Cricket has been an all-time favourite sport of a lot of people around the world. Millions of fans enjoy watching and participating in this legendary game, which requires practice, skills, and a lot of patience. Cricket came into existence around the 1600s in England and was played mainly in villages.
After gaining traction around the country, cricket became an actual sport by the 1700s, and by the 1800s, the sport spread to various other countries under the rule of the British Empire, such as North American colonies, India, and even the West Indies Islands.
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Cricket has been a part of our lives since our childhood, from playing cricket matches with our friends, to collectively sitting in front of the TV screen with our family whenever a major match was being streamed.
Cricket has been a perpetual presence in our lives, and while you may be familiar with the game, have you ever pondered over the individuals who have played a pivotal role in shaping it into what it is today? Who are all the people who have scored major milestones in the history of cricket and made a name for themselves? In this article, we’ll be exploring the answer to one such question, who is known as ‘father of cricket?’
All About the Man Known as The Father of Cricket
Generally, when the conversation around cricket legends starts, names like Sachin Tendulkar, Don Bradman, and Gary Sobers come to mind, but before all of them, many other legends existed that made cricket into the very sport that it is today. One such legend has been nicknamed the ‘Doctor’ and is also known as the father of cricket.
You must be wondering, who is this legend that was given the title of father of cricket by the world, and what has he accomplished to gain this title? Well, his name is Dr William Gilbert Grace. Born on July 18, 1848, in Downend, near Bristol, England, Grace was an amateur cricket player and was regarded as an all-rounder who was part of the game for approximately 43 years.
W. G. Grace was right-handed and was known as one of the greatest batsmen in the game. He entered the cricket industry at the start of the game’s popularity when not much had been established in terms of rules and regulations.
Grace, during his tenure as a cricketer played a total of 22 test matches, 44 first-class sessions, and 879 first-class games. There is a reason why he is known as the father of cricket, at a time when the growth of this game was unpredictable, and no one took it seriously, he was one of the few who put his all into this sport. And that’s why Dr William Gilbert Grace is known as Father of cricket.
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Grace’s Domestic Tenure
Playing from the year 1865 to 1908, the father of cricket had an impactful career, and played well into his early 60s’. W. G. Grace played as a cricketer in a total of 28 domestic teams and directly took part in spreading the game’s popularity amongst the masses while using his extraordinary skills to spread knowledge about this sport. He scored a total of 54,000 runs and took around 2,800 wickets during his games. He is also namely one of the first players to score 100 centuries. Grace is also known to have made 126 centuries and 251 half-centuries during his tenure.
Grace has played a lot of games, and he’s titled to be the first to achieve many feats in the sport, such as scoring a total of 839 runs in a matter of only 8 days. Another huge achievement of the father of cricket is that he scored a total of 344 innings and was also the first one to score a triple-century in first-class cricket.
Grace’s International Tenure
At a time when this sport was still developing and nowhere near as popular as it is now, Grace still managed to charm the sports world with his skills and achievements. He managed to play around 22 international test matches in his tenure, all of which were against Australia. He managed to score a total of 1,098 runs during these matches, with the most in one game being 170 runs.
Impact of the Father of Cricket on Cricket Sport
W. G. Grace dedicated his life to cricket and showed that perseverance and determination pay off in the long run. Setting an example for many players in years to come, Grace is rightfully known as the father of cricket, and to this date remains one of the most influential figures in cricket history. He caught a grasp of the sport, and how it takes time to develop one’s skillset to play cricket. Due to his rigour, he was also known as a ‘gentleman player,’ believing that the game should be played with team spirit and with the right mindset.
W. G. Grace was also known for his active approach to teaching everyone around him. From correcting stances, how to hold a bat, when to swing, etc., he was a guiding light to many during his time as a cricket player.
Grace was known to be an all-rounder in the sense that he was a talented bowler, fielder, and batsman. No matter his position within the game, he always excelled in his role. With age, his bowling style changed speed, and he opted more for slow bowling techniques, such as spin bowling with leg breaks. This move at the time was labelled the ‘leg tweaker.’
Grace’s impact on cricket has been nothing short of influential, and even hundreds of years later his techniques and records are remembered amongst the cricket industry. W. G. Grace represented what cricket as a sport stood for, team spirit, hard work, and determination. He chose cricket at a time when there was no way to predict what the future of this sport would look like and gave his 100% to it.
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FAQ’s About Father Of Cricket
Dr William Gilbert Grace is known as the father of cricket. This is because in his time, Grace achieved a lot of milestones, and set the tone for how this sport is to be played. At a time when cricket was not well known, Grace entered the sport and completely changed the scenario.
W. G. Grace was born on July 18, in 1848. He was born in a small place called Downend, which is situated near Bristol, in England.
W. G. Grace became a pioneer in the world of cricket by being a trendsetter in the game. He was known to be an all-rounder cricketer, playing as a bowler, fielder, and batsman, throughout his 43 years of tenure in this sport.
Grace’s career in cricket lasted for around 43 years and ended around 1908 officially when he played his last ever first-class game. After that, he last played cricket in 1914 at a minor cricket league game.
Grace was known to be one of the first players to score 100+ centuries in cricket. He also made 839 runs within 8 days only, during his international tenure while playing against Australia.
