W.G. Grace - the ‘http://www.senore.com/Cricket/David-John-Goodchild-c52940race’ of the past - Part 1 - Opinion
W.G. Grace was and continues to be widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen of all time. ‘Greatness’ however, is a subjective term open to all sorts of interpretations. In modern times a swashbuckling 100 against a potent attack on a placid wicket,
would bill out the protagonist as a great batsman. Yet Grace was far more in terms of his amazing chutzpah which the whole world acknowledged. He was the only player who could match Sir Donald Bradman’s stature, who had played some match defining innings for
his country and his respective counties. His achievements aside, Grace was probably the most important player of his generation for being able to refer to the conformist school and shun away modernism in a sport known for its heritage.
In the era during which Grace managed to embrace the fields of England, it is understandable that not many of the modern enthusiasts would have managed to get hold of his batting prowess, barring a few YouTube searches by the inquisitive. Yet those who managed
to get just a sniff of Grace on the cricket field, would acknowledge that he was more than just a classical player. He was a batsman that brought cricket to a thirsty audience which was baying for a premier British summer sport to make the headlines across
England.
It was safe to say that the 1800’s never saw a better man and a better player. With his beard and a wry smile, Grace was a popular man in days where fans would embrace sun kissed fields and watch games of cricket over cups of coffee. His stats were equally
impressive, but may not appeal to the modern day fan, who has witnessed players such as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/V-Kohli-c2737, annihilate attacks all around the globe. With an average of just 32.29 and a best score of 170 in 22 matches, statisticians
are left to wonder over what all the fuss was about. Yet statistics reveal so little about Grace, who had a distinct charm to his game that not many would be able to understand in modern, consumerist times.
His first class career stands unparalleled in the world and would lead to raised eyebrows even today. The career which spans a total of 870 matches stands out as being one of the best ever. 54,000 first class runs are what Grace managed to achieve back in
his day with a best score of 344. This was decades before geniuses such as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Brian-Charles-Lara-c48471 managed to score mammoth totals with elegant ease.
Domestic cricket in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Delhi-c780 is considered to be invoking star status. Products
such as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/M-Vijay-c1867 have already gained widespread fame for their achievements in the domestic T20 format. Yet what others view as entertainment would be considered as toeing with the classical fabric by conformists. Grace
never played in times which were as extravagant, yet his name and play is etched into the minds of those who considered county cricket to be the epitome of success.
Continued in part 2...
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