George Clifford Wilson
Encyclopedia
George Clifford Wilson was an English
cricketer
who followed his father, the more accomplished George Alfred Wilson
, into a career as a right-arm fast bowler
(and right-handed batsman at the bottom of the order
) with Worcestershire
.
Born in Kidderminster
, Wilson made his first-class
debut in the local derby
with Warwickshire
at Edgbaston
in May of the 1924 season
, but did little, bowling only three overs and making nought in his only innings. The match was notable both for a hat-trick
by Worcestershire's Charles Preece
and for the county's desperate but ultimately successful struggle for a draw, having been reduced to 48/8 in their second innings when stumps were drawn.
He also went wicketless in his second match, but took 2-7 in the second innings of his third. Wilson played a full part in the 1924 County Championship
campaign, playing in 20 of Worcestershire's 24 games as well as one against the touring South Africans
and finishing with 38 wickets at an average
of a little under 24 runs apiece. The following summer
brought him his first five-wicket haul: 5-67 against Hampshire
in August; and 44 wickets in all.
By some way Wilson's most successful season was his last, 1926
. He took 68 first-class wickets in total, and five or more in an innings on seven occasions, this latter figure being second only to Fred Root
in the Worcestershire side that year. In the space of one August week he took five wickets in each innings - his only ten-wicket match haul - against Derbyshire
on his home ground at Kidderminster, then claimed his best innings figures of 8-81 in a drawn game against Somerset
at Weston-super-Mare
.
Wilson played his final match in early September 1926 against Middlesex
, but bad weather meant that little play was possible and he did not take a wicket. He died in Elswick
, Newcastle upon Tyne
, at the age of 54, nearly five years before his father.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
cricketer
Cricketer
A cricketer is a person who plays the sport of cricket. Official and long-established cricket publications prefer the traditional word "cricketer" over the rarely used term "cricket player"....
who followed his father, the more accomplished George Alfred Wilson
George Alfred Wilson
George Alfred Wilson was an English cricketer, a right-arm fast bowler and right-handed batsman who was the first man to take a wicket for Worcestershire County Cricket Club after they attained first-class status for the 1899 season.Born in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, Wilson opened the bowling in...
, into a career as a right-arm fast bowler
Fast bowling
Fast bowling, sometimes known as pace bowling, is one of the two main approaches to bowling in the sport of cricket. The other is spin bowling...
(and right-handed batsman at the bottom of the order
Batting order (cricket)
In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time...
) with Worcestershire
Worcestershire County Cricket Club
Worcestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Worcestershire...
.
Born in Kidderminster
Kidderminster
Kidderminster is a town, in the Wyre Forest district of Worcestershire, England. It is located approximately seventeen miles south-west of Birmingham city centre and approximately fifteen miles north of Worcester city centre. The 2001 census recorded a population of 55,182 in the town...
, Wilson made his first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
debut in the local derby
Local derby
In many countries the term local derby, or simply just derby means a sporting fixture between two, generally local, rivals, particularly in association football...
with Warwickshire
Warwickshire County Cricket Club
Warwickshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Warwickshire. Its limited overs team is called the Warwickshire Bears. Their kit colours are black and gold and the shirt sponsor...
at Edgbaston
Edgbaston Cricket Ground
Edgbaston Cricket Ground, also known as the County Ground or Edgbaston Stadium, is a cricket ground in the Edgbaston area of Birmingham, England...
in May of the 1924 season
1924 English cricket season
Yorkshire secured a hat-trick of titles in the 1924 English cricket season, while England, in its first home series since 1921, proved too strong for South Africa.-Honours:*County Championship - Yorkshire*Minor Counties Championship - Berkshire...
, but did little, bowling only three overs and making nought in his only innings. The match was notable both for a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
by Worcestershire's Charles Preece
Charles Preece
Charles Richard Preece was an English cricketer, who played 88 first-class games for Worcestershire in the 1920s. He also made one appearance for HK Foster's XI in 1919....
and for the county's desperate but ultimately successful struggle for a draw, having been reduced to 48/8 in their second innings when stumps were drawn.
He also went wicketless in his second match, but took 2-7 in the second innings of his third. Wilson played a full part in the 1924 County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
campaign, playing in 20 of Worcestershire's 24 games as well as one against the touring South Africans
South African cricket team
The South African national cricket team represent South Africa in international cricket. They are administrated by Cricket South Africa.South Africa is a full member of the International Cricket Council, also known as ICC, with Test and One Day International, or ODI, status...
and finishing with 38 wickets at an average
Bowling average
Bowling average is a statistic measuring the performance of bowlers in the sport of cricket.A bowler's bowling average is defined as the total number of runs conceded by the bowlers divided by the number of wickets taken by the bowler, so the lower the average the better. It is similar to earned...
of a little under 24 runs apiece. The following summer
1925 English cricket season
The 1925 English cricket season did not have a Test series and the focus was ostensibly upon the County Championship, except that proceedings were dominated by Jack Hobbs who scored a then-record 16 centuries and 3024 runs. Along the way, Hobbs equalled and then surpassed the career record for...
brought him his first five-wicket haul: 5-67 against Hampshire
Hampshire County Cricket Club
Hampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it...
in August; and 44 wickets in all.
By some way Wilson's most successful season was his last, 1926
1926 English cricket season
The 1926 English cricket season saw England regain the Ashes. Lancashire overcame its eternal rivals and began a hat-trick sequence of county titles.-Honours:*County Championship - Lancashire*Minor Counties Championship - Durham...
. He took 68 first-class wickets in total, and five or more in an innings on seven occasions, this latter figure being second only to Fred Root
Fred Root
Charles Frederick Root was an English cricketer who played for England in 1926 and for Derbyshire between 1910 to 1920 and for Worcestershire between 1921 and 1932.- Early career :...
in the Worcestershire side that year. In the space of one August week he took five wickets in each innings - his only ten-wicket match haul - against Derbyshire
Derbyshire County Cricket Club
Derbyshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the England and Wales domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Derbyshire...
on his home ground at Kidderminster, then claimed his best innings figures of 8-81 in a drawn game against Somerset
Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Somerset...
at Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare is a seaside resort, town and civil parish in the unitary authority of North Somerset, which is within the ceremonial county of Somerset, England. It is located on the Bristol Channel coast, south west of Bristol, spanning the coast between the bounding high ground of Worlebury...
.
Wilson played his final match in early September 1926 against Middlesex
Middlesex County Cricket Club
Middlesex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Middlesex. It was announced in February 2009 that Middlesex changed their limited overs name from the Middlesex Crusaders, to the...
, but bad weather meant that little play was possible and he did not take a wicket. He died in Elswick
Elswick, Tyne and Wear
Elswick is a ward of the city of Newcastle upon Tyne, England, in the western part of the city, bordering the river Tyne. One of the earliest references to the coal mining industry of the north east occurs in 1330, when it was recorded that the Prior of Tynemouth let a colliery, called Heygrove, at...
, Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, at the age of 54, nearly five years before his father.
External links
- Statistical summary from CricketArchiveCricketArchiveCricketArchive is a website that aims to provide a comprehensive archive of records relating to the sport of cricket. It claims to be the most comprehensive cricket database on the internet, including scorecards for all matches of first-class cricket , List A cricket , Women's Test cricket and...