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Alastair Hignell

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Alastair James Hignell CBE (born 4 September 1955[1]) is an English former rugby union international, first–class cricketer, and broadcaster.

Alastair James Hignell
CBE
Date of birth (1955-09-04) 4 September 1955 (age 69)
Place of birthEly, Cambridgeshire, England
UniversityCambridge University
Notable relative(s)AF Hignell (father)
Occupation(s)Schoolmaster and Professional Cricketer
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fullback
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
Bristol ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1975 – 1979 England 14 (48)
Official website
http://www.alastairhignell.com

Personal information
Full name
Alastair James Hignell
Born (1955-09-04) 4 September 1955 (age 69)
Ely, Cambridgeshire
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm leg-break
RoleBatsman
RelationsAntony Hignell (father)
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1974–1983Gloucestershire
1975–1978Cambridge University
FC debut24 July 1974 Gloucestershire v Surrey
Last FC30 August 1983 Gloucestershire v Nottinghamshire
LA debut11 August 1974 Gloucestershire v Northants
Last LA28 August 1983 Gloucestershire v Lancashire
Career statistics
Competition First-class List A
Matches 170 138
Runs scored 7,459 2,454
Batting average 29.48 23.37
100s/50s 11/41 0/9
Top score 149* 85*
Balls bowled 341 3
Wickets 3 0
Bowling average 76.66 –
5 wickets in innings 0 –
10 wickets in match 0 –
Best bowling 2/13 –
Catches/stumpings 150/– 56/–
Source: CricketArchive, 16 December 2008

Education

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Hignell was born at Ely, Cambridgeshire and educated at Denstone College, an independent boarding school for boys, in the village of Denstone in Staffordshire in Central England before going up to Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge. Hignell won Blues at Cambridge in both cricket and rugby union, and when he graduated in 1977 he had already made several England appearances at full back.[2] He was the second man to captain Cambridge at both cricket and rugby union.[3]

Sporting career

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Hignell made his England rugby union 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[4] 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.

Journalism

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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 Wasps beat Leicester Tigers 26–16. Retiring Wasps captain Lawrence Dallaglio dedicated the victory to Hignell.[5] Later in 2008 he provided weekly rugby podcasts on the This is Bristol website.[6]

Charity work

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Alastair Hignell became Patron of Multiple Sclerosis UK (MS-UK) (formally Multiple Sclerosis Resource Centre) in 2002 and has since been active in raising funds for the charity.[7][8]

In 2008, inspired by Alastair's heroic achievements on and off the pitch, Higgy's Heroes, a fundraising body linked to MS-UK 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 Hignell, 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.[9][10][11] Alastair moved to Brighton after living in Stroud for four years.

Honours

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Hignell won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award in 2008 for his work in spreading awareness of multiple sclerosis.[8]

Hignell was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2009 Birthday Honours.[12]

He won the 'Best Rugby Book' category in the 2012 British Sports Book Awards for the book Higgy.[13]

References

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  1. ^ The Daily Telegraph birthdays, 4 September 2010
  2. ^ Optima – The Fitzwilliam College Journal No 8, Autumn 2005, p6 Archived 14 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ John Griffiths (1 August 2012). "The Olympics, high-scoring draws and Cambridge dual-captains". ESPNScrum.com. ESPN.
  4. ^ "Graduation - Alistair James Hignell". University of Bristol. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  5. ^ "Dallaglio – It's not about me". Sky Sports. 31 May 2008. Archived from the original on 23 March 2009. Retrieved 31 May 2008.
  6. ^ "This is Bristol". Archived from the original on 8 January 2009. Retrieved 6 December 2008.
  7. ^ "MS-UK | Multiple Sclerosis Information, Helpline, support, MS news and research". Multiple Sclerosis-UK. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  8. ^ a b "Alastair Hignell: 'I've seen so much kindness. There's no point being negative'". The Independent. ESI Media. 12 January 2009. Archived from the original on 20 January 2009. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  9. ^ Stroud News and Journal
  10. ^ "Higgy's Heroes". Archived from the original on 8 February 2011. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
  11. ^ "Higgy's Heroes". Multiple Sclerosis Research Centre. Archived from the original on 16 December 2010. Retrieved 15 April 2011.
  12. ^ "No. 59090". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 June 2009. p. 7.
  13. ^ "Standard's rugby columnist Hignell is honoured". Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard. Newsquest Media (Southern). 23 May 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
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