Alfred Dipper

Alfred Dipper
Personal information
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm medium
International information
National side English
Career statistics
Competition Tests First-class
Matches 1 481
Runs scored 51 28,075
Batting average 25.50 35.27
100s/50s 0/0 53/147
Top score 40 252*
Balls bowled 0 8,8821
Wickets 0 161
Bowling average n/a 30.45
5 wickets in innings 0 5
10 wickets in match 0 1
Best bowling n/a 7/46
Catches/stumpings 0/0 210/0
Source: [Cricinfo

1Figure taken from Cricinfo, CricketArchive gives 8,888],

Alfred Ernest Dipper (9 November 1885, Apperley, Gloucestershire, England – 7 November 1945, Lambeth, London, England) was a cricketer who played for Gloucestershire and once for England.

Dipper made his first-class debut in 1908 when called into the Gloucestershire side which was a man short for the match against Kent at Tonbridge. He batted at number nine and top scored, but failed to keep a regular place in the team. He re-emerged as an opening batsman in 1911 and was then a regular in the team until 1932, when he retired. A defensive batsman in what was, until the arrival of Walter Hammond in the mid 1920s, usually a weak batting line-up, Dipper exceeded 1,000 runs in a season 15 times and went on to 2,000 five times. His full aggregate of 28,075 runs puts him 73rd on the all-time list of run-getters and he made 53 centuries.

Dipper played in just one Test match for England, against Australia at Lord's in 1921, the year when many new players were tried against the all-conquering team led by Warwick Armstrong. Dipper scored 40 and 11, but was dropped. His lack of mobility as a fielder probably cost him further consideration.

In retirement, Dipper stood as a first-class umpire. He was also a high standard player of bowls and billiards.

References