Famous Cricketers No 71 - J.D.C.Goddard

SEASON’S AVERAGES Batting and Fielding M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct Season 1 1 0 47 47 47.00 - - - Career 111 145 32 3769 218* 33.35 5 18 95 Bowling O M R W BB Ave 5i 10m Season (6b) 10 4 18 0 - - - - Career (6b) 1328.2 416 } 3846 146 5-20 26.34 4 - (8b) 255 40 Summary Goddard’s first-class cricket career spanned more than 20 years and he was able therefore to claim as team-mates such famous individuals as Headley, Sobers and Worrell, the three greatest names in the history of West Indies cricket. For Barbados, he scored 2,102 runs (ave 52.55), captured 51 wickets (av: 26.98) and held 27 catches in 32 matches. His Test record, though less glamorous, was nevertheless quite respectable. It produced 859 runs (ave 30.67), 33 wickets (ave 31.81) and 22 catches. His best Test score, among four half-centuries, was 83 not out against New Zealand in 1955/56. Of his four opponents, the one Test country against which he failed to register at least one 50 was India. Altogether he gleaned 3,769 runs (ave 33.35), 146 wickets (ave 26.34) and 95 catches from his 111 first-class games. He struck five centuries (all within the space of nine matches and three years) when in his prime and exceeded 200 once. He never captured 10 wickets in a match but claimed 5 in an innings on four occasions. Close to the wicket, he held many difficult catches and once (against Sussex at Hove in 1957) took 4 in a single innings. His best fielding performance in a match produced 5 catches against Jamaica at Kingston in 1946/47. He captained 82 teams during his career and ended with a record of 31 wins, 14 losses and 37 draws. Not once in 9 matches did Barbados lose in regional competition when led by Goddard. For a skipper who is often thought to have been lacking in tactical skills, this is an exceptional performance indeed. 30