20 Facts About Paul Gibb

Paul Antony Gibb was an English cricketer, who played in eight Tests for England from 1938 to 1946.

Paul Gibb played first-class cricket for Cambridge University, Yorkshire and Essex, as a right-handed opening or middle order batsman and kept wicket in many matches.

Paul Gibb played first-class cricket for Cambridge University from 1935 to 1938.

Paul Gibb was initially chosen as a batsman in his first year, 1935, and started playing for Yorkshire.

Paul Gibb scored 157 not out, his first first-class century and ultimately his second highest score in first-class cricket, in his first innings for Yorkshire in 1935.

Paul Gibb kept wicket occasionally in his second year at Cambridge, 1936, deputising when Billy Griffith was unavailable.

Paul Gibb achieved his only double century in first-class cricket when he reached 204 for Cambridge University against Free Foresters in 1938, his first of four first-class centuries that year.

In July 1938, the England wicket-keeper, Les Ames was injured, and Paul Gibb was chosen to keep wicket for England in the third Ashes match against Australia at Old Trafford, ahead of candidates including Yorkshire's usual and well-regarded wicket-keeper, Arthur Wood.

Paul Gibb remained out of the England team when Wood made his Test debut in the Fifth Test.

Paul Gibb made his Test debut against South Africa in the First Test, at Johannesburg on 24 December 1938, scoring 93 and 106 He scored a second Test century in the Fifth Test, at Durban, in England's second innings in the timeless Test that was abandoned as a draw after 10 days of play.

Paul Gibb kept wicket for part of both the first and fifth Tests but did not make any dismissals.

Paul Gibb did not play again for England until the first series of England matches after the end of the war in 1946, at home against India.

Paul Gibb was selected as wicket-keeper in the first two Tests, but was replaced in the Third Test at The Oval by Godfrey Evans, making his Test debut.

Paul Gibb scored his second first-class century for Yorkshire in 1946, against Warwickshire.

Thereafter, Evans remained a fixture in the side until 1959, and Paul Gibb did not play for England again.

Paul Gibb lost form and confidence during the tour of Australia and did not play first-class cricket for four seasons, from 1947 to 1950.

Paul Gibb did so, becoming the first cricket blue to turn professional.

Paul Gibb remained with Essex for six years, to 1956, making 1,000 runs four times.

Paul Gibb was an umpire in first-class cricket from 1957 to 1966, later becoming a bus driver in Guildford, Surrey, where he died suddenly in December 1977.

Paul Gibb's obituary appeared in the 1979 edition of Wisden.