| Part of a series of articles on |
| W. G. Grace |
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| Seasons |
| Career |
| Variations in statistics |
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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.
| Part of a series of articles on |
| W. G. Grace |
|---|
| |
| Seasons |
| Career |
| Variations in statistics |
| Family |
|
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.
Having ended his international career, Grace then began the last phase of his overall first-class career when he joined the new London County Cricket Club, based at Crystal Palace Park, which played first-class matches between 1900 and 1904. [1] [2] Grace's presence initially attracted other leading players into the team, including Fry, Ranjitsinhji and Johnny Douglas, but the increased importance of the County Championship, combined with Grace's inevitable decline in form and the lack of a competitive element in London's matches, led to reduced attendances and consequently the club lost money. [3] Nevertheless, Grace remained an attraction and could still produce good performances. As late as 1902, though aged 54 by the end of the season, he scored 1187 runs in first-class cricket, with two centuries, at an average of 37.09. [4] But London's final first-class matches were played in 1904 and the enterprise folded in 1908. [5]
Grace made 19 first-class appearances in 1900, scoring 1,277 runs, with a highest score of 126, at an average of 42.56 with 3 centuries and 8 half-centuries. In the field, he took 6 catches and 32 wickets with a best analysis of 5–66. His bowling average was 30.28; he had 5 wickets in an innings 3 times. [4]
Grace made 19 first-class appearances in 1901, scoring 1,007 runs, with a highest score of 132, at an average of 32.48 with 1 century and 7 half-centuries. In the field, he took 7 catches and 51 wickets with a best analysis of 7–30. His bowling average was 21.78; he had 5 wickets in an innings 5 times and 10 wickets in a match once. [4]
Grace made 22 first-class appearances in 1902, scoring 1,187 runs, with a highest score of 131, at an average of 37.09 with 2 centuries and 7 half-centuries. In the field, he took 6 catches and 46 wickets with a best analysis of 5–29. His bowling average was 23.34; he had 5 wickets in an innings 4 times. [4]
Grace made 16 first-class appearances in 1903, scoring 593 runs, with a highest score of 150, at an average of 22.80 with 1 centuries and 1 half-century. In the field, he took 5 catches and 10 wickets with a best analysis of 6–102. His bowling average was 47.90; he had 5 wickets in an innings once. [4]
Grace made 15 first-class appearances in 1904, scoring 637 runs, with a highest score of 166, at an average of 25.48 with 1 century and 3 half-centuries. In the field, he took 2 catches and 21 wickets with a best analysis of 6–78. His bowling average was 32.71; he had 5 wickets in an innings once. [4]
With the demise of London County, the number of Grace's appearances dwindled over the next four seasons until he made his final appearance in first-class cricket in 1908. He made 9 first-class appearances in 1905, scoring 250 runs, with a highest score of 71, at an average of 19.23 with just the one half-century. In the field, he took 2 catches and 7 wickets with a best analysis of 4–121. His bowling average was 54.71. [4]
Grace's final appearance for the Gentlemen versus the Players was in July 1906 at The Oval. [6] He made only five first-class appearances that season, scoring 241 runs, with a highest score of 74, at an average of 26.77 with 2 half-centuries. In the field, he took 4 catches and 13 wickets with a best analysis of 4–71. His bowling average was 20.61. [4]
He made only one appearance in 1907, scoring 16 and 3 in his two innings. He took no catches and did not bowl. [4]
Grace made his final first-class appearance on 20–22 April 1908 for the Gentlemen of England v Surrey at The Oval, where, opening the innings, he scored 15 and 25. [7] [8] This was his sole appearance in 1908. [4]
• a) ^ As described in Grace's first-class career statistics, there are different versions of Grace's first-class career totals as a result of disagreement among cricket statisticians re the status of some matches he played in. Note that this is a statistical issue only and has little, if any, bearing on the historical aspects of Grace's career. In the infobox, the "traditional" first-class figures from Wisden 1916 (as reproduced by Rae, pp. 495–496), are given first and the "amended" figures from CricketArchive follow in parentheses. There is no dispute about Grace's Test career record and those statistics are universally recognised. See Variations in first-class cricket statistics for more information.
