W. G. Grace in the 1871 English cricket season
W. G. Grace played in 32 matches in the 1871 English cricket season, 25 of which are recognised as first-class. His main roles in 1871 were as captain of Gloucestershire County Cricket Club and as both match organiser and captain of the United South of England Eleven (USEE). In addition, he represented Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the Gentlemen in the Gentlemen v Players fixture and the South in the North v South series.
1871 was a cold, wet summer but nevertheless one of Grace's better seasons as a batsman for he scored 2,739 runs including 10 centuries in first-class matches at an average of 78.25, the first time anyone had scored over 2,000 runs in an English season. It was arguably his most successful season and was summarised by a leading cricket historian as his annus mirabilis.
Background
Having begun his top-class career in 1864 at the age of 15, Grace had by the 1871 season established himself as the sport's outstanding player. He was unmarried and still living with his parents and his younger brother Fred Grace at the family home in Downend, near Bristol. Grace turned 23 in July 1871 and was a medical student at Bristol Medical School, having enrolled there in October 1868. Derek Birley records that it was at this time, "scorning the puny modern fashion of moustaches", that Grace grew the enormous black beard that made him so recognisable. In addition, his "ample girth" had developed for he weighed 15st. in his early twenties. Grace was a non-smoker but he enjoyed good food and wine.
Grace in 1871 was principally involved with four teams: the Gentlemen, Gloucestershire County Cricket Club, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and the United South of England Eleven (USEE). Gloucestershire was then a new club, GeneRally understood to have been formally constituted in 1870 and had played its first two first-class matches that season. Grace had joined MCC in 1869. The USEE had been founded in 1865 and Grace had played for it occasionally but he formally joined the club in 1870 as its match organiser, for which he received payment, though he played for expenses only.
1871 was a wet summer and, even when the rain relented, there was a persistent chilly wind. Grace, however, had the skill and resilience to cope with adverse conditions and some of his best batting performances were achieved on wet wickets.
May: the season begins
Grace played 5 matches in May.
Grace began the season on 8 May playing for MCC against a Colts XV at Lord's. He took 7–56 in the Colts' first innings and then scored 44 and 31, but the Colts won by 34 runs.
In the opening first-class fixture, Grace played a brilliant innings of 181 for MCC against Surrey at Lord's, enabling MCC to win by an innings and 23 runs. A week later, playing for MCC against Yorkshire, also at Lord's, his second innings of 98 (run out) in a low scoring game effectively decided the match which MCC won by 55 runs. After scoring another century in an all-amateurs match, he played for South v North at Lord's and scored 178 which enabled his team to win by an innings and 49 runs.
June
Grace played 8 matches in June.
On 1 June, Grace scored his fourth century in five matches with 162 for the Gentlemen against Cambridge University, following up with bowling figures of 7–103 in the University's second innings. In his next match, Grace made his first appearance of the season for Gloucestershire, this time playing against MCC and, though he made relatively modest scores of 49 and 34 not out, he still finished on the winning side, by 5 wickets.
Apart from an innings of 88 for MCC against Middlesex, Grace had low scores in the rest of June and no great success as a bowler either.
July
Grace played 9 matches in July.
But in July he cut loose again with an outstanding innings of 189 not out (carrying his bat) in a Married v Single game at Lord's, his Single team winning by an innings and 73 runs. This innings was played on a "sticky wicket" after rain and many people considered it the finest of Grace's career, though Grace himself disagreed. In Grace's Reminiscences, he modestly says he "played for the Single side and made 189 (not out)". The match was a benefit for Edgar Willsher and the second day was rained off so Grace helped to arrange another match for Willsher, played at Mote Park, Maidstone in September.
After 146 for MCC against Surrey at The Oval, Grace produced his season highlight in another South v North match, also at The Oval, when he made his highest career score to date of 268, having been dismissed by Jem Shaw for nought in the first innings. It was to no avail as the match was drawn. But the occasion produced a memorable and oft-quoted comment by Jem Shaw who ruefully said: "I puts the ball where I likes and he puts it where he likes". The match was a benefit for H. H. Stephenson.
August
Grace played 6 matches in August.
After another century against Kent, he played for Gentlemen v Players at the Royal Brunswick Ground, Brighton, in August and, for the second time, followed a first innings "duck" with a double century. As on the previous occasion, the feat was achieved in a benefit match, this time for John Lillywhite. In the second innings, Grace and his brother Fred shared a second wicket partnership of 241 till Fred was out for 98, W.G. going on to score 217.
When Gloucestershire went to Trent Bridge to play Nottinghamshire, Grace scored 79 and 116 but his team lost by 10 wickets after Jem Shaw took 13 wickets in the match. It was the first time that anyone had scored a century on the ground and Grace's presence ensured a bumper crowd with over £400 being taken at the gate. This money went a long way towards the £1500 that Nottinghamshire needed to erect the Trent Bridge Pavilion.
September
Grace played 4 matches in September.
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire played four county matches in 1871. They twice defeated Surrey by an innings margin but had less success against Nottinghamshire, drawing with them at Clifton College Close Ground and then losing by 10 wickets at Trent Bridge. The team had certain regulars but tended to include occasional and even guest players, some of whom weakened the side, whereas Nottinghamshire generally turned out a full-strength eleven. The key Gloucestershire players were the three Graces, batsman Thomas Matthews, wicket-keeper James Bush (who was also an England rugby union international), slow left-armer Robert Miles and all-rounders George Strachan and Frank Townsend. Newcomers in 1871 were Frederic Carter and George Wyatt who both made a number of appearances over the next few seasons.
Season summary
In 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. Besides Grace and apart from Jupp and Ted Pooley who were the highest runscorers, other leading batsmen in 1871 were Richard Daft, Robert Carpenter, Fred Grace, Henry Charlwood and Ephraim Lockwood. The leading bowlers were James Southerton, Alfred Shaw, Jem Shaw, Frank Farrands, Grace, Edgar Willsher, James Street and Tom Emmett.
Aftermath
According to Harry Altham, 1871 was Grace's annus mirabilis, except that he produced another outstanding year in 1895. Grace summarised it as "one of my best seasons" as he scored 10 centuries.
Grace had numerous nicknames during his career including "The Doctor", after he achieved his medical qualification; "The Old Man", as he reached the veteran stage; and most auspiciously "The Champion". He was first acclaimed as "the Champion Cricketer" by John Lillywhite's Cricketer's Companion (aka "Green Lilly") in recognition of his exploits in 1871.
But Grace's great year was marred by the death of his father in December. Grace and his younger brother Fred still lived with their mother at the family home in Downend and they had to increase their involvement with the USEE to pay for their medical studies.