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George Hirst




  Nationality English
  Country England
  Country Abbrev Eng
  Name George Hirst
  Picture Cricket_no_picpng
  Batting Style Right-handed batsman (RHB)
  Bowling Style Left arm medium-fast (LMF)
  Tests 24
  Test Runs 790
  Test Bat Avg 2257
  Test 100s/50s 0/5
  Test Top Score 85
  Test Balls 4,010
  Test Wickets 59
  Test Bowl Avg 3000
  Test 5s 3
  Test 10s 0
  Test Best Bowling 5-48
  Test Catches/stumpings 18/0
  FCs 826
  FC Runs 36,356
  FC Bat Avg 3413
  FC 100s/50s 60/201
  FC Top Score 341
  FC Balls 123,328
  FC Wickets 2,742
  FC Bowl Avg 1873
  FC 5s 184
  FC 10s 40
  FC Best Bowling 9-23
  FC Catches/stumpings 605/0
  Debut Date 13 December
  Debut Year 1897
  Last Date 28 July
  Last Year 1909


George Herbert Hirst ( 7 September 1871 - 10 May 1954 ) was one of the finest All-round Cricket ers of cricket's Golden Age, and though he tended to disappoint for England , for his county he was prolific with both bat and ball; Lord Hawke , his captain at Yorkshire , reckoned him the greatest of all County Cricket ers. He was the only man to do the "double double" of scoring 2000 runs and taking 200 wickets in a season, which feat he achieved in 1906 , and when asked whether this record would ever be broken replied, "I don't know, but whoever does it will be very tired".

Born in Kirkheaton , Huddersfield , Yorkshire , Hirst made his First-class debut in 1891 , and his Yorkshire career lasted until 1921 . He managed the conventional "double" of 1000 runs and 100 wickets on no less than fourteen occasions, second only to Wilfred Rhodes . He passed 2000 runs on three occasions, including in 1905 when he made 341 against Leicestershire , a score that remains a record for the county.

Hirst's Test career lasted from 1897 / 98 to 1909 , and in 1902 at The Oval he stood firm in a last-wicket partnership with Rhodes to win the match against Australia , but he never made a century at this level. He was named as a Wisden Cricketer Of The Year in 1901 .

After eight years away from the game, Hirst made a single further appearance for Yorkshire against MCC in September 1929 , when he had just turned 58. He died at his home in Huddersfield at the age of 82.


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George Herbert, as he was known, became one of the first swing bowlers aropund turn of the century, hence his greater successes as a wicket taker, after starting as a "straight up and downer", reducing his pace somewhat to fast medium. When conditions were right - he liked a breeze blowing from the direction of third man - it was said to be like batting to a good throw from cover point. Like his Yorkshire compatriot Fred Trueman, his action lead to a natural outswinger, though as a left hander, this was an inswinger to the majority of batsmen. After retirment from active cricket he became a highly respected coach at Harrow School and for Yorkshire. Like Wilfird (correct spelling - not a "typo"!) Rhodes he bowled left but batted right handed; the "Hirst and Rhodes Pavillion" at the Kirkheaton cricket club ground was known locally as having a foundation stone "laid by left-handed bricklayers"!