William Gilbert Grace , commonly known as W. G. Grace, is generally considered one of the greatest cricketers of all time. His
first-class cricket career spanned 44 seasons, from
1865 until
1908 , during which time he claimed over 2,800
wickets and over 800
catches . Despite this, he is best known for his batting ability: possessing a "high backlift and willingness to play off both front and back foot", he stood apart from other batsmen of the time. He scored over 50,000 first-class runs, a feat achieved by only six other cricketers, and was the first cricketer to score 100 or more centuries.
Disputes regarding the first-class status of a number of matches in which W. G. Grace played have resulted in him having varying career statistics published. Of his centuries, 124 were scored in matches universally accepted as being first-class, these are the figures which are published on both Cricinfo and CricketArchive. A number of further matches are considered to be first-class by some sources; in these matches he scored two centuries: for the "Gentlemen to Canada Touring Team" against the Marylebone Cricket Club in 1873, and for Gloucestershire against Somerset in 1879. Grace, in his 1899 reminiscences, records both of these centuries among his tally of first-class centuries. In Wisden Cricketers' Almanack ' s first-class records section, he is listed as having scored 126 centuries, the eleventh most hundreds scored during a career. He retains this position with the lower total of 124, also appearing eleventh on Cricinfo's list.
Grace made his first-class debut in June 1865 appearing for the Gentlemen of the South against the Players of the South at The Oval , but did not score his first century until his tenth match, making an unbeaten 224 for England against Surrey County Cricket Club at the same ground. In 1871, he reached 100 on 10 different occasions, the most during any season of his career. In doing so, he became the first batsman to pass 2,000 first-class runs in a season, tallying 2,739 in total. He scored the first triple century in first-class cricket in 1876, amassing 344 for the Gentlemen of Marylebone Cricket Club against Kent after the Gentlemen had been forced to follow on . Less than two weeks later, Grace passed 300 once more, scoring 318 not out for Gloucestershire against Yorkshire . He scored 177 in his only innings between the two triple-centuries, and scored 839 runs in eight days.
He scored his 100th century in 1895; at the time this was reckoned to be made in the county match between Gloucestershire and Somerset . Somerset's captain, Sammy Woods recollects the moment in his reminiscences:
During May we had a weird game at Bristol v . Gloucester. We scored 200 for 1 wicket. W. G. then went on and took 5 wickets, and we were all out for 300. He then proceeded to go in first and help himself to 288, and to get his hundredth century. I had the satisfaction of giving him a full pitch to get to his hundred, not that he wanted any help.
Grace comments in his memoirs that he was glad to make his hundredth century at Gloucestershire's ground. Excluding the two centuries not considered first-class by some modern statisticians, Grace's hundredth century came later in the same month when he scored 169 for Gloucestershire against Middlesex at Lord's . He scored his final first-class century in July 1904 for London County , reaching 166 against the Marylebone Cricket Club. He played first-class cricket for another four seasons, and scored 15 and 25 for the Gentlemen of England in his final outing, an innings defeat against Surrey.
Key
* denotes that he remained not out .
Pos. denotes his position in the batting order.
Inn. denotes the number of the innings in the match.
Date denotes the date on which the match began.
Drawn denotes that the match was drawn.
Lost denotes that the match was lost by Grace's team.
Won denotes that the match was won by Grace's team.
denotes that the century was scored in a match not universally considered first-class.
denotes that the century was scored in a Test match .
Centuries
No.
Score
For
Against
Pos.
Inn.
