Jack Hubble

John Charlton Hubble (February 10, 1881 – February 26, 1965) was an English cricketer. He was a right-handed batsman and wicket-keeper who played for Kent and Marylebone Cricket Club during a 25-year career.

Hubble joined Kent as a first-team player in 1904, and, while he didn't gain a regular first-team place until two years later, Kent's form in the Championship up to that point was to prove promising. However, with Hubble able to dictate play from the middle order, his averages remained consistent over the following years, beginning with Kent's championship-winning year of 1906. Though this was form that Hubble himself was to sustain the following year, he would not be a first-team pick in the Championship until 1911, after the previous year's victory, once again, in the County Championship. Hubble's reputation was enhanced further by some tenacious batting late into the 1910 season, a shining light in a team full of hard and often inaccurate batsman.

While Hubble himself was now 29 years old and in his prime as a player, Kent continued their exceptional form with him as a first-team wicket-keeper, winning the penultimate County Championship before the break of World War I. Though in the 1914 season Hubble played second fiddle to fellow wicket-keeping teammate Fred Huish, when the County Championship was reinstated in 1919, Hubble became first-team wicket-keeper, with the added bonus of being able to pull off the occasional very tenacious batting performance.

Kent finished in second place after the first season back playing Championship cricket, a sign that the team as a whole, despite gaining nine new players, was able to function properly as a unit as well as individually. Hubble himself hit one further half-century during this season. Kent remained top five finishers in each of the six seasons, though a tour from the Australians at the end of the 1926 season somewhat undermined Hubble's confidence and, though Kent were to finish in the top five once again in 1927, Hubble played only occasionally for the team from them on, instead playing several games for Marylebone Cricket Club.

As a wicket-keeper, Hubble made over 200 stumpings during his career. After his retirement, he became a qualified umpire, taking charge of a small number of first-class matches. Hubble's nephew, Harold Hubble, also played first-class cricket for Kent for three seasons.

After retirement in partnership with his old team mate Percy 'Tich' Freeman Hubble set up a chain of sports goods shops in the Medway and Maidstone area.

External links

• Jack Hubble at Cricket Archive