W.G. Grace at the Wicket

A print of W. G. Grace from an original artwork held by the M.C.C.

William Gilbert. W. G. Grace is the best known of all cricketers. Larger than life he encompassed the game more than any other person, player or administrator, in the second half of the 19th Century. Born in 1848 he broke, or to be more accurate, created, innumerable records in the first class game. He was the first player to score 100 centuries and the first to score a triple century, 344 for the MCC against Kent. He followed this a few days later with 318 for his county Gloucestershire against Yorkshire at Bristol. In 1874 he became the first player to score 1,000 runs and take 100 wickets in an English season. He bettered this with over 2.000 runs and 100 wickets two years later. In 1895, at the age of 47, he scored 1000 runs in May alone.

He played 22 tests for England scoring 1098 runs and taking 9 wickets with his round-arm bowling. He twice toured Australia. He died of a heart attack during a German Zeppelin raid on London in 1915. Nearly a century later his tall, broad and bearded figure is recognisable throughout the cricketing world.

Archibald John Stuart-Wortley (27 May 1849 – 11 October 1905), was an English painter and illustrator, youngest son of the 1st Baron Wharncliffe.