Venue
Date
Result
1
224*
England
Surrey
5
1
The Oval , London
30 July 1866
Won
2
173*
Gentlemen of the South
Players of the South
5
2
The Oval , London
27 August 1866
Drawn
3
134*
Gentlemen
Players
3
1
Lord's , London
29 June 1868
Won
4
130
South of the Thames
North of the Thames
1
2
St Lawrence Ground , Canterbury
3 August 1868
Lost
5
102*
South of the Thames
North of the Thames
4
4
St Lawrence Ground , Canterbury
3 August 1868
Lost
6
117
Marylebone Cricket Club
Oxford University
2
2
Magdalen Ground , Oxford
13 May 1869
Won
7
138*
Marylebone Cricket Club
Surrey
1
1
The Oval , London
1 July 1869
Won
8
121
Marylebone Cricket Club
Nottinghamshire
1
4
Lord's , London
5 July 1869
Lost
9
180
Gentlemen of the South
Players of the South
2
2
The Oval , London
15 July 1869
Drawn
10
122
South
North
1
1
Bramall Lane , Sheffield
26 July 1869
Won
11
127
Marylebone Cricket Club
Kent
1
1
St Lawrence Ground , Canterbury
11 August 1869
Won
12
117*
Marylebone Cricket Club
Nottinghamshire
1
2
Lord's , London
13 June 1870
Lost
13
215
Gentlemen
Players
1
3
The Oval , London
14 July 1870
Drawn
14
109
Gentlemen
Players
1
1
Lord's , London
18 July 1870
Won
15
143
Gloucestershire
Surrey
1
1
The Oval , London
28 July 1870
Won
16
172
Gloucestershire
Marylebone Cricket Club
1
1
Lord's , London
1 August 1870
Won
17
181
Marylebone Cricket Club
Surrey
1
1
Lord's , London
15 May 1871
Won
18
118
Gentlemen of the South
Gentlemen of the North
1
2
Lillie Bridge , West Brompton
25 May 1871
Won
19
178
South
North
1
1
Lord's , London
29 May 1871
Won
20
162
Gentlemen of England
Cambridge University
1
1
Fenner's , Cambridge
1 June 1871
Won
21
189*
Single
Married
1
1
Lord's , London
10 June 1871
Won
22
146
Marylebone Cricket Club
Surrey
1
2
The Oval , London
20 July 1871
Lost
23
268
South
North
1
3
The Oval , London
31 July 1871
Drawn
24
117
Gentlemen of Marylebone Cricket Club
Kent
1
2
St Lawrence Ground , Canterbury
9 August 1871
Won
25
217
Gentlemen
Players
1
3
Royal Brunswick Ground , Hove
14 August 1871
Drawn
26
116
Gloucestershire
Nottinghamshire
5
3
Trent Bridge , Nottingham
21 August 1871
Lost
27
101
Marylebone Cricket Club
Yorkshire
1
1
Lord's , London
27 May 1872
Won
28
112
Gentlemen
Players
3
4
Lord's , London
1 July 1872
Won
29
117
Gentlemen
Players
1
1
The Oval , London
4 July 1872
Won
30
170*
England
Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire
1
1
Lord's , London
8 July 1872
Won
31
114
South
North
1
2
The Oval , London
25 July 1872
Won
32
150
Gloucestershire
Yorkshire
1
1
Bramall Lane , Sheffield
29 July 1872
Won
33
145
Gentlemen of the South
Players of the North
1
2
Prince's Cricket Ground , Chelsea
5 June 1873
Lost
34
134
Gentlemen of the South
Players of the South
1
1
The Oval , London
26 June 1873
Won
35
163
Gentlemen
Players
1
1
Lord's , London
30 June 1873
Won
36
158
Gentlemen
Players
1
1
The Oval , London
3 July 1873
Won
152
Gentlemen to Canada Touring Team
Marylebone Cricket Club
1
1
Lord's , London
21 July 1873
Won
37
192*
South
North
1
1
The Oval , London
24 July 1873
Won
38
160*
Gloucestershire
Surrey
1
3
Clifton College Close Ground , Bristol
25 August 1873
Drawn
39
179
Gloucestershire
Sussex
1
1
County Ground , Hove
11 June 1874
Won
40
150
Gentlemen of the South
Players of the South
1
2
The Oval , London
25 June 1874
Won
41
104
Gentlemen of the South
Players of the North
1
2
Prince's Cricket Ground , Chelsea
20 July 1874
Won
42
110
Gentlemen
Players
1
3
Prince's Cricket Ground , Chelsea
23 July 1874
Won
43
167
Gloucestershire
Yorkshire
1
1
