by Grahaml » Fri Oct 25, 2013 6:45 pm
by therisingblues » Sat Oct 26, 2013 9:21 am
daysofourlives wrote:Mr Beefy wrote:Ecky wrote:Grace was probably the best batsman in the world and close to the best bowler in the world for an incredibly long period of over 25 years.
Remember also that he was at his best before he played his first Test at the age of 32.
His 1871 season is arguably as dominant as any of Bradman's seasonsIn all first-class matches in 1871, a total of 17 centuries were scored and Grace accounted for 10 of them, including the first century in a first-class match at Trent Bridge. He averaged 78.25 and the next best average by a batsman playing more than a single innings was 39.57, barely more than half his figure. His aggregate for the season was 2,739 and this was the first time that anyone had scored 2,000 first-class runs in a season; Harry Jupp was next best with 1,068. Grace's highest score was 268 for South v. North at The Oval. He took 79 wickets at 17.02 with a best analysis of 7–67. He claimed five wickets in an innings 5 times and twice had 10 in a match
Personally I would have been very surprised if he hadn't made the team.
Its a test XI, so what he did in a North Vs Souths game is irrelevant
Thats not quite right from my understanding Mr Beefy
They are celebrating 150 years which takes it back to 1863. Test cricket only started in 1877.
Therefore with the above stats i think it's a more than fair call to include Grace in the best 11
by FlyingHigh » Sat Oct 26, 2013 10:45 am
by therisingblues » Sat Oct 26, 2013 11:32 am
FlyingHigh wrote:But theri, that's like saying there shouldn't be any fast bowlers in the XI if they played before reverse-swing came into vogue. Or that football hall of fames shouldn't include players who played before the checkside and drop punt became part of the game
by Gozu » Sat Oct 26, 2013 1:21 pm
by FlyingHigh » Sat Oct 26, 2013 5:10 pm
therisingblues wrote:FlyingHigh wrote:But theri, that's like saying there shouldn't be any fast bowlers in the XI if they played before reverse-swing came into vogue. Or that football hall of fames shouldn't include players who played before the checkside and drop punt became part of the game
Bit of an extreme comparison I'd think Flying High. Check sides and reverse swing is tweaking of a developed sport. From what I understand, cricket still had a long way to go to get to say, Bradman's era, from Grace's. It looks to me that a great deal of his above the norm (of his era) was owed to his willingness to play shots that others considered bad cricket. Obviously it was good cricket, but bowlers wouldn't have been used to it and other batsmen would've frowned on it for a time, until they decided to mimic it.
Fast forward about twenty years, cricket would've been a tougher sport, and basically all the shots would've been discovered so to speak. Just "being different" would no longer be such an advantage.
According to my theory anyway.
P.S Do they have smileys on this new forum?
by therisingblues » Sat Oct 26, 2013 7:53 pm
by therisingblues » Sun Oct 27, 2013 1:32 am
by Jim05 » Sun Oct 27, 2013 5:11 pm
by The Dark Knight » Sun Oct 27, 2013 5:56 pm
Jim05 wrote:WG was a deadset cheat and doesnt deserve to be on any official list. Some of his intimidation tactics on umpires, officials and other players beggar belief
by heater31 » Sun Oct 27, 2013 6:11 pm
The Dark Knight wrote:Jim05 wrote:WG was a deadset cheat and doesnt deserve to be on any official list. Some of his intimidation tactics on umpires, officials and other players beggar belief
I remember when I was younger my cousin read a book on Grace and in the book it explained that Grace was so arrogant and thought so little of the guys bowling to him that when he was cleaned bowled he would reset the stumps, refuse to walk off and demand them to continue bowling at him telling them that the crowd has come only to watch him bat. Is that correct?
by Jim05 » Sun Oct 27, 2013 6:14 pm
That is correct, he would quite often do that. He would also intimidate umpires in to not giving him out. There is also stories of him claiming run outs after having spare balls hidden in his trousers or I did read where he once hid a ball in his beard and then claimed a run out with it. Not sure if there is any truth to that or notThe Dark Knight wrote:Jim05 wrote:WG was a deadset cheat and doesnt deserve to be on any official list. Some of his intimidation tactics on umpires, officials and other players beggar belief
I remember when I was younger my cousin read a book on Grace and in the book it explained that Grace was so arrogant and thought so little of the guys bowling to him that when he was cleaned bowled he would reset the stumps, refuse to walk off and demand them to continue bowling at him telling them that the crowd has come only to watch him bat. Is that correct?
by Trader » Sun Oct 27, 2013 11:22 pm
by therisingblues » Sun Oct 27, 2013 11:50 pm
by Grahaml » Mon Oct 28, 2013 1:31 am
by Grahaml » Mon Oct 28, 2013 1:55 am
by Dogwatcher » Mon Oct 28, 2013 7:16 am
by Failed Creation » Mon Oct 28, 2013 12:38 pm
by Grahaml » Mon Oct 28, 2013 5:24 pm
Dogwatcher wrote:Interesting that Pollock's long-term figures, rather than his abbreviated Test career, can get him into some people's sides. However, the fact that much of WG's best cricket was played before Test cricket started rules him out...
by Dogwatcher » Mon Oct 28, 2013 5:36 pm
Competitions SANFL Official Site | Country Footy SA | Southern Football League | VFL Footy
Club Forums Snouts Louts | The Roost | Redlegs Forum |