Alexander Peter Richard Gidman is an English cricket coach and former cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-pace bowler who currently plays for Worcestershire. He went to Wycliffe College in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire where he became a talented cricketer playing for the first eleven. Gidman worked his way through the youth ranks as a Gloucestershire player, starting in the Under-17s County Championship tournaments of 1997 and 1998. Gidman's first-class cricketing career began with limited overs cricketin 2001 in the C&G Trophy. He played his first County Championship match a year later, and while Gloucestershire failed to impress in that year's competition, they were promoted the following year, with Gidman establishing himself in the middle-order and averaging over 40 with the bat. Gidman was appointed England A captain for their 2003-04 tour to India, but had to leave the tour with a hand injury before he played a game. Gloucestershire finished in mid-table that year, with Gidman scoring 869 runs, for which he was rewarded with a new contract. While 2005 saw Gloucestershire relegated to the second division in the Championship, Gidman hit three centuries, including a career-topping high score of 142 against Surrey. The following season, Gloucestershire struggled in the second division, though Gidman hit four centuries in the season, finishing with an average of just below 50. In 2007, he averaged 39.65 and was Gloucestershire's top scorer. He has signed to play for Otago in the 2007-08 New Zealandcricket season. Gidman was appointed captain of Gloucestershire in 2009 taking over from Jon Lewis. He was awarded a benefit year in 2012, after being with the county for 10 years. After Gloucestershire finished bottom of the 2012 County Championship, Gidman stood down as captain, having already relinquished captain duties in the Friends Life t20 to Hamish Marshall. He felt he needed to concentrate on his own game, and was replaced by Michael Klinger. With the burden of the captaincy removed, Gidman enjoyed a very successful 2013 season, averaging 51.13 and amassing 1125 runs. He also scored a career high 211 against Kent, the first time a Gloucs player had scored a double century since Craig Spearman in 2006. In June 2013, he was rewarded with a new three-year contract taking him up to the end of the 2016 season. In September 2014 it was announced that Gidman would join Worcestershire on a two-year contract. In August 2015 Gidman announced that he was launching an organisation which would support ex-players back into a life after sport. Ironically, In February 2016 Gidman announced his retirement from cricket, due to a serious finger injury.
