After serving a 28-day prison sentence Gilbert moved to Canada, where he worked for the Land Titles Office in Calgary while remaining a prominent cricketer.
[3] In 1871 he made his first-class debut, playing as an amateur in a team chosen by W. G. Grace for a match against Kent.
He made nine appearances for the county during the 1873 and 1874 seasons, achieving a highest score of 49, averaging 17.40 with the bat and taking two wickets.
[2] During the 1874 season Gilbert made a double century in minor cricket, scoring 254 not out for Thornbury against Sneyd Park.
[3] By 1876 Gilbert had qualified to play for Gloucestershire, as he had lived in the county for the length of time required by the rules.
[1] This was his maiden first-class century; he scored another hundred later in the season when he made 143 runs for a combined Kent and Gloucestershire side against a team representing England.
[3][10] Over the next few seasons Gilbert was not as successful with the bat; in 1877 he failed to exceed 47 in any innings, he scored about half the number of runs that he had during the previous year, and his average dropped to 15.70.
[10] Even so, Gilbert represented the Gentlemen against the Players twice in 1877, his final appearances in the fixture; in four games, he scored just 43 runs and took 16 wickets.
It was almost unthinkable for an amateur to become a professional,[11] although many did receive financial inducements such as generous expenses and sinecure positions within county organisations.
[12] Unlike the Grace brothers, Gilbert did not have a profession outside cricket to provide a supplementary income allowing him to live comfortably.
An indication of trouble came in 1882 when a professional cricketer took Gilbert to court over unpaid fees for an appearance in a match.
[3] At the start of the 1886 season Gilbert was featured in the popular biographical article in the weekly magazine Cricket, a significant accolade suggesting that he was highly regarded.
[15] Gilbert had also been engaged by a club called East Gloucestershire, based in Cheltenham, which played minor cricket.
[18] His Wisden obituary stated: "His fielding at deep-leg to W. G. Grace's bowling was always excellent, for he covered much ground and was a sure catch.
Although overshadowed by his famous cricketing cousins, he played a prominent part in the victories gained during Gloucestershire's greatest years.
[18][19] After Gilbert's retirement, and even following his death, controversy remained attached to his name; there seemed to be a conspiracy of silence surrounding his fate.
[13] In reviewing what he considered to be the injustice of the case, and reflecting on Gilbert's success in Canada, Green wrote: "No wonder that those responsible for this act of appalling cruelty went to such fatuous lengths to keep its details a secret.