Jack Hubble
Encyclopedia
Jack Hubble was an English
cricket
er. He was a right-handed batsman and wicket-keeper who played for Kent
and Marylebone Cricket Club
during a 25-year career.
Hubble joined Kent as a first-team player in 1904, and, while he didn't gain a regular first-team place until two years later, Kent's form in the Championship up to that point was to prove promising. However, with Hubble able to dictate play from the middle order, his averages remained consistent over the following years, beginning with Kent's championship-winning year of 1906. Though this was form that Hubble himself was to sustain the following year, he would not be a first-team pick in the Championship until 1911, after the previous year's victory, once again, in the County Championship. Hubble's reputation was enhanced further by some tenacious batting late into the 1910 season, a shining light in a team full of hard and often inaccurate batsman.
While Hubble himself was now 29 years old and in his prime as a player, Kent continued their exceptional form with him as a first-team wicket-keeper, winning the penultimate County Championship before the break of World War I. Though in the 1914 season Hubble played second fiddle to fellow wicket-keeping teammate Fred Huish
, when the County Championship was reinstated in 1919, Hubble became first-team wicket-keeper, with the added bonus of being able to pull off the occasional very tenacious batting performance.
Kent finished in second place after the first season back playing Championship cricket, a sign that the team as a whole, despite gaining nine new players, was able to function properly as a unit as well as individually. Hubble himself hit one further half-century during this season. Kent remained top five finishers in each of the six seasons, though a tour from the Australians at the end of the 1926 season somewhat undermined Hubble's confidence and, though Kent were to finish in the top five once again in 1927, Hubble played only occasionally for the team from them on, instead playing several games for Marylebone Cricket Club
.
As a wicket-keeper, Hubble made over 200 stumpings during his career. After his retirement, he became a qualified umpire, taking charge of a small number of first-class matches. Hubble's nephew, Harold Hubble, also played first-class cricket for Kent for three seasons.
After retirement in partnership with his old team mate Percy 'Tich' Freeman Hubble set up a chain of sports goods shops in the Medway
and Maidstone
area.
England
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...
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. He was a right-handed batsman and wicket-keeper who played for Kent
Kent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
and Marylebone Cricket Club
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...
during a 25-year career.
Hubble joined Kent as a first-team player in 1904, and, while he didn't gain a regular first-team place until two years later, Kent's form in the Championship up to that point was to prove promising. However, with Hubble able to dictate play from the middle order, his averages remained consistent over the following years, beginning with Kent's championship-winning year of 1906. Though this was form that Hubble himself was to sustain the following year, he would not be a first-team pick in the Championship until 1911, after the previous year's victory, once again, in the County Championship. Hubble's reputation was enhanced further by some tenacious batting late into the 1910 season, a shining light in a team full of hard and often inaccurate batsman.
While Hubble himself was now 29 years old and in his prime as a player, Kent continued their exceptional form with him as a first-team wicket-keeper, winning the penultimate County Championship before the break of World War I. Though in the 1914 season Hubble played second fiddle to fellow wicket-keeping teammate Fred Huish
Fred Huish
Frederick Henry Huish was one of the major factors behind Kent's success in the County Championship in the decade prior to World War I and arguably the best wicket-keeper never to play Test cricket...
, when the County Championship was reinstated in 1919, Hubble became first-team wicket-keeper, with the added bonus of being able to pull off the occasional very tenacious batting performance.
Kent finished in second place after the first season back playing Championship cricket, a sign that the team as a whole, despite gaining nine new players, was able to function properly as a unit as well as individually. Hubble himself hit one further half-century during this season. Kent remained top five finishers in each of the six seasons, though a tour from the Australians at the end of the 1926 season somewhat undermined Hubble's confidence and, though Kent were to finish in the top five once again in 1927, Hubble played only occasionally for the team from them on, instead playing several games for Marylebone Cricket Club
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...
.
As a wicket-keeper, Hubble made over 200 stumpings during his career. After his retirement, he became a qualified umpire, taking charge of a small number of first-class matches. Hubble's nephew, Harold Hubble, also played first-class cricket for Kent for three seasons.
After retirement in partnership with his old team mate Percy 'Tich' Freeman Hubble set up a chain of sports goods shops in the Medway
Medway
Medway is a conurbation and unitary authority in South East England. The Unitary Authority was formed in 1998 when the City of Rochester-upon-Medway amalgamated with Gillingham Borough Council and part of Kent County Council to form Medway Council, a unitary authority independent of Kent County...
and Maidstone
Maidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
area.
External links
- Jack Hubble at Cricket Archive