Gibbs, Lance

Lance Gibbs, in full Lancelot Richard Gibbs, (born Sept. 29, 1934, Georgetown, British Guiana [now Guyana]), West Indian cricketer who was one of the most successful bowlers of the 1960s and the longtime record holder for most wickets taken in Test (international two-innings, five-day) matches. He is remembered as one of the most effective spin bowlers in the history of international cricket.

Gibbs made his Test debut for West Indies against Pakistan in 1957 and continued to earn caps (play in international matches) until the mid-1970s, when he retired at age 42. He spearheaded the West Indies spin-bowling attack for a very long period just before the advent of the four-pronged pace (fast-bowling) attack for which the West Indian team was famous. His off spin was a perfect foil to the left-arm spin of Sir Garfield Sobers. Gibbs was the first spinner, the first West Indian, and the second bowler in the history of the game to take more than 300 Test wickets. He collected these wickets at the remarkably economical rate of 1.98 runs per over. Gibbs first came into his own during the 1960–61 series in Australia, taking a hat trick (getting three batsman out on three successive deliveries) in the fourth Test at Adelaide. His career-best performance came against India at Bridgetown, Barb., the following year, when he took 8 wickets while limiting his opponents to 38 runs, including 37 maidens (overs in which no earned runs are scored), in 53.3 overs. Gibbs’s catching and reflexes were spectacular especially in the gully area, where he took most of his 52 catches in Test cricket. He also enjoyed a successful career in the English county circuit with Warwickshire. He was selected Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1972.