Humphrey Gilbert (cricketer)

Infobox Old Cricketer


nationality = English
country = England
country abbrev = Eng
picture = Cricket_no_pic.pngname = Humphrey Gilbert
batting style = Right-handed batsman
bowling style = Right arm off-break / medium
FCs = 118
FC runs = 811
FC bat avg = 7.05
FC 100s/50s = 0/0
FC top score = 35*
FC balls = 24,820
FC wickets = 476
FC bowl avg = 23.76
FC 5s = 38
FC 10s = 8
FC best bowling = 8-48
FC catches/stumpings = 59/0
debut date = 16 May
debut year = 1907
last date = 2 May
last year = 1930
source = http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/29/29637/29637.html CricketArchive

Humphrey Adam Gilbert (2 June 1886–19 July 1960) was an Indian-born English cricketer who played 118 first-class matches. All of these were in England, [cite web | url=http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/29/29637/f_Batting_by_Season.html | title=First-class Batting and Fielding in Each Season by Humphrey Gilbert | accessdate=2007-05-21 | publisher=CricketArchive] with the majority for Worcestershire and Oxford University. [cite web | url=http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/29/29637/f_Batting_by_Team.html | title=First-class Batting and Fielding For Each Team by Humphrey Gilbert | accessdate=2007-05-21 | publisher=CricketArchive] 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."Obituary. "Wisden Cricketers' Almanack" 1961] He was nicknamed Barmy Gilbert.Obituary. "Wisden Cricketers' Almanack" 1961]

Gilbert was born in Malabar Hill, Bombay (now Mumbai), but was educated in England, at Charterhouse, before going on to Oxford.Obituary. "Wisden Cricketers' Almanack" 1961]

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. [cite web | url=http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/7/7238.html | title=Oxford University v Lancashire in 1907 | accessdate=2007-05-21 | publisher=CricketArchive] 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. [cite web | url=http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/7/7284.html | title=Oxford University v Marylebone Cricket Club in 1907 | accessdate=2007-05-21 | publisher=CricketArchive] 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.Obituary. "Wisden Cricketers' Almanack" 1961] 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. [cite web | url=http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/7/7344.html | title=Oxford University v Cambridge University in 1907 | accessdate=2007-05-21 | publisher=CricketArchive] [cite web | url=http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/7/7909.html | title=Oxford University v Lancashire in 1909 | accessdate=2007-05-21 | publisher=CricketArchive]

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. [cite web | url=http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/7/7628.html | title=Gentlemen v Players in 1908 | accessdate=2007-05-21 | publisher=CricketArchive] Also, in May 1909, he claimed innings figures of 8-71 for his university against the touring Australians, [cite web | url=http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/7/7822.html | title=Oxford University v Australians in 1909 | accessdate=2007-05-21 | publisher=CricketArchive] 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.Obituary. "Wisden Cricketers' Almanack" 1961]

After coming down from Oxford at the end of 1909, Gilbert concentrated on his career as a barristerObituary. "Wisden Cricketers' Almanack" 1961] 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.cite web | url=http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/29/29637/First-Class_Matches.html | title=First-Class Matches played by Humphrey Gilbert | accessdate=2007-05-21 | publisher=CricketArchive]

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.cite web | url=http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/29/29637/First-Class_Matches.html | title=First-Class Matches played by Humphrey Gilbert | accessdate=2007-05-21 | publisher=CricketArchive] He enjoyed considerable success, taking 84 first-class wickets at 24.54 and 85 first-class wickets at 28.55 in the respective years,cite web | url=http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/29/29637/f_Bowling_by_Season.html | title=First-class Bowling in Each Season by Humphrey Gilbert | accessdate=2007-05-21 | publisher=CricketArchive] with a best bowling performance of 7-60 for Worcestershire against Nottinghamshire at Worcester in August 1921. [cite web | url=http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/10/10281.html | title=Worcestershire v Nottinghamshire in 1921 | accessdate=2007-05-21 | publisher=CricketArchive] Gilbert captained the county against Derbyshire at the same venue a year later. [cite web | url=http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/10/10632.html | title=Worcestershire v Derbyshire in 1922 | accessdate=2007-05-21 | publisher=CricketArchive]

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.cite web | url=http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/29/29637/First-Class_Matches.html | title=First-Class Matches played by Humphrey Gilbert | accessdate=2007-05-21 | publisher=CricketArchive] 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.cite web | url=http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/29/29637/f_Bowling_by_Season.html | title=First-class Bowling in Each Season by Humphrey Gilbert | accessdate=2007-05-21 | publisher=CricketArchive] 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. [cite web | url=http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/13/13398.html | title=Worcestershire v Australians in 1930 | accessdate=2007-05-21 | publisher=CricketArchive]

Gilbert died in Bishopstone, Herefordshire at the age of 74.

References

External links

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* [http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/29/29637/29637.html Statistical summary] from CricketArchive