One would have expected the late W.G. Grace to be the first amongst those inducted into the ICC’s Hall of Fame.
W.G. Grace, known also as the Father of Cricket by some, became the forty-forth cricketer to be ushered into the Hall of Fame by the ICC. The event was commemorated during the fourth ODI between Australia and England at Lord’s.
The event saw the presence of Grace’s great great grandson Dominic who was also accompanied by his son, George, for the momentous occasion.
W.G. Grace’s statistics:
Played 22 Test matches for England between 1880 and 1899 (aged fifty)
Played forty-four cricket seasons
Scored 1,098 runs in Tests
Scored 54,211 first-class runs, with 124 centuries and 251 half-centuries
Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1986
The ICC released a statement to his tribute:
“The beginning of Grace’s career coincided with the birth of modern cricket (1864 also saw the legalisation of over-arm bowling and the first edition of Wisden’s Cricketers’ Almanack) and Grace is widely credited with introducing modern batting technique, combining a mixture of forward and back play with a sound defense.”
Pic Above: W.G. Grace’s Cobbett cricket bat that went up for auction in May this year. It is believed it the same bat with which he scored his 1000th Test run in 1896 against Australia at Lord’s.
