Paul Hibbert

Paul Hibbert
Personal information
Born	23 July 1952; Brunswick, Victoria, Australia
Died	27 November 2008 (aged 56); Essendon, Victoria, Australia
Batting	Left-handed
Bowling	Left-arm medium
Role	Batsman
International information
National side	Australia;
Test debut (cap 284)	2 December 1977 v India
Last Test	2 December 1977 v India
Domestic team information
1974/75–1986/87	Victoria
Career statistics
	Source: CricketArchive, 28 November 2008

Paul Anthony Hibbert (23 July 1952 – 27 November 2008) was an Australian cricketer who played in one Test in 1977. He was born in Brunswick, Victoria.

Hibbert is one of only two men to make a century in first-class cricket without hitting a boundary, a record he shares with Alan Hill.^[1]^[2] He was the batting coach at Essendon Cricket Club and the club coach of the Preston Druids Cricket Club.

He died in the Melbourne suburb of Essendon in 2008.^[3]

Career

Hibbert was selected for the Victorian squad in 1974–75 after a strong club season in which he had scored 486 runs at an average of 69.^[4]

He leapt into test contention at the beginning of the 1977–78 summer when he scored a century against the touring Indian side.^[5] Although this was Hibbert's maiden century at first class level there was a lack of in-form openers at the time.

Hibbert was eventually selected in the Australian side for the first test against India, the only specialist opener.^[6] He failed twice and was dropped for the second test, being replaced by John Dyson.

Hibbert continued to play for Victoria for many seasons. He had started cricket at Aberfeldie Park CC (formally known as Essendon YCW, Essendon Y.C and Essendon C.Y.M.S) as a junior before playing district cricket at Carlton.

Personal

Hibbert suffered from alcoholism. He was survived by a wife and two children.^[7]

References

^ "Paul Hibbert". Player profile. Cricinfo. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
^ "Fearless Freddo". ESPN Cricinfo. 11 November 2005. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
^ Horan, Michael (28 November 2008). "Ex-Test bat Paul Hibbert dead". Herald Sun. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
^ "Two new players to tour". The Canberra Times. 4 February 1975. p. 15. Retrieved 1 April 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "SIX-WICKET WIN TO INDIANS". The Canberra Times. 15 November 1977. p. 20. Retrieved 1 April 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "Six new players named". The Canberra Times. 24 November 1977. p. 30. Retrieved 11 December 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
^ Ron Reed, "Hibbert's battling innings comes to a sad end", Herald Sun 5 December 2008 accessed 11 December 2014