William McLean Gifford (born 10 October 1985) is an English cricketer who has played first-class cricket for Loughborough UCCE and one List A game for Worcestershire. He is, as Wisden put it, "no known relation" to former Worcestershire captain Norman Gifford.[1]
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | William McLean Gifford | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1985-10-10) 10 October 1985 (age 36) Sutton Coldfield, England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: CricketArchive, 6 May 2009 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Gifford was educated at Malvern College, where he was captain[2] of the First XI cricket team, and played against a Worcestershire Development XI in 2000.[3] In 2002 he scored 104 for Worcestershire Under-19s against their Gloucestershire counterparts, putting on 292 for the fourth wicket with Craig Everett (215 not out).[4] In 2003 and 2004 Gifford made a number of appearances for Worcestershire Second XI, his innings including 104 against Gloucestershire II in May 2004.[5] In 2004–05 he was selected for the England Under-19s' tour of India, playing in two Youth Tests and four Youth ODIs.[6]
In April 2005, Gifford made his first-class debut, captaining Loughborough UCCE against Sussex at Hove, scoring 19 and 12 in a drawn game.[7] He played seven further first-class matches for Loughborough UCCE between then and May 2007, including leading the side to an eight-wicket victory over Worcestershire at Kidderminster in May 2005.[8] His highest score of 71 was made against Yorkshire at Headingley in May 2007; Yorkshire won by a single run. Gifford was not captain in this match.[9]
Gifford made only one first-team appearance for Worcestershire, when he played in a List A game at Worcester against West Indies A in July 2006, scoring just 1.[10] While at Worcestershire, he played club cricket for Kidderminster Victoria in the Cockspur Cup, hitting 94 in a narrow quarter-final defeat by Kibworth.[11]
Although he scored 125 for Worcestershire II against Leicestershire seconds in early August 2007,[12] the following month Worcestershire announced that his summer scholarship deal would not be upgraded to a full contract.[13]
Gifford played for Esher against Mitcham in the 2008 Cockspur Cup.[14]