Peter Gibbs (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
Peter John Keith Gibbs is an English
television script writer, and a former cricket
er who played first-class cricket
for Oxford University
from 1964 to 1966, and for Derbyshire
from 1966 to 1972.
Gibbs was born at Buglawton
, Cheshire
, and attended Oxford University. He represented Staffordshire in Minor Counties cricket from the age of 16, making his debut in the second innings of a match against Cheshire
in 1961. He continued to play regularly for Staffordshire until 1965. His first-class career began at Oxford University
, where he played for two years before being signed by Derbyshire
in time for the beginning of the 1966 season
. Gibbs made his debut in a draw against Middlesex
, though he underperformed with the bat.
Gibbs established himself in the Derbyshire first team during the 1967 season and was a regular there until 1972, interspersing his county career with appearances for Oxford University
. When he ceased playing County Championship cricket in 1973, he briefly rejoined Staffordshire
, playing in one final game, a draw against Cheshire.
Gibbs was a right-handed batsman and played 319 innings in 178 first-class matches with an average of 29.13 and a top score of 138 not out. He also played 74 innings in 75 one-day games. Throughout his career, Gibbs played as an opening batsman, partnering sometime wicket-keeper Ian Hall during his time with Derbyshire. He was also a right-arm offbreak bowler and took four first-class wickets at an average of 80.25, and one wicket in the one-day game.
After his cricketing career, Gibbs wrote a number of short plays and comedies for television, many with cricketing themes, and then progressed to writing scripts for major series. He has also written plays for BBC radio, including "Supersaver" (1981, with Richard Briers) and "Taking us up to Lunch" (1991), which was set in the Test Match Special commentary box.
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...
television script writer, and a former cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er who played first-class cricket
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...
for Oxford University
Oxford University Cricket Club
Oxford University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team, representing the University of Oxford. It plays its home games at the University Parks in Oxford, England...
from 1964 to 1966, and for 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...
from 1966 to 1972.
Gibbs was born at Buglawton
Buglawton
Buglawton is a suburb of Congleton, in the south-east of Cheshire. It was a parish and an urban district from 1894 until 1936, when it was incorporated in Congleton borough....
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, and attended Oxford University. He represented Staffordshire in Minor Counties cricket from the age of 16, making his debut in the second innings of a match against Cheshire
Cheshire County Cricket Club
Cheshire County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Cheshire and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
in 1961. He continued to play regularly for Staffordshire until 1965. His first-class career began at Oxford University
Oxford University Cricket Club
Oxford University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team, representing the University of Oxford. It plays its home games at the University Parks in Oxford, England...
, where he played for two years before being signed by 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...
in time for the beginning of the 1966 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1966
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1966 represents the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for ninety-five years. In the County Championship, they won eight matches to finish ninth in their sixty-second season in the Championship...
. Gibbs made his debut in a draw 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...
, though he underperformed with the bat.
Gibbs established himself in the Derbyshire first team during the 1967 season and was a regular there until 1972, interspersing his county career with appearances for Oxford University
Oxford University Cricket Club
Oxford University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team, representing the University of Oxford. It plays its home games at the University Parks in Oxford, England...
. When he ceased playing County Championship cricket in 1973, he briefly rejoined Staffordshire
Staffordshire County Cricket Club
Staffordshire County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Staffordshire and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
, playing in one final game, a draw against Cheshire.
Gibbs was a right-handed batsman and played 319 innings in 178 first-class matches with an average of 29.13 and a top score of 138 not out. He also played 74 innings in 75 one-day games. Throughout his career, Gibbs played as an opening batsman, partnering sometime wicket-keeper Ian Hall during his time with Derbyshire. He was also a right-arm offbreak bowler and took four first-class wickets at an average of 80.25, and one wicket in the one-day game.
After his cricketing career, Gibbs wrote a number of short plays and comedies for television, many with cricketing themes, and then progressed to writing scripts for major series. He has also written plays for BBC radio, including "Supersaver" (1981, with Richard Briers) and "Taking us up to Lunch" (1991), which was set in the Test Match Special commentary box.
TV Scripts
- Benefit of the Doubt (1983) (TV)
- Arthur's Hallowed Ground (1984) (TV)
- "Yesterday's Dreams" (1987) TV series
- "Matlock" (1986) TV series
- "Kinsey" (1990) TV series
- "The Bill" (4 episodes, 1990)
- "Hetty Wainthropp Investigates" (3 episodes, 1998)
- "Down to Earth" (2 episodes, 2004)
- "Heartbeat" (53 episodes, 1996-2009)