John Hibbard (cricketer)

John Arthur Hibbard (7 September 1863 – 17 October 1905) was an English Royal Navy officer and cricketer. He played in four first-class matches for Kent County Cricket Club in 1893.[1][2]

John Hibbard
Personal information
Full name
John Arthur Hibbard
Born(1863-09-07)7 September 1863
Chatham, Kent
Died17 October 1905(1905-10-17) (aged 42)
Gillingham, Kent
BattingRight-handed
RoleWicket-keeper
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1893Kent
FC debut5 June 1893 Kent v Gloucestershire
Last FC22 June 1893 Kent v Australians
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 4
Runs scored 19
Batting average 4.75
100s/50s 0/0
Top score 7
Catches/stumpings 10/0
Source: Cricinfo, 10 March 2017

Early life

Hibbard was born at Chatham, Kent in 1863, the son of Stephen and Elizabeth Hibbard (née Baker). His father was a policeman, although he later became a publican and ran the The Canterbury Hotel in Gillingham.[3]

Military service

Working as an engineer, Hibbard joined the Royal Navy in 1863, initially as an Acting Assistant Engineer at Devonport in Plymouth, training on HMS Asia and HMS President. He held the rank of Assistant Engineer between 1885 and 1890, serving on HMS Minotaur. He qualified as a Chief Engineer in 1889 and was promoted to Engineer in 1890, to Chief Engineer in 1900 and in 1904 to the rank of Engineer lieutenant. He served on HMS Orlando, HMS Mersey and HMS Severn during his service, as well as spending periods on shore at Devonport and at Pembroke Dock in Wales.[3][4][5]

In December 1904 Hibbard left the Navy, deemed unfit for service.[3][4]

Cricket

Hibbard had a reputation as a good wicket-keeper playing for sides in the Chatham area whilst on leave, and is known to have played for [[Rochester, Kent|Rochester Cricket Club amongst others.[3][6] In 1893, whilst on leave from service at Pembroke Dock, he was called into the Kent county side and played in four matches, including two in the County Championship. He made his county debut against Gloucestershire at Bristol in early June, scoring two runs and taking three catches on debut. After playing against MCC at Lord's, he played twice towards the end of June at Gravesend, once in the Championship against Middlesex before playing his final match for the side against the touring Australians.[7]

Unable to play again for the county due to his naval service―Hibbard spent most of the period between May 1894 and September 1897 at sea―he scored a total of 19 first-class runs, with two scores of seven runs his best efforts with the bat.[3][4][7] He took ten catches and Wisden commented that he had kept wickets in "good style" in the 1894 edition.[7][8]

Death

Hibbard died in October 1905 aged 42.[1] He did not marry and his effects were inherited by his brother.[3][4]

References
  1. John Hibbard, CricInfo. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  2. John Hibbard, Wisden (online). Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  3. Carlaw D (2020) Kent County Cricketers A to Z. Part One: 1806–1914 (revised edition), pp. 246–247. (Available online at the Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians. Retrieved 7 August 2022.)
  4. Hibbard, John Arthur, Service Record, The National Archives. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  5. Admiralty, The London Gazette, 2 September 1890. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  6. Granville (Lee) v Rochester, Cricket: A Weekly Record of the Game, no. 331, vol XII, 8 June 1893, p. 192. (Available online at The Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians. Retrieved 13 May 2023.)
  7. John Hibbard, CricketArchive. Retrieved 13 May 2023. (subscription required)
  8. Quoted in Carlaw, p. 246.

John Hibbard at ESPNcricinfo

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