Humphrey Gilbert

Who was Humphrey Gilbert?

Humphrey Adam Gilbert was an Indian-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, 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.