Ian Gibson

Who was Ian Gibson?

Ian Gibson was an English doctor and cricketer who played first-class cricket for Oxford University between 1955 and 1958, for Derbyshire between 1957 and 1961 and for MCC in 1961.

Gibson was born in Glossop and was educated at Manchester Grammar School, where he was in the first XI from 1951 to 1954 and was captain in the last two years. In 1953 he played for the Public Schools XI and at the age of 17 began playing for the Lancashire Second XI in the Minor Counties Championship. He went to Oxford University and in 1955 and began his first class cricketing career with Oxford University. He made his first-class debut against Gloucestershire, and played fifteen first-class games for the university and followed up his series of university matches playing for Lancashire 2nd XI. Gibson played as a lower-order batsman for Oxford, and took just four wickets with the ball during his first season. He continued to play for the both teams in 1956, with similar batting statistics, scoring three further first-class half-centuries.

In 1957, Gibson achieved his career-best innings of 100 not out in a draw for Oxford University against Gloucestershire. He joined Derbyshire in the 1957 season and spent his university holidays in both the first and second teams. He made his County Championship debut for Derbyshire against Nottinghamshire, in which he scored a half-century in his first innings. He played six further first-class matches for the Derbyshire in the latter stages of the season, when Derbyshire finished the season in fourth place in the County Championship.