W. G. Grace's cricket career (1883 to 1886)

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W. G. Grace played mostly for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club and Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) during the four seasons from 1883 to 1886. He also represented England and shared his highest Test partnership in 1886, the same season in which he achieved his career-best bowling analysis.

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1883 English cricket season

W. G. taking guard in 1883 WGGrace.jpg
W. G. taking guard in 1883

Grace made 22 first-class appearances in 1883, scoring 1,352 runs, with a highest score of 112, at an average of 34.66 with 1 century and 9 half-centuries. In the field, he took 35 catches and 94 wickets with a best analysis of 7–92. His bowling average was 22.09; he had 5 wickets in an innings 9 times and 10 wickets in a match 4 times. [1]

1884 English cricket season

Grace made 26 first-class appearances in 1884, scoring 1,361 runs, with a highest score of 116 not out, at an average of 34.02 with 3 centuries and 6 half-centuries. In the field, he took 30 catches and 82 wickets with a best analysis of 6–72. His bowling average was 21.48; he had 5 wickets in an innings 5 times. [1]

1885 English cricket season

Grace in 1885 Dr WG Grace in 1885.jpg
Grace in 1885

Grace made 25 first-class appearances in 1885, scoring 1,688 runs, with a highest score of 221 not out, at an average of 43.28 with 4 centuries and 10 half-centuries. In the field, he took 31 catches and 117 wickets with a best analysis of 9–20. His bowling average was 18.79; he had 5 wickets in an innings 8 times and 10 wickets in a match twice. [1]

1886 English cricket season

Grace achieved his career-best bowling analysis of 10/49 when playing for MCC against Oxford University at The Parks in 1886; and he scored 104 in his only innings to complete a rare "match double". [2] 1886 was the last time he took 100 wickets in a season. [1]

The highest Test wicket partnership involving Grace was at The Oval in 1886 when he and William Scotton scored 170 for the first wicket against Australia. Grace's own score was also 170 and was the highest in his Test career. [3]

Grace made 33 first-class appearances in 1886, scoring 1,846 runs, with a highest score of 170, at an average of 35.50 with 4 centuries and 9 half-centuries. In the field, he took 36 catches and 122 wickets with a best analysis of 10–49. His bowling average was 19.99; he had 5 wickets in an innings 10 times and 10 wickets in a match once. [1]

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W. G. Grace established his reputation in 1864 and, by 1870, was widely recognised as the outstanding player in English cricket.

W. G. Grace played in 31 matches in the 1895 English cricket season, 29 of which are recognised as first-class.

Following his "Indian Summer" in 1895, W.G. Grace continued to play first-class cricket through his fiftieth birthday in 1898 and finally severed his connections with both Gloucestershire and England in 1899.

W.G. Grace was mainly associated with the new London County Cricket Club during this period. His first-class career ended in 1908 when he was nearly 60.

Following his father's death in December 1871, W. G. Grace increased his involvement with the United South of England Eleven (USEE) in order to provide more income for his mother, with whom he and his younger brother Fred were still living. Grace continued to play regularly for Gloucestershire and Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and, when required, by the Gentlemen. In the late summer of 1872, he toured North America with a team of players who all had amateur status. In the 1873 season, he performed his first season "double" of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets.

W. G. Grace played in 32 matches in the 1871 English cricket season, 25 of which are recognised as first-class. His main roles in 1871 were as captain of Gloucestershire County Cricket Club and as both match organiser and captain of the United South of England Eleven (USEE). In addition, he represented Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the Gentlemen in the Gentlemen v Players fixture and the South in the North v South series.

Having toured Australia the previous winter, W.G. Grace's team landed in England on 18 May 1874 and he was quickly back into domestic cricket. The 1874 season was very successful for him as he completed a second successive "double". Gloucestershire again had a strong claim to the Champion County title although some sources have awarded it to Derbyshire and Grace himself said that it should have gone to Yorkshire. Grace made 21 first-class appearances in 1874, scoring 1,664 runs, with a highest score of 179, at an average of 52.00 with 8 centuries and 2 half-centuries. In the field, he held 35 catches and 140 wickets with a best analysis of 7–18. His bowling average was 12.71; he had 5 wickets in an innings 17 times and 10 wickets in a match 9 times.

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W. G. Grace qualified as a doctor in 1879 made his first appearance in Test cricket the following year, scoring the first-ever century by an England batsman.

W. G. Grace played mostly for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club and Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) during the five seasons from 1887 to 1891. He also represented England in Test cricket.

W. G. Grace played mostly for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club and Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) during the five seasons from 1887 to 1891. He also represented England in Test cricket.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Rae, p.495.
  2. "OUCC v MCC 1886". CricketArchive. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
  3. "Test Match 1886". CricketArchive. Retrieved 27 November 2008.

Bibliography