
Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Somerset...
. Nevertheless, he was never capped by England
English cricket team
The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...
, and had to content himself with appearances for the Players
Gentlemen v Players
The Gentlemen v Players game was a first-class cricket match that was generally played on an annual basis between one team consisting of amateurs and one of professionals . The first two games took place in 1806 but the fixture was not revived until 1819. It was more or less annual thereafter...
and the North of England
North of England cricket team
The North of England appeared in first-class cricket between 1836 and 1961, most often in the showcase North v. South matches against the South of England although there were also games against touring teams, MCC and others....
, both in 1928
1928 English cricket season
The 1928 English cricket season was notable for the first Test series in England by a West Indies team.-Honours:*County Championship - Lancashire*Minor Counties Championship - Berkshire...
, as well as a benefit season
Benefit season
A benefit season is a method of financially rewarding professional cricketers that is used by English county cricket teams to compensate long serving players....
ten years later.
He died in Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
at the age of 68.
External links
- Statistical summary from CricketArchiveCricketArchiveCricketArchive is a website that aims to provide a comprehensive archive of records relating to the sport of cricket. It claims to be the most comprehensive cricket database on the internet, including scorecards for all matches of first-class cricket , List A cricket , Women's Test cricket and...