First Class Career
After playing with the State Colts in 1930, he came into the Queensland Sheffield Shield team in 1931. Gilbert was probably only the fourth Aboriginal Australian to play first-class cricket in Australia, after Twopenny in 1870, Johnny Mullagh in 1879 and Albert Henry in 1902. (Note that the 1868 Aboriginal cricket tour of England was not considered first-class.)
In his career, Gilbert played in 19 Sheffield Shield matches, taking 73 wickets at an average of 29.75. A further 14 wickets were taken off touring MCC, West Indies and South African sides. In one match against the touring West Indian team, he took 5/65. Despite his success, it is unlikely that he was ever seriously considered for the Australian Test team due to doubts about his action, his aboriginality and the fact that he represented Queensland, then a relatively weak team.
Read more about this topic: Eddie Gilbert (cricketer)
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