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HALL OF FAME

George Goddard

1960 - 1983 (78 caps)

Born

19th May 1938, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

Debut

Scotland v Ireland, Whitehaugh Oval, Paisley, 9 July 1960

Runs

1,091

Wickets

163

George Goddard was one of Scotland’s most influential players from the mid 1960s to the early 1980s. Part of the greatest ever Heriot’s FP XI, his quiet but firm pragmatism made him the most influential internationalist to come from that great team. Not surprisingly, Goddard starred with both bat & ball while at Heriot’s School, but it was as a medium-pacer he made his mark as a schoolboy bowler. He made his debut for Heriot’s FP in 1957, soon changing to the off-breaks which were to be his trademark.

Goddard made seventy eight appearances for Scotland until his retirement from International cricket in 1983. His most notable match was undoubtedly against MCC in 1973. In MCC’s first innings he took all the wickets to fall and finished with 8/134. When Scotland batted, they collapsed to 82/7 before Goddard came to the wicket and transformed the situation with 113* in 221 minutes.

He took 1,381 wickets in club cricket and captained Heriot’s FP seven seasons in all, but it his contributions to the national cause which will be most remembered. His distinguished career was crowned by the award of an MBE for services to Scottish cricket in the 1982 New Year’s Honours List.