Gladstone Small
Encyclopedia
Gladstone Cleophas Small (born 18 October 1961, St. George, Barbados
) is an English
former cricket
er, who played in seventeen Tests
and fifty three ODIs for England.
The cricket writer, Colin Bateman, commented, "Gladstone Small overcame a hunched physique to become a remarkably effective fast-medium bowler and one of the most popular characters on the county circuit".
shortly after his fourteenth birthday, usually the point after which a change of nationality is not permitted. However, he applied for eligibility to play cricket
for England, and the MCC
accepted his application.
As a cricketer, Small did not have an outstanding reputation but was highly regarded as a committed team player. Primarily he bowled outswing
, but his propensity for unreliable bowling gave selectors cause for concern. However, during the 1986-87 Ashes
, Small was a last minute replacement for the fourth Test
, and rose to the challenge, taking 5-48 in Australia's
first innings
and claiming two wicket
s in the second. He was given the Man of the Match
award, but this was to be the highlight of his career.
Small was in England's squad for both the 1987
and 1992 Cricket World Cup
s. He was integral to the strong Warwickshire
side of 1994, but retired soon after. , he is a director of the Professional Cricketers' Association
.
Small has Klippel-Feil syndrome
, which accounts for his distinctive "no neck" appearance.
In 2003, Small appeared in the television series Celebrity Poker Club
. His life story was made into a documentary by director Pogus Caesar
in 1995, and broadcast on Carlton Television
for the Respect
television series.
Small was one of the members of the England beach cricket team in 2006-07 and 2007-08.
He is a graduate of Manchester Metropolitan University
.
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
) is an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
former cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er, who played in seventeen Tests
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
and fifty three ODIs for England.
The cricket writer, Colin Bateman, commented, "Gladstone Small overcame a hunched physique to become a remarkably effective fast-medium bowler and one of the most popular characters on the county circuit".
Life and career
Small was born in Barbados, and moved to EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
shortly after his fourteenth birthday, usually the point after which a change of nationality is not permitted. However, he applied for eligibility to play cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
for England, and the MCC
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
accepted his application.
As a cricketer, Small did not have an outstanding reputation but was highly regarded as a committed team player. Primarily he bowled outswing
Outswinger
An outswinger is a type of delivery in the sport of cricket. It is bowled by swing bowlers.An outswinger is bowled by holding the cricket ball with the seam at an angle and the first two fingers running along either side of the seam...
, but his propensity for unreliable bowling gave selectors cause for concern. However, during the 1986-87 Ashes
English cricket team in Australia in 1986-87
The England cricket team toured Australia in 1986/7 and retained the Ashes with a 2-1 series win.- Lead-up to the series :Both England and Australia begun this series at a low ebb. England had lost 5-0 against the West Indies the previous year, then lost 2-0 and 1-0 to India and New Zealand...
, Small was a last minute replacement for the fourth Test
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
, and rose to the challenge, taking 5-48 in Australia's
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
first innings
Innings
An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
and claiming two wicket
Wicket
In the sport of cricket the word wicket has several distinct meanings:-Definitions of wicket:Most of the time, the wicket is one of the two sets of three stumps and two bails at either end of the pitch...
s in the second. He was given the Man of the Match
Man of the match
In sport, a Man of the Match or Player of the Game or Man of the Series award is given to the outstanding player, almost always the one who makes the most impact, in a particular match or series. The term was originally used more often in cricket before being adopted by other sports. This can be a...
award, but this was to be the highlight of his career.
Small was in England's squad for both the 1987
1987 Cricket World Cup
The 1987 Cricket World Cup was the fourth edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup tournament. It was held from October 8 to November 8, 1987 in India and Pakistan — the first held outside England. The format was unchanged from 1983 except for a reduction in the number of overs a team played from 60...
and 1992 Cricket World Cup
1992 Cricket World Cup
-New Zealand:-Round Robin Stage:Co-hosts New Zealand proved the surprise packet of the tournament, winning their first seven games to finish on top of the table after the round robin. The other hosts, Australia, were one of the pre-tournament favourites but lost their first two matches. They...
s. He was integral to the strong Warwickshire
Warwickshire County Cricket Club
Warwickshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Warwickshire. Its limited overs team is called the Warwickshire Bears. Their kit colours are black and gold and the shirt sponsor...
side of 1994, but retired soon after. , he is a director of the Professional Cricketers' Association
Professional Cricketers' Association
The Professional Cricketers' Association is the representative body of past and present first-class cricketers in England and Wales, founded in 1967...
.
Small has Klippel-Feil syndrome
Klippel-Feil syndrome
Klippel–Feil syndrome is a rare disease, initially reported in 1912 by Maurice Klippel and André Feil from France, characterized by the congenital fusion of any 2 of the 7 cervical vertebrae....
, which accounts for his distinctive "no neck" appearance.
In 2003, Small appeared in the television series Celebrity Poker Club
Celebrity Poker Club
Celebrity Poker Club was a British television series featuring celebrities playing poker. It aired on Challenge from 2003 to 2005 as a spin-off to Channel 4's popular Late Night Poker series...
. His life story was made into a documentary by director Pogus Caesar
Pogus Caesar
Pogus Caesar is a British artist, television producer and director. He was born in St Kitts, West Indies, and grew up in Birmingham, England.-History:...
in 1995, and broadcast on Carlton Television
Carlton Television
Carlton Television was the ITV franchise holder for London and the surrounding counties including the cities of Solihull and Coventry of the West Midlands, south Suffolk, middle and east Hampshire, Oxfordshire, south Bedfordshire, south Northamptonshire, parts of Herefordshire & Worcestershire,...
for the Respect
Respect (TV series)
Respect was a ground breaking seven part documentary television series featuring some of the biggest names in British sport and was broadcast each Sunday at 5.00pm on Central Independent Television during November/December 1995....
television series.
Small was one of the members of the England beach cricket team in 2006-07 and 2007-08.
He is a graduate of Manchester Metropolitan University
Manchester Metropolitan University
Manchester Metropolitan University is a university in North West England. Its headquarters and central campus is in the city of Manchester, but there are outlying facilities in the county of Cheshire. It is the third largest university in the United Kingdom in terms of student numbers, behind the...
.