| Edward Gothard | |
| Country: | England |
| Fullname: | Edward James Gothard |
| Birth Date: | 1 October 1904 |
| Birth Place: | Burton upon Trent, England |
| Death Place: | Birmingham, England |
| Batting: | Right-handed |
| Bowling: | Right-arm medium |
| Club1: | Derbyshire |
| Type1: | FC |
| Debutdate1: | 31 May |
| Debutyear1: | 1947 |
| Debutfor1: | Derbyshire |
| Debutagainst1: | Northamptonshire |
| Lastdate1: | 18 August |
| Lastyear1: | 1948 |
| Lastfor1: | Derbyshire |
| Lastagainst1: | Essex |
| Columns: | 1 |
| Column1: | First-class |
| Matches1: | 45 |
| Runs1: | 543 |
| Bat Avg1: | 12.34 |
| 100S/50S1: | 0/1 |
| Top Score1: | 50 |
| Deliveries1: | 1,136 |
| Wickets1: | 18 |
| Bowl Avg1: | 40.55 |
| Fivefor1: | 0 |
| Tenfor1: | 0 |
| Best Bowling1: | 3/84 |
| Catches/Stumpings1: | 10/– |
| Date: | 16 February |
| Year: | 2010 |
| Source: | https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/29/29718/29718.html CricketArchive |
Edward James Gothard OBE, MBE, TD (1 October 1904 – 17 January 1979) was an English first-class cricketer who played for Derbyshire in 1947 and 1948 and captained the side in both years.
Gothard was born in Burton-on-Trent, the son of William Henry Gothard who played cricket for Staffordshire. Gothard himself represented Staffordshire in the Minor Counties Championship in 1927. He was an able rugby player but as a result of injury took to playing hockey instead. He was captain of Burton Hockey Club from 1933 to 1939.[1] During the Second World War he played four cricket matches for Nottinghamshire in 1943. He was captain of Burton Hockey Club again from 1946 to 1947, and was a regular player for the club after the war. He played hockey for Derbyshire 30 times and was a trialist for the "Midlands".[1]
Gothard became cricket captain for Derbyshire in the 1947 season and made his first-class debut at the age of 42 at the end of May against Northamptonshire. An innings victory marked the start of a good run for the Derbyshire team. Gothard was a strict disciplinarian,[2] and they finished in fifth place in the 1947 County Championship. Against Middlesex Gothard took a hat-trick, including the wicket of Bill Edrich, one of the season's top scorers.[3] During the 1948 season, Gothard clean bowled Don Bradman at Derby. At the end of the 1948 season, when Derbyshire finished sixth, he retired from first-class cricket. Gothard was a right-arm medium-pace bowler who took 18 first-class wickets at an average of 40.55 and a best performance of 3–84. He was a right-handed batsman who batted in the lower-order. He played 63 innings in 45 first-class matches with one half-century and an average of 12.34.[4]
Gothard was later secretary and treasurer of the club.[5] He died in Birmingham at the age of 74.
Gothard's son, Squadron Leader Edward Leigh Gothard, MBE,[6] played first class cricket for both the Royal Air Force and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).