GRIMMETT THE MARVEL His Test Record

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 99, 21 January 1936, Page 14

GRIMMETT THE MARVEL His Test Record

Olarrie Grimmett is one of the marvels of the cricket world. A batsman often is still very nearly at his best at 43 years of age, but it is seldom that we have a bowler at that year still a champion in Test cricket. Grimmett and Bert Ironmonger in recent years are shining examples of the exception to the rule.

Grimmett’s feat of beating S. F. Barnes’s record of 189- wickets in Test cricket, at such an age, is a remarkable one, especially as he did not begin his career in these games until he was more than 30. From bis first Test against Arthur Gilligan’s team, in 1924-5, he has been one of the world’s outstanding bowlers.

There are those who have been proclaiming for some years that Grimmett is done as a Test bowler, yet he continues to confound them. In the three Tests played in South Africa this season he has taken 21 wickets for 359 runs, which does not seem to indicate any decline in his prowess. The Test records of Grimmett and Barnes, probably the greatest bowler who ever played for England are:—

In addition, Grimmett has taken 12 wickets for 199 rung in matches between Australia and New Zealand. Some people do not regard these games aa Tests in the strict sense, yet they are called such, and therefore Grimmett should get the credit attaching to them. His complete Test record, therefore, is: 205 wicketa for 5139 runs, an average of 25.06. Grimmett, broke another record in the game when he made his tally of wicket’ against South Africa 54—the greatest of any bowler in Australia v. South Africa games. Bill Whitt,v, the Australian, held the record previously, with 50 wickets, at. 18.50 runs each. G. C. B. Llewellyn holds the record for South Africa, with 42 at 27.09 runs each.

s. F. BARNES. Wickets Runs Aver. Australia ■ ■ ■ ■ .. 106 2288 21.58 South Africa .. 83 SIS 9.S5 ■■ ■ !■ Totals .. .. 189 3106 16.43 C. V. GRIMMETT. Wickets Runs Aver. England .... .. 106 3439 32.44 South Africa .. 54 916 16.96 West Indies . .. 33 593 17.96 — ■ ■ 11 ■" 193 4948 25.63