Famous Cricketers No 98 - Tom Goddard

become the greatest wicket-taker of all time. The respect in which he was held is illustrated by the fact that when Bradman’s Australians toured England in 1948, Bradman advised his own off-spinner, Ian Johnson, to study and try to copy Goddard’s methods. Tom Goddard retired from the first-class game at the end of the 1952 season. He was 51 years old and the off-spinning succession at Gloucestershire was secure in the hands of John Mortimore, Bomber Wells and David Allen. For many years he ran a furniture business in Barton Street, Gloucester where he also sold me my first cricket ball. Tom willingly signed an autograph whilst I was mesmerised by the size of the man’s hands. It was easy to understand how 300 odd catches had been swallowed up in hands that size. Tom Goddard died on 22nd May 1966, aged 65. He left a widow, Flo, and a host of memories and he will always be remembered by a generation of cricket lovers. He set figures that will never be surpassed. 1922 Goddard made his debut for Gloucestershire at the Spa Ground, Gloucester on June 7th 1922, against Middlesex, the reigning County Champions. It was a disastrous match for Gloucestershire with Middlesex winning by an innings and 165 runs inside two days but Goddard took his first first-class wicket, a good one too, that of J.W.Hearne caught by M.A.Green at mid-on. Goddard was the fifth bowler tried and it should be said that Hearne had scored 201 at the time. The County did rather better in Goddard’s second and only other match in 1922, beating Worcestershire by an innings and 92 runs also at the Spa. Goddard did not get on to bowl in this match Own Team O M R W Opp Ct Total Total 1. Gloucestershire v Middlesex, Spa Ground, Gloucester, June 7, 8 (Middlesex won by an innings and 165 runs) not out 20 122 18 5 48 1 J.W.Hearne c M.A.Green 408-9d not out 2 121 2. Gloucestershire v Worcestershire, Spa Ground, Gloucester, July (8), 10, 11 (Gloucestershire won by an innings and 92 runs) not out 6 202 58 52 SEASON’S AVERAGES Batting and Fielding M I NO Runs HS Ave 50 Ct Season 2 3 3 28 20* - - - Bowling O M R W BB Ave 5i 10m Strike RunR Season (6b) 18 5 48 1 1-48 48.00 - - 108.00 44.44 1923 Goddard took part in sixteen of Gloucestershire’s Championship games in 1923 taking 25 wickets at 29.12 apiece, figures which put him in fourth place in the County’s bowling averages behind Parker, Dennett and Mills who took 299 wickets between them. As these three were all spin bowlers it is not surprising that Goddard’s off-spin was not considered necessary. He took 6 for 41 against Lancashire at the Wagon Works Ground, Gloucester in June and 5 for 19 against Surrey at Bristol in May but he rarely opened the bowling and with Parker, especially, in outstanding form his opportunities were limited. As a batsman he scored just 44 runs in 26 innings and he took the first six of his career catches. 5