Amyas Evelyn Giles Baring (21 January 1910 – 29 August 1986), known as Giles Baring, was an English first-class cricketer, who was mostly associated as a fast bowler with Hampshire before the Second World War.
Contents
Early life and education
A member of the Baring family of Barings Bank, he was born in Roehampton on 21 January 1910. He was the third son of Lieutenant Colonel The Hon. Guy Victor Baring, a Member of Parliament for Winchester and a soldier in the Coldstream Guards. He had four brothers, Oliver Hugh (1904–1908), Simon Alexander Vivian (1905–1962), Aubrey George Adeane (1912–1987), and Esmond Charles (1914–1963), and one sister, Olivia Constance Leonora (1908–1975). Barham was educated in Winchester at West Downs School, before attending Gresham's School in Norfolk. From there, he matriculated to Magdalene College, Cambridge. During his first two years at Cambridge, he did little from a cricketing perspective, though later in his second year he had a trial for Cambridge University Cricket Club, making his debut in first-class cricket against Somerset at Fenner's. In 1931, he made a second first-class appearance for the university against the touring New Zealanders. He was kept out of the Cambridge eleven largely by the presence of Ken Farnes.
Career with Hampshire
Although he had not appeared regularly at first-class level for Cambridge University, Baring began playing for Hampshire as a right-arm fast bowler, debuting in the County Championship against Gloucestershire at Southampton. He played for Hampshire on eighteen occasions during the 1930, taking 32 wickets for them at an average of 40.78; despite that, Baring had a number of catches dropped in the slips, while his pace and spirit suitably impressed the Hampshire hierarchy. The following season he made 22 first-class appearances for Hampshire, taking 74 wickets at an average of 22.16; against Essex at Colchester, he took figures of 9 for 26 in the Essex first innings. These would remain the best innings figures by a Hampshire bowler until bettered by Bob Cottam in 1965. With Baron Tennyson playing less regularly for Hampshire, Baring captained Hampshire on seven occasions during the 1931 season, being one of five captains used that season. Alongside playing for Hampshire, Baring also appeared for the Gentlemen in the end of season Gentlemen v Players match at Folkestone. Following the season, he was involved in a serious car accident in which he dislocated both knees, which resulted in him missing the 1932 season and essentially ended his cricket career.