Gilbert Jessop

Infobox Historic Cricketer


nationality = English
country = England
country abbrev = Eng
name = Gilbert Jessop
picture = Cricket_no_pic.pngbatting style = Right-handed batsman
bowling style = Right-arm fast
tests = 18
test runs = 569
test bat avg = 21.88
test 100s/50s = 1/3
test top score = 104
test balls = 732
test wickets = 10
test bowl avg = 35.39
test 5s = -
test 10s = -
test best bowling = 4/68
test catches/stumpings = 11/-
FCs = 493
FC runs = 26,698
FC bat avg = 32.63
FC 100s/50s = 53/127
FC top score = 286
FC balls = 42,442
FC wickets = 873
FC bowl avg = 22.79
FC 5s = 41
FC 10s = 4
FC best bowling = 8/29
FC catches/stumpings = 463/-
debut date = 15 June
debut year = 1889
last date = 10 July
last year = 1912
source = http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/england/content/player/15509.html

Gilbert Laird Jessop (May 19, 1874, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire – May 11, 1955, Fordington, Dorset) was an English cricket player, often reckoned to have been the fastest run-scorer cricket has ever known. Wisden Cricketer of the Year, 1898.

Nicknamed "The Croucher" because of his unusual hunched stance at the crease and though a stocky build at 5'7" and 11 stone, Jessop was amazingly quick on his feet and would often charge to hit and drive fast bowlers like Tom Richardson or Arthur Mold. A powerful driver, fierce cutter and hooker but could also play delicate late glances and late cuts. H.S. Altham: "No cricketer that has ever lived hit the ball so often, so fast and with such a bewildering variety of strokes".

This lightning footwork allowed Jessop to score with amazing rapidity on extremely treacherous pitches where defensive cricket was virtually useless, as in the Fifth Test at The Oval in August 1902, known as "Jessop's match". England had an unlikely one-wicket victory against a quality Australian side who set England 263 to win in the fourth innings. Jessop came to the crease when things looked dire for England at 48 for 5. He scored his first 50 runs in 43 minutes and reached his century in 75 minutes. He was finally dismissed after 77 minutes for 104, which included 17 fours and an all-run five. Many of the fours had well cleared the boundary, but the laws of cricket in 1902 meant that to obtain six runs the ball had to be hit out of the ground. One of these "fours" was caught on the players' balcony. A newspaper managed to keep a detailed record of his innings, from which we know that he reached his hundred off 76 balls - one of the fastest Test centuries of all time.

A genuine all-rounder, in his early days he was a bowler of considerable pace. He could maintain great stamina; however, he suffered a back strain in his debut Test from being over-bowled which plagued his career. (Frith, 2007)

Jessop was also probably the fastest fieldsman in the game throughout most of his career, giving Gloucestershire a reputation for brilliance in the field. His fielding, which might fairly be termed as phenomenal as his hitting, was a matter of great pride to him. No hit proved too hard for him to stop and his gathering and returning of the ball approached perfection. In his early days he fielded at cover-point; later he specialised in the position of extra mid-off, standing so deep that with almost anyone else a run would have been a certainty. Jessop's presence deterred the boldest of batsmen from making any attempt. In short, he was such a fine bowler and such a superb fieldsman that, even without his batting ability, he would have been worth a place in almost any team. A man of engaging manners, he was a charming companion and, like most truly great men, modest to a degree (Wisden Cricketers' Almanack).

He first played for Gloucestershire in 1894, and a short innings of 30 against the deadly bowling of Mold and Briggs was seen as indicating a promising player.

In 1896 when Jessop did the "double" of 1000 runs and 100 wickets, the remarkable nature of his talent was observed. "Wisden" made him a Cricketer of the Year in 1898, while two years later his two innings against Yorkshire at Bradford astonished the crowds: in each innings he scored a century before lunch, making 104 in the first innings in forty minutes and 139 in the second, again reaching his hundred in under an hour.

Jessop went up to Christ's College, Cambridge in 1896, intending to study for the priesthood, although this was not to materialise as he left without taking a degree [ [http://www.lastingtribute.co.uk/tribute/jessop/2561898 Tribute to Gilbert Jessop] ] . He played for the Cambridge University side for four seasons, being captain in the last (1899). In the 1897 Varsity match he took six wickets for 65 in the first innings; in 1898 he took six wickets for 126 in the first innings.

