Arthur Gilligan

Arthur Gilligan

Personal information
Batting style	Right-handed batsman (RHB)
Bowling style	Right arm fast medium
International information
National side	English
Career statistics
Competition	Tests	First-class
Matches	11	337
Runs scored	209	9140
Batting average	16.07	20.08
100s/50s	0/0	12/26
Top score	39*	144
Balls bowled	2404	42650
Wickets	36	868
Bowling average	29.05	23.20
5 wickets in innings	2	42
10 wickets in match	1	4
Best bowling	6/7	8/25
Catches/stumpings	3/0	181/0
Source: [1],

Arthur Edward Robert Gilligan (23 December 1894 in London – 5 September 1976 in Pulborough, Sussex) was an English cricketer who played for Cambridge University, Sussex, Surrey and England.

He captained England on nine occasions, winning four, losing four and drawing once. His brother Harold Gilligan captained England in four later Test matches, making them the only brothers to have captained England.

The Arthur Gilligan Stand at Hove, the home of Sussex County Cricket Club.

In 1924, he and his county colleague Maurice Tate had great success as England's opening attack against South Africa. Gilligan took 6/7 and Tate 4/12 on his Test debut, as the visitors were dismissed for 30 in just 12.3 overs in the first innings of the First Test, played at Edgbaston. Gilligan could take much credit for Tate's success as well as his own, as in 1922 he had spotted the then off-spinning all-rounder's potential as a fast-medium bowler.

As well as being a useful lower-middle order batsman, good enough to make 12 first-class centuries, at this stage of his career Gilligan was bowling genuinely fast. But in a match during that 1924 season he was hit over the heart when batting. He was badly hurt but carried on playing, and in the second innings made 112 in 90 minutes. Afterwards he was never able to bowl truly fast again, and was reduced to being a change bowler.

Gilligan was Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1924, having completed the double the previous season. He took 100 wickets in a season three times and reached 1,000 runs in a season twice.

During World War I he served as a captain with the 11th Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers. During World War II he was a physical trainer with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. In the 1930s he was a member of Oswald Mosley's British Union of Fascists.

After he retired from playing, Gilligan became a popular radio commentator, forging a partnership with renowned Australian commentator Vic Richardson. In 1967 he was President of the Marylebone Cricket Club.

Sporting positions
Preceded by Frank Mann	English national cricket captain 1924-1924/5	Succeeded by Arthur Carr
Preceded by H. L. Wilson	Sussex county cricket captain 1922–1929	Succeeded by Harold Gilligan

References

• Cricinfo page on Arthur Gilligan