GHG (Hubert) Doggart

A stylish right handed batsman

GHG (Hubert) Doggart was born in Earls Court London on 18 July, 1925. He was  educated at Winchester College and then Cambridge University where he made his first class debut in 1948 at the age of twenty two – the same year as his debut for Sussex. He was a stylish right hand batsman who made a double century on debut for Cambridge, scoring 215 not out against Lancashire – the highest score by an Englishman on debut since 1826. In addition to his Blue for cricket at Cambridge, Doggart was awarded a Blue for football and a half Blue for three other sports.

In 1949, Doggart continued his excellent start to his career, scoring over 2,000 runs. Playing for Cambridge, he made 219* in a stand of 429 with John Dewes against Essex, at the time the second highest second wicket partnership in English cricket. For Sussex his two centuries included 155 against Somerset.

Called up for England

In 1950, Doggart was captain of Cambridge when he was called up to play for England against the West Indies but after just two matches was dropped in favour of his batting partner, John Dewes, and never played for England again.

After Doggart had finished at Cambridge, he went back to Winchester to teach and his games for Sussex were restricted to the school  holidays. His only full season of cricket was in 1954 when he was given leave to take over the captaincy of Sussex, after David Sheppard. Sheppard was a difficult act to follow but his charm and general enthusiasm made Doggart popular with the players.  Under his leadership the Sussex side played well,  and some good wins were achieved, especially  the double against Worcestershire and the defeat of Middlesex by eight wickets at Hove. That season Doggart made over 1,600 runs and his four wickets put him at the top of the bowling averages.

Early promise never realised

Doggart’s matches were  few in 1955 but his all-round excellent batting and fielding, and occasional off-spin meant he was able to get into the side whenever he was available. In 1958 he made 162 not out against his former university and finished twelfth in the national averages. He played off and on for Sussex until 1961 although his early promise was never fully realised.

Doggart later became headmaster at King’s School, Bruton and served as President of both the MCC and the Cricket Society, as well as being president of the English Schools Cricket Association for over thirty years.