Gilligan Harold Image 1 Sussex 1929

Description

Denmark Hill, London born right-hand batsman Harold (A.H.H.) Gilligan was the younger brother of Arthur (A.E.R) Gilligan, and the youngest of three brothers all of whom played first class cricket, the third brother, Frank, playing for Essex. When Harold Gilligan captained England in the First Test at Christchurch in January 1930, Arthur and Harold became the first brothers to captain England, Arthur having captained England in 1924-25.

Gilligan played in all four Tests on the tour, although he did little of note with a highest score of 32 at an average almost identical to his career batting average, but he proved himself not only an astute captain but also a diplomat of considerable ability. His charming and likeable personality was, in large measure, responsible for the tour being considered a great success.

A right-handed batsman of limited ability and occasional change bowler, Gilligan had won the AFC during his First World War service with the R.A.F, and made his first class debut for Sussex in 1919. In 1923 Gilligan set a record 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. Gilligan played regularly for Sussex until 1930 and in his last year of 1931 he captained the Sussex side.

In 321 first class matches he scored 8,873 runs at an average of 17.96, his single century in first class cricket of 143 augmented by 44 half centuries. With his bowling he took 115 wickets at 33.66 apiece with a best return of 4-13. He also took 123 catches in first class play.

After the Second World War his interest in cricket moved to The Oval and to Surrey County cricket. There he served with distinction as a member of the committee. For a time he was the club’s Honorary Treasurer and at the time of his death aged 80 in 1978 he was a vice-president of the club. He also served for a number of years on the cricket sub-committee of M.C.C.

Harold’s daughter, Virginia, married the Surrey and England captain Peter May in 1959.

NB in the photograph Gilligan wears his 1929-30 M.C.C. tour blazer.

Vintage Cricketers was founded in July 2019. There are more photographs of this cricketer in the Vintage Cricketers library, which are due to be loaded in due course. In the meantime, please send a message to us using the contact form at the bottom left of this page and we can arrange to prepare and publish all images of this cricketer if you have a particular interest in him.