Humphrey Gilbert (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
Humphrey Adam Gilbert was an India
n-born English
cricketer
who played 118 first-class
matches. All of these were in England,
with the majority for Worcestershire
and Oxford University
.
Very much a specialist bowler, his Wisden
obituary commented that "His qualities as a batsman [could] be gauged from the fact that in his five innings against Cambridge he scored one run."
He was nicknamed Barmy Gilbert.
Gilbert was born in Malabar Hill
, Bombay (now Mumbai
), but was educated in England, at Charterhouse
, before going on to Oxford.
He made his first-class debut for Oxford against Lancashire
at the Christ Church
ground in May 1907, taking the single wicket of Harry Dean.
A little later in the summer, he took what was to remain a career-best innings haul of 8-48 against MCC
at The University Parks.
Gilbert maintained his place in the Oxford side throughout that and the following two seasons, winning his Blue in each year and topping Oxford's bowling averages in 1908 and 1909.
He twice took six wickets in an innings in the University Match
against Cambridge
at Lord's
: in 1907 he took 6-36, while two years later he claimed 6-52.
While still at Oxford, he also made the first of his four appearances in the Gentlemen v Players
match, and in this game — at The Oval
in July 1908 — he took 3-43 and 6-112 to help the Gentlemen to a six-wicket victory.
Also, in May 1909, he claimed innings figures of 8-71 for his university against the touring Australians,
and as a result was put on standby for the first Test
at Edgbaston
, although he was not in the end called upon to play.
After coming down from Oxford at the end of 1909, Gilbert concentrated on his career as a barrister
and played only a handful of matches each season up until the First World War. These games came for the likes of MCC, Free Foresters and Gentlemen of England, though he also made a single (and unsuccessful) appearance for Minor Counties against the South Africans in 1912. On the resumption of first-class cricket in 1919, Gilbert played a few more games for such teams, but he made no appearances at all the following season.
In 1921, Gilbert made his county cricket
debut with Worcestershire, and played a considerable number of games for the county in that and the following summer. Apart from one game for MCC against Oxford in 1921, and one for Free Foresters against Cambridge in 1922, all his matches during this period were for Worcestershire.
He enjoyed considerable success, taking 84 first-class wickets at 24.54
and 85 first-class wickets at 28.55 in the respective years,
with a best bowling performance of 7-60 for Worcestershire against Nottinghamshire
at Worcester
in August 1921.
Gilbert captained the county against Derbyshire
at the same venue a year later.
He played a few further games for Worcestershire in 1923 and turned out just once in 1924, after which he was entirely absent from first-class cricket for four years.
He returned in 1928, continuing with Worcestershire, and played a large proportion of the 1929 season, but he was not a particular success and only twice took more than three wickets in an innings.
He made one last first-class appearance in the spring of 1930, when he endured a grim farewell against the Australians: Worcestershire were crushed by an innings and 165 runs as Bradman hit 236 — his first century in England — while Gilbert bowled only four overs, which disappeared for 30. With the bat he was bowled
for nought in his first innings and was absent hurt in the second.
Gilbert died in Bishopstone
, Herefordshire
at the age of 74.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n-born English
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"....
who played 118 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...
matches. All of these were in England,
with the majority 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...
and Oxford University
Oxford University Cricket Club
Oxford University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team, representing the University of Oxford. It plays its home games at the University Parks in Oxford, England...
.
Very much a specialist bowler, his Wisden
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
obituary commented that "His qualities as a batsman [could] be gauged from the fact that in his five innings against Cambridge he scored one run."
He was nicknamed Barmy Gilbert.
Gilbert was born in Malabar Hill
Malabar Hill
Malabar Hill, a hillock in southern Mumbai , India is an extremely upmarket residential area, most known for the Walkeshwar Temple which houses the Banganga Tank. Situated at a height of 50 metres Malabar Hill, a hillock in southern Mumbai (formerly Bombay), India is an extremely upmarket...
, Bombay (now Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
), but was educated in England, at Charterhouse
Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
, before going on to Oxford.
He made his first-class debut for Oxford against Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
at the Christ Church
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
ground in May 1907, taking the single wicket of Harry Dean.
A little later in the summer, he took what was to remain a career-best innings haul of 8-48 against MCC
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
at The University Parks.
