Godfrey Firbank Explained

Godfrey Firbank
Country:England
Fullname:Godfrey Christopher Firbank
Birth Date:19 June 1895
Birth Place:Wrington, Somerset, England
Death Place:King's Somborne, Hampshire, England
Bowling:Left-arm orthodox spin
Role:Bowler
Club1:Army
Year1:1927
Club2:Combined Services
Year2:1922
Type1:First-class
Debutdate1:10 May
Debutyear1:1922
Debutfor1:Combined Services
Debutagainst1:Essex
Lastdate1:16 July
Lastyear1:1927
Lastfor1:Army
Lastagainst1:Royal Navy
Columns:1
Column1:First-class
Matches1:2
Runs1:0
Bat Avg1:0.00
100S/50S1:0/0
Top Score1:0
Deliveries1:372
Wickets1:5
Bowl Avg1:35.40
Fivefor1:0
Tenfor1:0
Best Bowling1:3/67
Catches/Stumpings1:0/0
Date:10 May
Year:2008
Source:http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/29/29403/29403.html CricketArchive

Lieutenant-Colonel Godfrey Christopher Firbank MC (19 June 1895 – 8 July 1947) was an English cricketer.[1] A left-arm orthodox spin bowler, he played first-class cricket for the Army and for the Combined Services in addition to international matches for Egypt.[2]

Born in Somerset in 1895, Firbank served in the Gloucestershire Regiment and then (from 1917) the Coldstream Guards during the First World War, reaching the rank of lieutenant and receiving the Military Cross. He was promoted captain in 1924 and major in 1939. He retired as a lieutenant-colonel in 1945.

Godfrey Firbank made his first-class debut in May 1922, playing for the Combined Services against Essex.[3] He also played for the Household Brigade team against Eton College the same month.[4]

After playing for I Zingari against the Royal Engineers in July 1925 he went on a tour of Egypt in April 1925 with the Free Foresters, playing two matches against the Egyptian national side. Back in England, he played for the Army against the Royal Navy at Lord's that summer, his last first-class match.

He later returned to Egypt, this time playing for the national side in three matches against HM Martineau's XI between 1929 and 1930. He died in Hampshire in 1947, aged 52.

Notes and References

  1. http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/england/content/player/13057.html Cricinfo profile
  2. http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/29/29403/29403.html CricketArchive profile
  3. http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/29/29403/First-Class_Matches.html First-class matches played by Godfrey Firbank
  4. http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/29/29403/Other_matches.html Other matches played by Godfrey Firbank