Graham Gooch OBE

Graham Gooch OBE is one of England’s greatest ever cricketers.

The former England and Essex Captain is one of the most successful batsmen of his generation.

With an illustrious playing career spanning nearly three decades, Graham Gooch became the most prolific run scorer of all time with 67,057

Raised in East London, Graham’s cricketing potential was developed at the Ilford Cricket School by Bill Morris.

Graham Gooch made his debut for Essex in 1973 at the age of 19, and played for the county until his retirement as a player in 1997.

Graham was an integral member of the Essex team that won the County Championship six times between 1979 and 1992. The team also won every other major domestic trophy at least once in the same period.

He scored 44,846 runs in all first-class cricket at an average of 49.01, including 128 centuries.

Gooch’s List A cricket tally of 22,211 runs is a world record and is one of only twenty-five players to have scored over 100 first-class centuries.

Gooch made his Test cricket debut in 1975 aged 21 against Australia. Between 1975 and 1995 Graham played 118 test matches 125 One day Internationals.

As captain, Graham Gooch led the England team 34 times. He is the second highest Test run scorer for England with 8,900 runs.

The most controversial aspect of Graham Gooch’s career came in 1982 when he decided to lead the first England rebel tour of South Africa.  He was subsequently banned from test cricket for three years.

After 118 Tests, aged forty-two, he retired into coaching and as team selector, before becoming a commentator.

He returned to coach Essex, before becoming England batting coach in 2012.

He has also started the ‘Graham Gooch Scholarship Fund’ an initiative to raise monies to send some of Essex’s best young professionals on overseas scholarships.

Awards include:

• Wisden Cricketer of the Year – 1980
• Indian Cricket Cricketer of the Year – 1988
• Professional Cricketers’ Association Player of the Year – 1990
• OBE for Services to Cricket – 1991
• Inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame – 2009

Graham Gooch OBE – After-Dinner & Keynote Speaker:

As an after-dinner speaker, Graham Gooch has acquired a vast fund of entertaining stories and anecdotes, which he delivers in his own style.

As a motivationa speaker, he is articulate and well informed and can motivate, inspire, entertain and create an individual’s awareness of self-achievement, whilst focusing on the importance of leadership and teamwork.