George GiffenPrint Page 
The sculpture commemorates cricketer George Giffen (1859 - 1927).
George Giffen played his first Test in 1881 when only 22 years old. He appeared in 31 Tests scoring a total of 1238 runs and taking 103 wickets. In first-class matches, Giffen scored 12,501 runs, at an average of 29, and took 1109 wickets, at an average of 21 runs. In matches between Australia and England he made 1238 runs, and took 103 wickets.
His first-class performances include many achievements. Nine times he scored a century and took 10 wickets in the one match. Twice he scored a century and took more than a dozen wickets. No other cricketer in the world has ever done this. He is the only bowler in the world to snare 16 wickets in a match five times and was the first to take 17 wickets in a match. In the winter of 1883, at the age of 24 in Sydney, for the Australian team against the Rest of Australia, Giffen took all ten wickets in an innings for 66 runs becoming the first bowler outside England to bowl a whole side out. He is also the first Australian to take 1000 first-class wickets and score 10,000 runs.
Giffen performed well in English conditions, and on each of his five tours he topped both the batting and bowling overall tour averages. The great all rounder led Australia in four of the five Tests during the 1894 tour. His 34 Test wickets was a series record at that time and he also scored the most runs for that series.
He had his greatest success as a bowler in England during the season of 1886, when 16 Derbyshire wickets fell to him for 101 runs, and in five consecutive innings he dismissed forty batsmen at a cost of 222 runs. He made a hat trick three times – for South Australia in 1887 - 88, against Lancashire in Manchester 1884, and against an England eleven, at Wembley Park, in 1896.
Giffen played his last Test in 1896 but remained a force at the first-class level and at the age of 41 he captured 13 English wickets to steer South Australia to a victory over the tourists. Three years later he finished his career with scores of 81, 97 not out, and 15 wickets against Victoria.
In 1922 - 23 a match in Adelaide between South Australia and Victoria was played for his benefit, and the resulting sum, £2020, was vested in trustees. After being a Civil Servant in the General Post Office in Adelaide for 43 years, he retired in March 1925.
Location
| Address: | War Memorial Drive, Adelaide Oval, Western side, North Adelaide, 5006 |
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| State: | SA |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -34.915832 Long: 138.595142 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Sculpture |
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| Monument Theme: | People |
| Sub-Theme: | Sport |
| Artist: | Judith Rolevink (sculptor) |
| Link: | https://sahof.org.au/hall-of-fame-m… |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Saturday 13th December, 2014 |
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George Giffen
Sculptor: Judith Rolevink
Benefactor: Basil Sellars AM
December 13th 2014
Plaque :
George Giffen
(27 March 1859 - 29 November 1927).
George Giffen was described as Australia`s W. G. Grace after recording the greatest performance in first-class cricket, scoring 271 runs and taking 16 wickets for South Australia against Victoria in November 1891.
He toured England five times in 1882, 1884, 1886, 1893 and 1896. In 1883 - 84 he was the first Australian bowler to take 10 wickets in an innings when he captured 10 for 66 for an Australian XI against a Combined XI at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
He became the first Australian to reach the Test double of 1000 runs and 100 wickets and remains the only Australian-based player to score 10,000 runs and take 1000 wickets in first-class cricket. He played in 31 Test matches for Australia and 251 first-class matches scoring 11,758 runs at 29.54 with 18 centuries, taking 1023 wickets at 21.29. He was a South Australian selector from 1890 to 1893, 1897 - 98 and from 1900 to 1904.
Giffen was also known for his football ability and played for Norwood Football Club for whom he is credited as kicking their first ever goal in an official match.
