Early life and career
Born in Milton Keynes,Buckinghamshire,Hildreth attended Millfield,a private school in Street,Somerset described as a "great nursery of the game [of cricket]". [1] He finished third in the school's batting averages in 2000,with 30.38 and a top-score of 75 not out. [2] The following season his batting figures were significantly worse—he averaged just 14.30—but he topped the school's bowling averages with 11.41,his best figures being 4/2. [note 1] [3] In 2002,Hildreth was one of three Millfield pupils chosen to play in the annual ECB try-out match. [4] He didn't score enough runs to be included in Wisden's school batting averages in 2002, [note 2] but his 17 wickets taken at an average of 13.05 rated him as the school's joint highest wicket-taker,and third in the averages. [5] In July 2002,Hildreth made his first appearance for the Somerset Second XI,replacing Peter Trego who,after scoring 188 runs in the first-innings,left the match due to being called up to the first-team. Hildreth bowled 13.1 wicket-less overs during Warwickshire Second XI's first-innings,and scored 32 in Somerset's second-innings,as they lost by an innings. [6] The following month,he made his List A debut,representing Somerset Cricket Board against Cornwall in the first round of the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy. Hildreth claimed one wicket during his six overs,and added four runs from number seven. [7]
Hildreth captained Millfield in 2003,and performed well given the extra responsibility:he finished top of the school's batting averages,his 563 runs coming at 62.55,and trailed only one team-mate in the bowling averages. [8] After a number of games for the Second XI,Hildreth made his debut for Somerset in a National League match against Lancashire,but didn't bat as the match was abandoned due to rain. [9] A few days later,he scored a century for the Second XI in a three-day match,opening Somerset's second-innings against Sussex Second XI. [10] In mid-September,he made his first-class debut during a County Championship match against Derbyshire,scoring nine in the first-innings,followed by a duck in the second. [11] In the nine National League matches Hildreth played in 2003,he scored 120 runs at an average of 15.00,with a high-score of 30 against Lancashire at the County Ground,Taunton. [12] [13]
Later career
In April 2008,Hildreth's contract was renewed to 2011,following his most successful season for Somerset,scoring 1147 at 52.14. [21] On 18 April 2009,Hildreth hit his highest ever first-class score with 303 not out at Taunton,becoming the second Englishman (after Harold Gimblett) to score over 300 runs in an innings for Somerset and scoring the earliest triple century in an English season. [22]
He announced that he would retire at the end of the 2022 season, [23] but after suffering a hamstring injury retired with immediate effect on 16 August 2022. [24]
