Barney Gibson

Barney Gibson
Personal information
Full name
Barney Peter Gibson
Born (1996-03-31) 31 March 1996 (age 28)
Leeds, West Yorkshire, England[1]
BattingRight-handed
RoleWicket-keeper
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
2011Yorkshire
Only First-class27 April 2011 Yorkshire v Durham MCCU
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 1
Runs scored 1
Batting average –
100s/50s 0/0
Top score 1*
Catches/stumpings 6/0
Source: CricketArchive, 3 April 2015

Barney Peter Gibson (born 31 March 1996) is a former English cricketer who played as a wicket-keeper for Yorkshire. He is the youngest cricketer to play first-class cricket in England making his debut for Yorkshire in April 2011 aged 15 years and 27 days.

Early life

Gibson was born in Leeds, England and attended Crawshaw School in Pudsey.[2] Before making his first-class debut, he represented Yorkshire County Cricket Club at Under-11, Under-12 and Under-13 levels.[3][4] He had also played at schoolboy level for Leeds United, whose books he had been on between the ages of eight and twelve,[3] before giving up football to concentrate on cricket.[5]

Playing career

Club cricket

Gibson plays his club cricket for Bradford Cricket League side Pudsey Congs, becoming the first team wicket-keeper at the age of 14.[2][4]

First-class career

Gibson made his debut for Yorkshire in a three-day match against the Durham MCC University (Durham MCCU) on 27 April 2011 at the age of 15 years, 27 days beating the previous record held for 144 years by Charles Young who had represented Hampshire at the age of 15 years, 131 days in 1867.[6] He was selected ahead of Jonny Bairstow and Gerard Brophy, the two first-choice wicket-keepers, who were rested by Yorkshire.[2] To make his debut, his school gave him permission to miss lessons. Gibson was glad to avoid school that day, stating:[2]

I was supposed to have triple science, double Maths and RE. They have sent me up here with some homework to do though.

He made two catches in the first innings and four in the second innings of his debut match, two each off the bowling of Oliver Hannon-Dalby, David Wainwright and Ajmal Shahzad.[7]

On 3 April 2015, it was announced that Gibson had left Yorkshire and retired from cricket to pursue other career options.[8]

References

  1. ^ "Yorkshire's Gibson breaks English first-class record". BBC Sport. 28 April 2011. Archived from the original on 29 April 2011. Retrieved 28 April 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d "Fifteen-year-old sets English record". Cricinfo. 27 April 2011. Retrieved 28 April 2011.
  3. ^ a b Stewart, Rob (28 April 2011). "Barney Gibson makes history at just 15 as England's youngest-ever county cricketer". Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 28 April 2011.
  4. ^ a b "Barney Gibson". Cricinfo. Retrieved 28 April 2011.
  5. ^ "The story of Barney Gibson, England's youngest first-class cricketer, who left the game for freedom | The Cricketer". www.thecricketer.com.
  6. ^ "15 years and 27 days: County cricket's youngest player". The Independent. London. 28 April 2011. Retrieved 28 April 2011.
  7. ^ "Marylebone Cricket Club University Matches, Durham MCCU v Yorkshire at Durham, Apr 27–29, 2011". Cricinfo. Retrieved 28 April 2011.
  8. ^ "Barney Gibson: Youngest first-class cricketer retires, aged 19". BBC Sport. 3 April 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2015.