Gilbert maintained his place in the Oxford side throughout that and the following two seasons, winning his Blue in each year and topping Oxford's bowling averages in 1908 and 1909.
He twice took six wickets in an innings in the University Match
The University Match (cricket)
The University Match in a cricketing context is generally understood to refer to the annual fixture between Oxford University Cricket Club and Cambridge University Cricket Club...
against Cambridge
Cambridge University Cricket Club
Cambridge University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team. It now plays all but one of its first-class cricket matches as part of the Cambridge University Centre of Cricketing Excellence , which includes Anglia Ruskin University...
at Lord's
Lord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board , the European Cricket Council and, until August 2005, the...
: in 1907 he took 6-36, while two years later he claimed 6-52.
While still at Oxford, he also made the first of his four appearances in the Gentlemen v 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...
match, and in this game — at The Oval
The Oval
The Kia Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of The Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth. In the past it was also sometimes called the Kennington Oval...
in July 1908 — he took 3-43 and 6-112 to help the Gentlemen to a six-wicket victory.
The result in cricket
The result in a game of cricket may be a win for one of the two teams playing, a draw or a tie. In the case of a limited overs game, the game can also end with no result...
Also, in May 1909, he claimed innings figures of 8-71 for his university against the touring Australians,
and as a result was put on standby for the first Test
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
at Edgbaston
Edgbaston Cricket Ground
Edgbaston Cricket Ground, also known as the County Ground or Edgbaston Stadium, is a cricket ground in the Edgbaston area of Birmingham, England...
, although he was not in the end called upon to play.
After coming down from Oxford at the end of 1909, Gilbert concentrated on his career as a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
and played only a handful of matches each season up until the First World War. These games came for the likes of MCC, Free Foresters and Gentlemen of England, though he also made a single (and unsuccessful) appearance for Minor Counties against the South Africans in 1912. On the resumption of first-class cricket in 1919, Gilbert played a few more games for such teams, but he made no appearances at all the following season.
In 1921, Gilbert made his county cricket
County cricket
County cricket is the highest level of domestic cricket in England and Wales. For the 2010 season, see 2010 English cricket season.-First-class counties:...
debut with Worcestershire, and played a considerable number of games for the county in that and the following summer. Apart from one game for MCC against Oxford in 1921, and one for Free Foresters against Cambridge in 1922, all his matches during this period were for Worcestershire.
He enjoyed considerable success, taking 84 first-class wickets at 24.54
Bowling average
Bowling average is a statistic measuring the performance of bowlers in the sport of cricket.A bowler's bowling average is defined as the total number of runs conceded by the bowlers divided by the number of wickets taken by the bowler, so the lower the average the better. It is similar to earned...
and 85 first-class wickets at 28.55 in the respective years,
with a best bowling performance of 7-60 for Worcestershire against Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club
Nottinghamshire 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 Nottinghamshire, and the current county champions. Its limited overs team is called the Nottinghamshire Outlaws...
at Worcester
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 August 1921.
Gilbert captained the county against Derbyshire
Derbyshire County Cricket Club
Derbyshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the England and Wales domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Derbyshire...
at the same venue a year later.
He played a few further games for Worcestershire in 1923 and turned out just once in 1924, after which he was entirely absent from first-class cricket for four years.
He returned in 1928, continuing with Worcestershire, and played a large proportion of the 1929 season, but he was not a particular success and only twice took more than three wickets in an innings.
He made one last first-class appearance in the spring of 1930, when he endured a grim farewell against the Australians: Worcestershire were crushed by an innings and 165 runs as Bradman hit 236 — his first century in England — while Gilbert bowled only four overs, which disappeared for 30. With the bat he was bowled
Bowled
Bowled is a method of dismissing a batsman in the sport of cricket. This method of dismissal is covered by Law 30 of the Laws of cricket.A batsman is out bowled if his wicket is put down by a ball delivered by the bowler...
for nought in his first innings and was absent hurt in the second.
Gilbert died in Bishopstone
Bishopstone, Herefordshire
Bishopstone is a village and civil parish in Herefordshire, England, west of Hereford, near the River Wye and the roman town of Magnis. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 199....
, Herefordshire
Herefordshire
Herefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the...
at the age of 74.
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...