Alastair Hignell
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Alastair Hignell
| Date of birth | 4 September 1955 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Place of birth | Ely, Cambridge | ||
| University | Cambridge University | ||
| Occupation(s) | Schoolmaster and Professional Cricketer | ||
| Rugby union career | |||
| Playing career | |||
| Position | Fullback | ||
| Amateur clubs | |||
| Years | Club / team | ||
| Bristol | |||
| National team(s) | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 1975 – 1979 | England | 14 | 48 |
| Official website | |||
| http://www.alastairhignell.com | |||
| Personal information | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alastair James Hignell | |||
| Born | 4 September 1955 Ely, Cambridge, England |
|||
| Batting style | Right-handed batsman | |||
| Bowling style | Right-arm leg-break | |||
| Role | Batsman, often opener | |||
| Relations | AF Hignell (father), SR Hignell (great-uncle) |
|||
| Domestic team information | ||||
| Years | Team | |||
| 1974-83 | Gloucestershire | |||
| 1975-78 | Cambridge University | |||
| First-class debut | 24 July 1974 Gloucestershire v Surrey | |||
| Last First-class | 30 August 1983 Gloucestershire v Nottinghamshire | |||
| List A debut | 11 August 1974 Gloucestershire v Northamptonshire | |||
| Last List A | 28 August 1983 Gloucestershire v Lancashire | |||
| Career statistics | ||||
| Competition | First-class | List A | ||
| Matches | 170 | 138 | ||
| Runs scored | 7459 | 2454 | ||
| Batting average | 29.48 | 23.37 | ||
| 100s/50s | 11/41 | 0/9 | ||
| Top score | 149* | 85* | ||
| Balls bowled | 341 | 3 | ||
| Wickets | 3 | – | ||
| Bowling average | 76.66 | – | ||
| 5 wickets in innings | – | – | ||
| 10 wickets in match | – | – | ||
| Best bowling | 2/13 | 0/4 | ||
| Catches/stumpings | 150/– | 56/– | ||
| Source: CricketArchive, 16 December 2008 | ||||
Alastair James Hignell CBE (born 4 September 1955[1] in Cambridge) is a former English rugby union international and cricketer.
Hignell is the son of a former Great Britain athlete.
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Education
Hignell was educated at Denstone College, a boarding independent school for boys (now co-educational), in the village of Denstone in Staffordshire in Central England, followed by Fitzwilliam College at the University of Cambridge. Hignell won Blues at Cambridge in both cricket and rugby union, and by the time he graduated from the University in 1977, he had already made several England appearances at full back.[2]
Sporting career
Hignell made his England debut in 1975 in a brutal encounter with Australia in Brisbane - eight days later he was playing for Gloucestershire against Middlesex at Bristol and five weeks later he made 60 in the Varsity match.
After leaving university, he continued playing rugby for Bristol and England in the winter, while also working as a teacher (including at Bristol Cathedral School and Sherborne School), and cricket for Gloucestershire in the summer. As a right-handed batsman, he scored solidly rather than spectacularly, passing 1,000 runs in a season three times, including his final season in 1983, before his retirement. He won the last of his 14 England rugby caps in 1978-79.
Many references spell the given name 'Alister' or 'Alistair'.
Journalism
Hignell continued to teach until he moved into journalism full time and he became a respected reporter, as well as working extensively on BBC Radio. In 1999, he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and has since been an active fundraiser.
His final commentary for BBC Radio Five Live was the 2007-08 Guinness Premiership Final at Twickenham, where London Wasps beat Leicester Tigers 26–16. Retiring Wasps captain Lawrence Dallaglio dedicated the victory to Hignell.[3] Later in 2008 he provided weekly rugby podcasts on the This is Bristol website.[4]
Hignell won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award in 2008 for his work in spreading awareness of multiple sclerosis.
Hignell was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2009 Birthday Honours.[5]
Charity Work
Alastair Hignell became Patron of the Multiple Sclerosis Resource Centre (MSRC) in 2002 and has since been active in raising funds for the charity. In 2008, inspired by Alastair's heroic achievements on and off the pitch, Higgy's Heroes, a fundraising body linked to the MSRC was created. Initially a one-off idea by a group of ex-teammates and opponents who decided to run the London Marathon in tribute to Higgy, the name and the idea continued beyond this one event. Since then there have been a number of Higgy's Heroes fundraising events largely based on physical achievements or sports activities. These include participants at the London Marathon and a regular large turn out in Alastair's home town for the yearly Stroud Half Marathon.[6][7][8]
References
- ^ The Daily Telegraph birthdays, 4 September 2010
- ^ Optima - The Fitzwilliam College Journal No 8, Autumn 2005, p6
- ^ "Dallaglio - It's not about me". Sky Sports. 31 May 2008. http://www.skysports.com/rugbyunion/match_reaction/0,20244,11069_3000090,00.html. Retrieved 31 May 2008.
- ^ "This is Bristol". http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/wdp/hignellarchive.html. Retrieved 6 December 2008.
- ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 59090. p. 7. 13 June 2009.
- ^ Stroud News and Journal
- ^ Higgy's Heroes
- ^ MSRC - Higgy's Heroes
External links
- Alastair Hignell Official website
- ESPN Scrum
- Player profile: Alastair Hignell from ESPNcricinfo
- Player profile: Alastair Hignell from CricketArchive
- Sporting Heroes
- Bristol University Honorary Degree
- Higgy's Heroes
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