On this day, the 1 June, 1899, the English cricketing legend, William Gilbert ‘W.G.’ Grace, MRCS, LRCP (1848-1915), widely considered one of cricket’s greatest-ever players, made his last appearance in a Test match at Trent Bridge.

Grace captained England in the First Test of the 1899 series against Australia at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, when he was 51. However, his considerable bulk made him a liability in the field and, recognising his limitations, he stood down and surrendered his place and the captaincy to Archie MacLaren. Grace later confessed ‘the ground was getting a bit too far away’.

A rught-handed batsman and bowler, ‘W.G’ played first-class cricket for 44 seasons, from 1865 to 1908, during which time he dominated the sport.

In Grace’s final Test match the English professional cricketer Wilfred Rhodes (1877-1973) made his debut. Rhodes went on to play 58 Test matches for England between 1899 and 1930, taking 127 wickets and scoring 2,325 runs. Rhodes was the first Englishman to complete the double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in Test matches. 

Also making his debut at Trent Bridge was the Australian cricketer Victor Trumper (1877–1915), known as the most stylish and versatile batsman of the Golden Age of cricket. Capable of playing match-winning innings on wet wickets his contemporaries found unplayable. Archie MacLaren is said to have jaked, ‘Compared to Victor I was a cab-horse to a Derby winner’. Trumper was also a key figure in the foundation of rugby league in Australia.

1 June, 2019