Gaukrodger George Image 1 Worcestershire 1907

Description

Kirkburton, Yorkshire born (but from an Irish family) wicket-keeper George Gaukrodger came into County cricket after having grown up in Belfast. Having qualified for Worcestershire he made his first class debut against London County in May 1900, his first dismissal being the stumping of tail ender Lionel Wells. He played a further two matches that season, and another two the following year, but it was not until 1902 that he established himself in the Worcestershire side, replacing Thomas Straw as their regular wicket-keeper.

In that 1902 season, Gaukrodger played 24 times, including a match for The Players at Harrogate; he failed twice with the bat, but pulled off two stumpings. In total he made 48 dismissals, a tally which was to remain his best, nor did he ever surpass the 666 first class runs he hit that year, which included 58 against the Australians at New Road.

He enjoyed another good season with the bat in 1903, once more passing 500 runs and hitting his highest first class score when he made 91 against Lancashire in June, putting on 167 with Harry Foster to drag Worcestershire from the depths of 32-4. Indeed, with the exception of last man Robert Burrows with 18, Gaukrodger and Foster were the only batsmen to reach double figures in the first innings. His 37 dismissals in 1903 also contributed to a satisfactory summer.

Never again did Gaukrodger play more than 13 times in a season, being gradually superseded by Ernest Bale. However the best summer of his later years was 1907, when he took 26 catches and made 13 stumpings. His batting, however, fell away. In 1906 he managed only 82 runs from 21 innings with an average below 6. One score of exactly 50 in 1904 proved to be his last half century, although he did score an unbeaten 45 against Kent in 1908.

Gaukrodger’s last first class appearance of all was also his only match of the 1910 season, against Lancashire at Worcester, making 0 not out and capturing three dismissals. He did not appear at this level again, giving up his position completely to Bale, having played 115 first class matches. He scored 7 half centuries, scoring 2,241 runs at an average of 16.84, and dismissed 231 batsmen, 169 caught and 62 stumped.

He umpired one first class match, standing with George Bromhead at Worcestershire’s game against The Philadelphians in July 1908 though he officiated in Club and Ground fixtures.

A gifted sportsman, Gaukrodger played football at international level for Ireland, and was just 17 years and 99 days old when he ran out for his only international for Ireland, scoring in a 2-2 draw against Wales at The Solitude, Belfast, in March 1895. He earned his selection as a prolific goal scorer playing at inside forward after success in the Irish league for Linfield, with whom he won the Irish League Championship the same season, being the Irish League’s joint top scorer with four goals from six games, and he rounded off the “Double” with the final goal of Linfield’s 10-1 1895 Irish Cup Final win over Bohemians. However he gave up football not long thereafter to concentrate on being a professional cricketer.

His brother Jack Gaukrodger also played football for Linfield.