William Gilbert Grace was an English amateur cricketer who was important in the development of the sport and is widely considered one of its greatest players. He was nominally amateur as a cricketer, but he is said to have made more money from his cricketing activities than any professional cricketer. He was an extremely competitive player and, although he was one of the most famous men in England, he was also one of the most controversial on account of his gamesmanship and moneymaking.
George Frederick Grace was an English first-class cricketer active from 1866 to 1880 who played for Gloucestershire and the United South of England Eleven (USEE). He played in one retrospectively recognised Test match for England. He was born in Downend, near Bristol and died in Basingstoke, Hampshire. A right-handed batsman who bowled right arm fast roundarm, he appeared in 195 matches that are generally rated first-class for statistical purposes. In these matches, Grace scored 6,906 runs with a highest score of 189*. An outstanding fielder and occasional wicket-keeper, he held 170 catches and completed three stumpings. He took 329 wickets with a best performance of eight for 43.
Lionel Charles Hamilton Palairet was an English amateur cricketer who played for Somerset and Oxford University. A graceful right-handed batsman, he was selected to play Test cricket for England twice in 1902. Contemporaries judged Palairet to have one of the most attractive batting styles of the period. His obituary in The Times described him as "the most beautiful batsman of all time". An unwillingness to tour during the English winter limited Palairet's Test appearances; contemporaries believed he deserved more Test caps.
George Arthur Davidson was an English first-class cricketer who played for Derbyshire between 1886 and 1898 and for Marylebone Cricket Club between 1888 and 1898. A useful all-rounder, he scored over 5500 runs and took 621 wickets in his first-class career.
Edward Sainsbury was an English cricketer who represented, and captained, Somerset County Cricket Club in the late 19th century. During a 10-year first-class cricket career, he also represented Gloucestershire and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).
Edward Hastings Buckland was an English first-class cricketer. Buckland was a right-handed batsman who bowled both right-arm off break and right-arm underarm fast. Buckland played the role of an all rounder.
Arthur William Ridley was an English first-class cricketer. Ridley was a right-handed batsman who bowled right-arm underarm medium pace. He also played occasionally as a wicket-keeper.
W. G. Grace is believed to have considered retirement from cricket before the 1878 season after he was seriously injured in a shooting accident the previous autumn which nearly cost him the sight of an eye. Having recovered, he reconsidered and in 1878 played in 33 matches, 24 of which are generally recognised as first-class. His main roles in the season were captain of Gloucestershire County Cricket Club and 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. 1878 was a cold, wet summer and not one of Grace's better seasons as a batsman, but he was very effective in such conditions as a right arm medium pace roundarm bowler and completed a sixth successive "double" by scoring 1,151 runs and taking 152 wickets in the recognised first-class matches.
Walter Raleigh Gilbert was an English amateur cricketer who played first-class cricket for Middlesex and Gloucestershire between 1873 and 1886. A cousin of W. G. Grace, he played for Gloucestershire when, dominated by the Grace family, it was the leading county. Gilbert's best season was 1876, when he scored 205 not out for the county, but he was subsequently less successful. Closely connected with the United South of England Eleven, a professional touring team of which he eventually became secretary, Gilbert was financially affected by a declining interest in such teams. With insufficient income to continue as an amateur he became a professional in 1886, but played only one match before he was caught stealing from teammates in a minor match, ending his first-class career. 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. He died aged 70 in 1924, but for nearly 60 years after his death, there seemed to be a conspiracy of silence over his fate.
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.
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.
One of the most outstanding phases of W. G. Grace’s career occurred in the 1876 season, beginning with his career highest score of 344 for MCC v Kent at Canterbury in August. Two days after his innings at Canterbury, he made 177 for Gloucestershire v Nottinghamshire; and two days after that 318 not out for Gloucestershire v Yorkshire, these two innings against counties with exceptionally strong bowling attacks including Alfred Shaw, Fred Morley, Tom Emmett and Allen Hill. Thus, in three consecutive innings Grace scored 839 runs and was only out twice.
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 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.
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.