After two moderate years - despite a Test debut in 1899 - Jessop in 1900 took over as captain and secretary of Gloucestershire and had his finest year, scoring 2210 runs and taking 104 wickets including a career-best 8 for 29 against Essex. The following year, whilst he lost his pace and his bowling declined to fewer than thirty wickets, his batting was even better, whilst 1902 was highlighted by his amazing innings to win the Fifth Test on a treacherous Oval pitch.

In 1903, Jessop played the highest innings of his career - 286 in 180 minutes against Sussex - and for the rest of the decade, as well as being captain of Gloucestershire, he was their batting mainstay and undoubtedly the greatest attraction for the spectator in the cricket world.

After 1901 he could rarely bowl (and then at a much slower pace), and never played a Test innings like that at the Oval in 1902. Jessop found it difficult to tour Australia or South Africa for business reasons - although he did marry an Australian he met on the boat returning from the 1901-2 tour.

Despite a major injury in 1909 keeping him off the field for over two months, Jessop continued to be a major force as a batsman until he relinquished the secretaryship of Gloucestershire in 1912. In his last two seasons he was not always available and showed only modest form, and, at the age of 45, did not play again when cricket resumed after World War I.

Among his 53 centuries were five of more than 200: 286 out of 335 in 175 minutes for Gloucestershire against Sussex at Brighton, 1903 (he and J. H. Board adding 320 for the sixth wicket); 240 out of 337 in 200 minutes for Gloucestershire v. Sussex at Bristol, 1907; 234 out of 346 in 155 minutes for Gloucestershire v. Somerset at Bristol, 1905; 233 out of 318 in 150 minutes for An England XI v. Yorkshire at Lord's, 1901; and 206 out of 317 in 150 minutes for Gloucestershire v. Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge, 1904 (cricinfo.com).

Besides his cricketing ability, Jessop was an allround athlete of note. He got his Blue as a hockey goalkeeper, but fell ill and could not play in the University match. He came near getting an Association football Blue and played for The Casuals as half-back or goalkeeper. He also appeared as a wing-threequarter for Gloucester R.F.C. He would have played billiards for Cambridge against Oxford, but was gated and could not take part. In one week he made two breaks of over 150. He could run the 100 yards in 10.2 seconds and frequently entered for sports meetings. A scratch golfer, he took part in the Amateur Championship in 1914, was Secretary of the Cricketers' Golfing Society and for some years Secretary of the Edgware Club (cricinfo.com).

His son later played for Hampshire, and in later years moved to London where he wrote and was secretary to a golf club. Due to poor health he retired young, but lived to over 80.

"TRIBUTES:"

Richie Benaud: "Perhaps the best one-day player to have ever lived and never played that form of cricket."

Sir Jack Hobbs: "He was undoubtedly the most consistently fast scorer I have seen. He was a big hitter, too, and it was difficult to bowl a ball from which he could not score. He made me glad that I was not a bowler. Gilbert Jessop certainly drew the crowds, too, even more than Bradman, I should say."(Wisden Cricketers' Almanack)

Football career

Jessop also played football for Gloucester A.F.C., Cheltenham Town F.C.

References

External links

* [http://content.cricinfo.com/england/content/player/15509.html Cricinfo page on Gilbert Jessop]
* [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/0/243/t_Batting_by_Season.html Test batting]
* [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/0/243/f_Batting_by_Season.html First-class batting]
*Gerald Brodribb, [http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/cricketer/content/story/134791.html The legend of Gilbert Jessop]
* [http://www.lastingtribute.co.uk/tribute/jessop/2561898 Tribute to Gilbert Jessop] lastingtribute.co.uk
*Frith, 2007, Australia versus England: an Illustrated History of Every Test Match Since 1877, Penguin, London.

Persondata
NAME= Jessop, Gilbert
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=cricketer
DATE OF BIRTH=1874-05-19
PLACE OF BIRTH=Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
DATE OF DEATH=1955-05-11
PLACE OF DEATH=Fordington, Dorset