Profile of Geoff Holmes by Dr.A.K.Hignell - Hon Statistician and Historian to Glamorgan CCC

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Player:

GC Holmes

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Geoff Holmes was a highly effective all-rounder for Glamorgan in the 1980`s. He was particularly effective in limited overs cricket and returned some remarkable bowling figures, including 5/2 in the Sunday League match with Derbyshire at Ebbw Vale in 1984, as well as claiming a hat-trick at the same ground in 1987 against Nottinghamshire.

 

The young Geordie was recommended to Glamorgan by Len Muncer, the M.C.C. coach and former Glamorgan stalwart, after Holmes had an impressive spell on the Lord`s groundstaff in 1974. He confirmed his rich potential by scoring a century, before developing the typical all-rounder of the modern era - Holmes batted anywhere in the order from three to six in Championship matches, and opened in one day games, besides bowling accurate medium pace and being a livewire in the field.

 

Holmes was very much an accumulator rather than a shot-a-ball batsman, and was a swift runner between the wickets. In 1988 he struck two hundreds in the match with Somerset at Taunton, as well as 108 against them at Cardiff. He also hit 117 against Gloucestershire at Bristol, yet ended the summer with 999 runs in first-class cricket, just one run short of passing a thousand for the fourth time in his career. His efforts however were not lost on his fellow players and Glamorgan`s supporters who voted Holmes as Glamorgan`s Player of the Year for 1988.

 

Holmes also played and coached in South Africa, and during 1989/1990, Holmes hit a career-best 182 for Border against Western Province B. A back injury forced Holmes to retire from county cricket at the end of 1991, which was his Benefit Season.

 

In January 2005 Geoff was appointed as Director of Cricket for the Cricket Board of Wales.

(Article: Copyright © 2005 Dr.A.K.Hignell)