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William McLean Gifford (born 10 October 1985) is an English cricketer who has played first-class cricket for Loughborough UCCE and one List A game for Worcestershire. He is, as Wisden put it, "no known relation" to former Worcestershire captain Norman Gifford.

Early life and career

Gifford was educated at Malvern College, where he was captain of the First XI cricket team, and played against a Worcestershire Development XI in 2000. In 2002 he scored 104 for Worcestershire Under-19s against their Glamorgan counterparts, putting on 292 for the fourth wicket with Craig Everett (215 not out). In 2003 and 2004 Gifford made a number of appearances for Worcestershire Second XI, his innings including 104 against Gloucestershire II in May 2004. In 2004–05 he was selected for the England Under-19s' tour of India, playing in two Youth Tests and four Youth ODIs.

Loughborough UCCE

In April 2005, Gifford made his first-class debut, captaining Loughborough UCCE against Sussex at Hove, scoring 19 and 12 in a drawn game. He played seven further first-class matches for Loughborough UCCE between then and May 2007, including leading the side to an eight-wicket victory over Worcestershire at Kidderminster in May 2005. His highest score of 71 was made against Yorkshire at Headingley in May 2007; Yorkshire won by a single run. Gifford was not captain in this match.

Worcestershire and after

Gifford made only one first-team appearance for Worcestershire, when he played in a List A game at Worcester against West Indies A in July 2006, scoring just 1. While at Worcestershire, he played club cricket for Kidderminster Victoria in the Cockspur Cup, hitting 94 in a narrow quarter-final defeat by Kibworth.

Although he scored 125 for Worcestershire II against Leicestershire seconds in early August 2007, the following month Worcestershire announced that his summer scholarship deal would not be upgraded to a full contract.

Gifford played for Esher against Mitcham in the 2008 Cockspur Cup.

Notes

1. "West Indies A in England". Wisden Cricketers' Almanack 2007. p. 616.
2. Talking School Sport: Captain Cook's summer of runs breaks all Bedford's records. Gareth A Davies. The Daily Telegraph. 9 July 2003. Retrieved 6 August 2010.
3. "Malvern College v Worcestershire Development XI in 2000". CricketArchive. Retrieved 6 May 2009.
4. "Glamorgan Under-19s v Worcestershire Under-19s in 2002". CricketArchive. Retrieved 6 May 2009.
5. "Gloucestershire Second XI v Worcestershire Second XI in 2004". CricketArchive. Retrieved 6 May 2009.
6. "Player Oracle Reveals Results". CricketArchive. Retrieved 6 May 2009.
7. "Sussex v Loughborough University Centre of Cricketing Excellence in 2005". CricketArchive. Retrieved 6 May 2009.
8. "Worcestershire v Loughborough University Centre of Cricketing Excellence in 2005". CricketArchive. Retrieved 6 May 2009.
9. "Yorkshire v Loughborough University Centre of Cricketing Excellence in 2007". CricketArchive. Retrieved 6 May 2009.
10. "Worcestershire v West Indies A in 2006". CricketArchive. Retrieved 6 May 2009.
11. "Kidderminster Victoria v Kibworth in 2007". CricketArchive. Retrieved 6 May 2009.
12. "Worcestershire Second XI v Leicestershire Second XI in 2007". CricketArchive. Retrieved 6 May 2009.
13. "Worcestershire Release Players". Worcestershire County Cricket Club. 17 September 2007. Retrieved 6 May 2009.
14. "Mitcham v Esher in 2008". CricketArchive. Retrieved 6 May 2009.

References

• Will Gifford at CricketArchive (subscription required)
• Will Gifford at ESPNcricinfo

• 1985 births
• Living people
• Alumni of Loughborough University
• Cricketers from Sutton Coldfield
• English cricketers
• Loughborough MCCU cricketers
• People educated at Malvern College
• Worcestershire cricketers