Bramall Lane , Sheffield
27 July 1874
Won
44
121
Kent and Gloucestershire
England
1
3
St Lawrence Ground , Canterbury
3 August 1874
Won
45
123
Gentlemen of Marylebone Cricket Club
Kent
1
2
St Lawrence Ground , Canterbury
5 August 1874
Won
46
127
Gloucestershire
Yorkshire
1
1
Clifton College Close Ground , Bristol
13 August 1874
Won
47
152
Gentlemen
Players
1
3
Lord's , London
5 July 1875
Won
48
111
Gloucestershire
Yorkshire
1
1
Bramall Lane , Sheffield
26 July 1875
Lost
49
119
Gloucestershire
Nottinghamshire
1
1
Clifton College Close Ground , Bristol
16 August 1875
Drawn
50
104
Gloucestershire
Sussex
1
3
County Ground , Hove
12 June 1876
Won
51
169
Gentlemen
Players
1
1
Lord's , London
3 July 1876
Won
52
114*
South
North
1
4
Trent Bridge , Nottingham
17 July 1876
Won
53
126
United South of England Eleven
United North of England Eleven
1
1
Argyle Street , Hull
3 August 1876
Drawn
54
344
Gentlemen of Marylebone Cricket Club
Kent
2
3
St Lawrence Ground , Canterbury
10 August 1876
Drawn
55
177
Gloucestershire
Nottinghamshire
1
1
Clifton College Close Ground , Bristol
14 August 1876
Won
56
318*
Gloucestershire
Yorkshire
1
1
College Ground , Cheltenham
17 August 1876
Drawn
57
261
South
North
1
1
Prince's Cricket Ground , Chelsea
31 May 1877
Won
58
110
Gloucestershire and Yorkshire
England
2
3
Lord's , London
16 July 1877
Drawn
59
116
Gloucestershire
Nottinghamshire
1
3
Trent Bridge , Nottingham
1 August 1878
Drawn
60
123
Gloucestershire
Surrey
1
3
The Oval , London
5 June 1879
Won
61
102
Gloucestershire
Nottinghamshire
1
2
Trent Bridge , Nottingham
31 July 1879
Drawn
113
Gloucestershire
Somerset
1
1
Clifton College Close Ground , Bristol
11 August 1879
Won
62
106
Gloucestershire
Lancashire
7
2
Clifton College Close Ground , Bristol
26 August 1880
Won
63
152
England
Australia
2
1
The Oval , London
6 September 1880
Won
64
100
Gentlemen
Players
1
2
The Oval , London
30 June 1881
Won
65
182
Gloucestershire
Nottinghamshire
5
3
Trent Bridge , Nottingham
28 July 1881
Drawn
66
112
Gloucestershire
Lancashire
1
1
Clifton College Close Ground , Bristol
27 August 1883
Won
67
101
Marylebone Cricket Club
Australians
1
1
Lord's , London
22 May 1884
Won
68
107
Gentlemen of England
Australians
1
2
The Oval , London
26 June 1884
Lost
69
116*
Gloucestershire
Australians
4
1
Clifton College Close Ground , Bristol
7 August 1884
Lost
70
132
Gloucestershire
Yorkshire
1
1
Park Avenue , Bradford
27 July 1885
Drawn
71
104
Gloucestershire
Surrey
2
2
College Ground , Cheltenham
20 August 1885
Won
72
221*
Gloucestershire
Middlesex
1
1
Clifton College Close Ground , Bristol
24 August 1885
Won
73
174
Gentlemen
Players
1
1
North Marine Road Ground , Scarborough
3 September 1885
Won
74
148
Gentlemen of England
Australians
1
1
The Oval , London
17 June 1886
Drawn
75
104
Marylebone Cricket Club
Oxford University
1
2
University Parks , Oxford
21 June 1886
Won
76
110
Gloucestershire
Australians
4
3
Clifton College Close Ground , Bristol
5 August 1886
Drawn
77
170
England
Australia
1
1
The Oval , London
12 August 1886
Won
78
113
Gloucestershire
Middlesex
2
1
Lord's , London
2 June 1887
Drawn
79
116*
Marylebone Cricket Club
Cambridge University
1
4
Lord's , London
27 June 1887
Won
80
183*
Gloucestershire
Yorkshire
3
3
Spa Ground , Gloucester
30 June 1887
Drawn
81
113*
Gloucestershire
Nottinghamshire
1
3
Clifton College Close Ground , Bristol
8 August 1887
Lost
82
101
Gloucestershire
Kent
1
1
Clifton College Close Ground , Bristol
25 August 1887
Drawn
83
103*
Gloucestershire
Kent
1
