Fred Gardner (cricketer)

Fred Charles Gardner (4 June 1922 – 12 January 1979) was an English first-class cricketer and footballer. As a footballer, he played inside-forward for Birmingham, Coventry City, Newport County, and Rugby Town. In his cricket career, he was a right-hand opening batsman who played for Warwickshire.

Fred Gardner
Personal information
Full name Fred Charles Gardner[1]
Date of birth (1922-06-04)4 June 1922[1]
Place of birth Bell Green, Coventry, England[1]
Date of death 12 January 1979(1979-01-12) (aged 56)[1]
Place of death Coventry, England[1]
Position(s) Inside-forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1940–1946 Birmingham 0 (0)
1946–1949 Coventry City 13 (3)
1949–1950 Newport County 4 (2)
Rugby Town
Total 17+ (5+)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only
Fred Gardner
Cricket information
BattingRight-handed
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1947–1961Warwickshire
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 340
Runs scored 17,905
Batting average 33.71
100s/50s 29/89
Top score 215*
Balls bowled 107
Wickets 0
Bowling average –
5 wickets in innings –
10 wickets in match –
Best bowling –
Catches/stumpings 198/0
Source: Cricinfo, 15 November 2019

Football career

Gardner was playing for Birmingham when World War II came to Europe. He guested for Port Vale in 1946.[1] He signed with Coventry City after the war, and scored three goals in 13 league games for the "Bantams" as the Second Division club posted mid-table finishes in 1946–47, 1947–48, and 1948–49 under the stewardship of Billy Frith and Harry Storer. He scored two goals in four Third Division South games for Tom Bromilow's Newport County in the 1949–50 season. After leaving Rodney Parade, he played for Rugby Town and later became the trainer-coach of Lockheed Leamington.[1]

Cricket career

Gardner was a solid defensive player,[2][3] who formed a productive opening partnership with Norman Horner for Warwickshire.[4] He played 338 first-class matches for the county between 1947 and 1961, and also made one appearance for an England XI against the touring South Africans in 1955 and one for the Players against the Gentlemen in 1957.[5]

Gardner made his first-class debut in 1947 at the age of 25, becoming a regular in 1949 when he was awarded his county cap.[2] He was an ever-present in the 1951 season when Warwickshire won the County Championship, he contributed 1,338 runs and 27 catches to the success.[6] He scored a total of 17,905 first-class runs at an average of 33.71, passing 1,000 runs in a season for ten consecutive years between 1949 and 1958.[7] His highest score was 215 not out in 415 minutes against Somerset in 1950; Warwickshire went on to win by an innings and 126 runs.[8]

In 1953 Gardner scored 110 against the touring Australians, becoming the first Warwickshire batsman to score a hundred against an Australian side.[2] He was awarded a benefit season in 1958, the last season in which he appeared regularly.

After finishing his playing career in 1961, he joined the umpires list standing in 98 first-class matches between 1962 and 1965.[9] Following this he dedicated time to coaching juniors in the Coventry area.[3]

Gardner died at the age of 56, in his native Coventry, following a long illness.[2]

Statistics

Source:[10]

Club Season Division League FA Cup Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Coventry City 1946–47 Second Division 410041
1947–48 Second Division 310031
1948–49 Second Division 610061
Total 13300133
Newport County 1949–50 Third Division South 420042
Career total 17500175

References
  1. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 109. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  2. Wisden 1980 – Obituaries, Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, Retrieved on 15 November 2019
  3. Warwickshire County Cricket Club Greatest Ever, GreatestEver.com, Retrieved on 9 November 2008
  4. Horner loses battle against cancer, Cricinfo, Retrieved on 8 November 2008
  5. First-class Batting and Fielding record for each team, CricketArchive, Retrieved on 8 November 2008
  6. Batting and Fielding for Warwickshire, County Championship 1951, CricketArchive, Retrieved on 8 November 2008
  7. First-class Batting for each season, CricketArchive, Retrieved on 8 November 2008
  8. "Somerset v Warwickshire 1950". Cricinfo. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  9. List of First-class matches umpired, CricketArchive, Retrieved on 8 November 2008
  10. Fred Gardner at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
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