Topic: Paul Fisher

Paul Bernard Fisher (born 19 December 1954) was an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Middlesex, Worcestershire and Oxford University. He was very much a specialist wicket-keeper, with a batting average in single figures in both forms of the game. Fisher was born in Edmonton, Middlesex.

In August 1973, aged 18, he kept wicket for Middlesex Young Cricketers against Buckinghamshire Young Amateurs at Hoovers Sports Ground, Wembley; the Middlesex side also included a 16-year-old Mike Gatting. Early the following year, Fisher made his first-class debut, for Oxford against Leicestershire at The University Parks, taking a catch to dismiss opposition keeper Roger Tolchard and scoring 14 and 15. He played six further games for Oxford that season, ending 1974 with 13 catches. He also played for Essex Second XI. In 1975, Fisher continued to play for Oxford, hitting his highest score of 42 against Warwickshire in June, and he was confined to appearances for the university (and, in the Benson & Hedges Cup, for Combined Universities) until 1978.

At the end of the 1978 season, Fisher made his debut in county cricket, playing for Middlesex against Hampshire at Bournemouth, though he made no dismissals. He played two County Championship matches in 1979, holding a total of five catches. For the 1980 season, he moved to Worcestershire, with whom he remained the following year as well, but he never managed to hold down a regular spot as keeper in the face of strong competition from David Humphries. The last game of his career was for Worcestershire against the Australians at Worcester in late August 1981; Fisher bowed out quietly with just one dismissal, that of Australian captain Kim Hughes.