3
Clifton College Close Ground , Bristol
25 August 1887
Drawn
84
215
Gloucestershire
Sussex
1
1
County Ground , Hove
21 May 1888
Drawn
85
165
Gentlemen of England
Australians
1
2
Lord's , London
28 May 1888
Drawn
86
148
Gloucestershire
Yorkshire
1
1
Clifton College Close Ground , Bristol
16 August 1888
Drawn
87
153
Gloucestershire
Yorkshire
1
3
Clifton College Close Ground , Bristol
16 August 1888
Drawn
88
101
Gloucestershire
Middlesex
1
3
Lord's , London
3 June 1889
Lost
89
127*
Gloucestershire
Middlesex
1
1
College Ground , Cheltenham
22 August 1889
Drawn
90
154
South
North
1
3
North Marine Road Ground , Scarborough
5 September 1889
Drawn
91
109*
Gloucestershire
Kent
1
1
Mote Park , Maidstone
22 May 1890
Lost
92
159*
Lord Sheffield 's XI
Victoria
1
1
Melbourne Cricket Ground , Melbourne
27 November 1891
Won
93
128
Marylebone Cricket Club
Kent
1
1
Lord's , London
8 June 1893
Won
94
139
Marylebone Cricket Club
Cambridge University
1
2
Fenner's , Cambridge
24 May 1894
Won
95
196
Marylebone Cricket Club
Cambridge University
2
3
Lord's , London
25 June 1894
Won
96
131
Gentlemen
Players
1
2
Central Recreation Ground , Hastings
10 September 1894
Drawn
97
103
Marylebone Cricket Club
Sussex
1
3
Lord's , London
9 May 1895
Won
98
288
Gloucestershire
Somerset
1
2
Ashley Down Ground , Bristol
16 May 1895
Won
99
257
Gloucestershire
Kent
1
2
Bat and Ball Ground , Gravesend
23 May 1895
Won
100
169
Gloucestershire
Middlesex
1
1
Lord's , London
30 May 1895
Won
101
125
Marylebone Cricket Club
Kent
1
3
Lord's , London
13 June 1895
Won
102
101*
Gentlemen of England
I Zingari
1
4
Lord's , London
20 June 1895
Won
103
118
Gentlemen
Players
1
2
Lord's , London
8 July 1895
Lost
104
119
Gloucestershire
Nottinghamshire
1
1
College Ground , Cheltenham
19 August 1895
Won
105
104
South
North
2
3
Central Recreation Ground , Hastings
5 September 1895
Won
106
243*
Gloucestershire
Sussex
1
1
County Ground , Hove
25 May 1896
Drawn
107
102*
Gloucestershire
Lancashire
1
3
Ashley Down Ground , Bristol
25 June 1896
Lost
108
186
Gloucestershire
Somerset
1
1
County Ground , Taunton
29 June 1896
Won
109
301
Gloucestershire
Sussex
1
1
Ashley Down Ground , Bristol
3 August 1896
Won
110
113
Gloucestershire
Gentlemen of Philadelphia
1
1
Ashley Down Ground , Bristol
15 July 1897
Won
111
126
Gloucestershire
Nottinghamshire
3
2
Trent Bridge , Nottingham
22 July 1897
Won
112
116
Gloucestershire
Sussex
1
2
Ashley Down Ground , Bristol
2 August 1897
Drawn
113
131
Gloucestershire
Nottinghamshire
1
2
College Ground , Cheltenham
12 August 1897
Won
114
126
Gloucestershire
Essex
1
2
County Ground , Leyton
7 July 1898
Won
115
168
Gloucestershire
Nottinghamshire
1
1
Trent Bridge , Nottingham
21 July 1898
Drawn
116
109
Gloucestershire
Somerset
1
1
County Ground , Taunton
18 August 1898
Won
117
110*
London County
Worcestershire
1
3
Crystal Palace Park , London
13 August 1900
Won
118
110
London County
Marylebone Cricket Club
1
3
Crystal Palace Park , London
23 August 1900
Lost
119
126
South
North
1
1
Lord's , London
13 September 1900
Drawn
120
132
London County
Marylebone Cricket Club
1
1
Crystal Palace Park , London
8 August 1901
Drawn
121
131
London County
Marylebone Cricket Club
5
2
Crystal Palace Park , London
14 July 1902
Won
122
129
London County
Warwickshire
1
1
Crystal Palace Park , London
21 August 1902
Drawn
123
150
London County
Gloucestershire
4
2
Crystal Palace Park , London
4 June 1903
Won
124
166
London County
Marylebone Cricket Club
1
2
Crystal Palace Park , London
18 July 1904
Won