Philip Oliver (cricketer)

Philip Robert Oliver (born 9 May 1956) is a former English cricketer. Oliver was a right-handed batsman who bowled right-arm off break. He was born in West Bromwich, Staffordshire.

Oliver made his debut in county cricket for Shropshire in the 1972 Minor Counties Championship against Durham, with Oliver representing the county from 1972 to 1974. It was for Shropshire that he made his List A debut for against Essex in the 1974 Gillette Cup, a match in which he scored 2 runs before being dismissed by Ray East. He later made his first-class debut for Warwickshire against Glamorgan in the 1975 County Championship. A regular over the coming seasons, Oliver played 89 first-class matches for Warwickshire from 1975 to 1982, with his final first-class appearance coming against Yorkshire in the 1982 County Championship. A batting all-rounder, Oliver scored 2,679 runs in 89 first-class appearances, at an average of 24.80. In the process he made 9 fifties and 2 centuries. His highest score, an unbeaten 171, came against Northamptonshire in the 1981 County Championship. It was the 1981 season which was his most successful, with him scoring 554 runs at an average of 50.36. In no other season did he average above 30, although the 1980 season was the season in which he scored his most runs in a season, 772 at an average of 22.57. Used as an occasional bowler, Oliver took 27 wickets at a bowling average of 78.33, with best figures of 2/38.