Famous Cricketers No 98 - Tom Goddard

1937 Goddard had a quite magnificent season in 1937 taking 248 wickets overall at an average of 16.76 which put him in fourth place in the national averages, although no-one else took more than 202 wickets in the season. For Gloucestershire, alone, he captured 222 wickets in all games, beating by three Charlie Parker’s record haul for a season for the County. Amongst many notable feats was his taking of all ten second innings of Worcestershire at Cheltenham – this after he had already taken six wickets in the first innings. He was recalled to the England side for the Tests against New Zealand at Old Trafford and Kennington Oval, bowling England to victory at Lancashire’s headquarters by taking 6 for 29 in the New Zealand second innings. He took five wickets in an innings on no less than 32 occasions and in thirteen matches he took ten wickets or more. At the end of the season he was voted one of the Five Cricketers of the Year by Wisden . At the age of 37 he had reached his peak. As a batsman he hit 421 runs in 41 innings which included an innings of 61 not out against Somerset at Taunton, his third half-century. He held 21 catches. Own Team O M R W Opp Ct Total Total 332. Gloucestershire v Oxford University, The Parks, May 1, 3, 4 (Oxford University won by eight wickets) c R.E.Whetherley b R.F.H.Darwall-Smith 2 224 23 5 57 0 384 1 c J.N.Grover b D.H.Macindoe 24 190 6.5 2 15 1 M.M.Walford c R.W.Haynes 32-2 333. Gloucestershire v Hampshire, Southampton, May 5, 6, 7 (Gloucestershire won by 297 runs) b W.C.L.Creese 13 204 35.5 18 66 4 W.C.L.Creese c and b 172 1 W.Lancashire c J.F.Crapp G.Hill c J.F.Crapp H.M.Lawson b did not bat - 339-7d - - - - 74 334. Gloucestershire v Glamorgan, Bristol, May 8, 10, 11 (Match drawn) lbw b D.E.Davies 10 336 5 1 5 2 G.Lavis b 71 2 J.C.Clay c and b not out 15 173-6d 1 1 0 0 48-0 335. Gloucestershire v Somerset, Taunton, May 15, 17, 18 (Gloucestershire won by nine wickets) not out 61 415-9d 29 11 65 6 F.S.Lee c C.J.Barnett 219 H.D.Burrough c W.L.Neale G.M.Bennett b A.W.Wellard c J.F.Crapp R.A.Ingle b W.H.R.Andrews c J.F.Crapp did not bat - 29-1 23 12 36 0 221 336. Gloucestershire v Middlesex, Bristol, May 19, 20, 21 (Gloucestershire won by 85 runs) c E.H.Hendren b W.T.Nevell 6 246 27.2 6 73 5 R.E.C.Butterworth c and b 176 2 W.J.Edrich b R.W.V.Robins c E.J.Stephens W.T.Nevell b I.A.R.Peebles c C.J.Barnett c W.J.Edrich b R.E.C.Butterworth 17 215-9d 24.5 2 115 5 R.E.C.Butterworth lbw 200 1 W.J.Edrich c and b E.H.Hendren lbw R.W.V.Robins b W.T.Nevell b 337. Gloucestershire v Surrey, Bristol, May 22, 24, 25 (Match drawn) b E.R.T.Holmes 2 389 48.4 7 136 4 R.J.Gregory lbw 399-9d E.W.Whitfield c J.W.Burrough L.B.Fishlock c sub K.C.W.King b 12 2 22 0 259-7 46