Eddie Gilbert (cricketer)

Eddie Gilbert (August 1 1905, Durundur Queensland - January 9 1978, Brisbane, Queensland) was a Queensland Aboriginal cricketer. He was an exceptionally fast bowler.

Gilbert was probably only the fourth Aboriginal to play first-class cricket in Australia and to be in serious contention for inclusion in the national side; the others being Johnny Mullagh (1868), Alec Henry (1901) and Jack Marsh (1902). ^{[http://www.atsic.gov.au/events/cricket/Cricket_2003/history/brief_history.asp]} (Mullagh did play in the 1868 Aboriginal cricket tour of England, but was too early for the era of Test cricket which did not start until 1877).

Gilbert was taken from his home near Woodford at the age of three as part of a government policy on Aboriginals and grew up on farms whilst living in the Barambah Aboriginal Reserve, now known as Cherbourg, north of Brisbane. He took up cricket at a young age, initially playing as a slow bowler but quickly developing pace cultivated through a flexible wrist which he said was from years of boomerang throwing.

After playing with the State Colts in 1930, he came into the Queensland Sheffield Shield team in 1931. Shortly after on November 6 in a match against New South Wales at the recently opened Brisbane Cricket Ground in the Brisbane suburb of Woolloongabba, he dismissed Don Bradman and Wendell Bill ^{[http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/australia/content/player/4148.html]} for ducks in his first over, both caught behind by wicket-keeper Len Waterman ^{[http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/australia/content/player/8314.html]} . The ball previous to the one that dismissed Bradman had knocked the bat from his hands.

Bradman recalled years later that the six deliveries he faced from Gilbert in that match were the fastest he had experienced in his career. "The keeper took the ball over his head, and I reckon it was halfway to the boundary", he said, and that the balls from Gilbert "were unhesitatingly faster than anything seen from Larwood or anyone else."

Though he had a controversial action he was called only once for throwing and that for jerking his wrist. Importantly the straightness of his arm was never contradicted by umpires. The occasion of him being called was the match between Victoria and Queensland at the MCG in 1931. The umpire Andrew Barlow, no-balled him 13 times for his action.

Gilbert played against Bradman on two more occasions, as well as Douglas Jardine during the 1932/33 Bodyline tour.

In his career, he played in 19 Sheffield Shield matches, taking 73 wickets at an average of 29.75. A further 14 wickets were taken off touring MCC, West Indies and South Africa sides. In one match against the touring West Indian team, he took 5/65.

Gilbert retired from the game in 1936 due to poor form whereupon officials in the Queensland Cricket Board and the Aboriginal Protectorate arranged for his return to an Aboriginal settlement. Gilbert died at the Wolston Park Hospital near Brisbane on January 9 1978, aged 72 after many years of ill health due to alcoholism and mental illness.

Problems faced as an Aboriginal man in the era of 'protection'

As an Aboriginal man living in Queensland in 1931, Eddie Gilbert was bound by the restrictions of the Protection of Aboriginals and Restriction of the Sale of Opium Act 1897. This meant that even setting off to play against Bradman he needed written permission to travel from the Aboriginal settlement he lived in. Reference to his correspondence survives in the Queensland State Archives. (QSA A/4736, Home Secretary, Register of Letters Received, 1931, Extracts - Aborigines General).

See also

*List of cricketers called for throwing in major cricket matches in Australia

*1868 Aboriginal cricket tour of England

References

*"Eddie Gilbert - The True Story Of An Aboriginal Cricketing Legend" by Mike Coleman and Ken Edwards. ABC Books (2002).

External links

* [http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/columns/content/player/5387.html Cricinfo article on Eddie Gilbert]
* [http://www.abcofcricket.com/Article_Library/art1/art1.htm Abc of Cricket article]