Harold Gilligan

Alfred Herbert Harold Gilligan (29 June 1896 – 5 May 1978) was an English first-class cricketer who played for Sussex and England. Gilligan captained England on their four-Test tour of New Zealand in 1929–30, which England won 1–0.[1]

Harold Gilligan

Gilligan in 1929
Personal information
Born	29 June 1896 Denmark Hill, Surrey, England
Died	5 May 1978 (aged 81) Shamley Green, Surrey, England
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Leg break
International information
National side	England
Test debut	10 January 1930 v New Zealand
Last Test	24 February 1930 v New Zealand
Career statistics
Competition Test First-class Matches 4 321 Runs scored 71 8,873 Batting average 17.75 17.96 100s/50s 0/0 1/44 Top score 32 143 Balls bowled – 7,094 Wickets – 115 Bowling average – 33.66 5 wickets in innings – 0 10 wickets in match – 0 Best bowling – 4/13 Catches/stumpings 0/– 123/–
Source: Cricinfo, 9 December 2019

Life and career

Harold Gilligan played regularly for Sussex from 1919 to 1930. A right-handed batsman of style but limited ability and an occasional change bowler, Gilligan set a record in 1923 that is unlikely to be equalled when, in batting 70 times during the season, he scored 1,186 runs at an average of 17.70 runs per innings: the average is the lowest by any cricketer who achieved 1,000 runs in a season. He had his most successful season in 1929, scoring 1161 runs at an average of 23.69, including his only first-class century, 143 against Derbyshire.[2] His Wisden obituary described him as a "beautiful stylist" who typically got out to an impetuous stroke just when a substantial innings looked possible.[2] He toured South Africa with S. B. Joel's XI in 1924–25, virtually an England second team, but was not successful and did not play in any of the five matches against South Africa.[2]

Gilligan's brother was Arthur Gilligan, who captained England in 1924–25, making them the first, and to date only, brothers to have captained England. Arthur was originally selected to be captain-manager of the tour of New Zealand, but illness prevented him from going, and the selectors asked Harold instead.[3] The Test tour of New Zealand was played at the same time as an England Test tour to the West Indies, where England were captained by the Honourable Freddie Calthorpe. Harold frequently deputised as Sussex captain when Arthur was absent, and in 1930 he captained the team for the whole season.[2]

Both brothers attended Dulwich College, as did their brother Frank, who played for Essex.[4] Harold's daughter, Virginia, married the England captain Peter May in 1959. They had four daughters.

References

1. "Harold Gilligan". CricketArchive. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
2. Wisden 1979, pp. 1076–77.
3. M. J. Turnbull & M. J. C. Allom, The Book of the Two Maurices, E. Allom & Co, London, 1930, pp 22–27.
4. Hodges, S. (1981) God's Gift: A Living History of Dulwich College, Heinemann, London, p. 233. ISBN 0435324500.

External links

• Harold Gilligan at ESPNcricinfo

• Media related to Harold Gilligan at Wikimedia Commons

Sporting positions
Preceded by Jack White	English national cricket captain with Honourable Freddie Calthorpe 1929/1930	Succeeded by Percy Chapman
Preceded by Arthur Gilligan	Sussex county cricket captain 1930	Succeeded by Duleepsinhji