Ed Giddins

Edward Simon Hunter Giddins (born 20 July 1971) is a former English cricketer who played in four Tests from 1999 to 2000.

Ed Giddins

Personal information
Full name	Edward Simon Hunter Giddins
Born	(1971-07-20) 20 July 1971 (age 53) Eastbourne, Sussex, England
Nickname	Geezer
Height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right arm fast-medium
International information
National side	England
Test debut (cap 596)	19 August 1999 v New Zealand
Last Test	17 June 2000 v West Indies
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1991–1996	Sussex
1998–2000	Warwickshire
2001–2002	Surrey
2003	Hampshire
Career statistics
Competition Test FC LA T20 Matches 4 147 192 5 Runs scored 10 534 107 1 Batting average 2.50 5.28 2.74 0.50 100s/50s 0/0 0/0 0/0 0/0 Top score 7 34 13* 1 Balls bowled 444 25,376 8,887 66 Wickets 12 478 229 2 Bowling average 20.00 28.37 28.31 54.50 5 wickets in innings 1 22 2 0 10 wickets in match 0 2 0 0 Best bowling 5/15 6/47 5/20 1/19 Catches/stumpings 0/– 22/– 36/– 0/–
Source: Cricinfo, 31 July 2009

Giddins was born in Eastbourne, Sussex, Giddins was educated at St. Bedes Preparatory School in Eastbourne where he first showed his talent for cricket whilst playing for the school team. Giddins played for four counties during his career – Sussex, Warwickshire, Surrey and Hampshire. He was banned from cricket for 18 months and dropped by Sussex after testing positive for cocaine in 1996.^[1][2][3]

International career

New Zealand

Giddins made his international debut against New Zealand at the Oval in August 1999, taking four wickets for 79 runs. Giddins' first Test match dismissal was former-Warwickshire batsman Roger Twose.^[4] New Zealand won this Test by 83 runs to clinch the four-game series 2–1.

Zimbabwe

Giddins was not selected for the winter tour of South Africa, but was back in the side for the two tests in England against Zimbabwe the following summer. England won the two-game series 1–0 and much of this is down to Giddins whose career best international figures of 5–15 in the first Zimbabwe innings helped swing the match in England's favour. Giddins also took two wickets in the second innings as well as scoring his highest score for England.^[5]

The second Test finished as a draw, with Giddins getting figures of 1–46 and being the not out batsman in both England innings.^[6]

West Indies

Giddins was named in the team to face West Indies in the opening game the five match series of 2000. England lost this game by an innings and 93 runs and Giddins' figures of 0–73, as well as his only international pair,^[7] meant he was subsequently dropped from the side. This was to be his last appearance for the national side.

Controversies

In 1996 Giddins tested positive for the cocaine after Sussex's championship match against Kent at Tunbridge Wells at the end of May, and a second test on the sample also proved positive. The discipline committee of the Test and County Cricket Board rejected Giddins's story that he had taken cocaine by mistake and banned him for 20 months for "[bringing] the game into disrepute".^[8]

In 2004 Giddins was again banned for placing a bet in 2002 against Surrey, his county at the time, in a National League game against Northamptonshire. He pleaded not guilty but was given a 5-year ban from cricket.^[9][10]

References

1. Selvey, Mike (21 August 1996). "Giddins banned for taking cocaine". The Irish Times. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
2. "If Giddins has a drug problem, he should have been treated as Paul Merson was by the FA, with sympathy and firmness". The Independent. London. 20 August 1996. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
3. Dirs, Ben (2 March 2013). "What the death of Tom Maynard tells us about cricket and drugs". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
4. "ENG vs NZ Cricket Scorecard, , 4th Test at London, August 19 - 22, 1999". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
5. "ENG vs ZIM Cricket Scorecard, , 1st Test at London, May 18 - 21, 2000". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
6. "ENG vs ZIM Cricket Scorecard, , 2nd Test at Nottingham, June 01 - 05, 2000". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
7. "ENG vs WI Cricket Scorecard, , 1st Test at Birmingham, June 15 - 17, 2000". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
8. "CM Jenkins: Giddins banned for 20 months for cocaine use (21 Aug 1996)". ESPN.com. 21 August 1996. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
9. Tong, Andrew (25 May 2004). "Giddins banned for five years after betting on county game". Independent. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
10. "Giddens banned for betting on one day match". The Sunday Times. 25 May 2004. Retrieved 24 March 2024.