WHEN W. G. GRACE’S BLUFF FAILED

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19374, 24 December 1932, Page 16

WHEN W. G. GRACE’S BLUFF FAILED

ONE OF “TERROR” TURNER’S REMINISCENCES

Australia is again beginning to produce young spin bowlers, that is, bowlers cultivating the power to make the ball break rather than swerve. C. T. B. Turner, to whose seventieth birthday we referred last week, was one of the best exemplars of the off-break bowler ever seen. He tells how it is done in his book “The Quest for Bowlers,” and all about many other accomplishments that may be cultivated by persistent practice, and which are indispensable to any bowler aiming at success in first-class cricket.

In this book, published six or seven years ago, “The Terror” provides a few reminiscences. One of W. G. Grace is amusing. It happened on the second visit of C. T. B. Turner to England in 1890.

“W.G.” was playing for Gloucestershire against the Australians at Bristol. He went in first, and after the usual preliminaries, took strike to J. J. Ferris, who opened the bowling. To his first delivery he played forward and just touched a ball giving Trumble, at slip, a chance, which was accepted. Dr. Grace, knowing that he had touched the ball and was out, immediately commenced to pat the pitch where the ball lodged, evidently to convey an idea that he was waiting for the ball to be returned to the bowler, and for the over to be continued, but as this was not done, he stood and enquired what was the matter, whereupon he was told he was out. With an apparent air of surprise, he exclaimed: “What! How’s that, umpire?” “You’re out,” the umpire replied. Dr. Grace laughingly retorted: “I did not carry the bluff far enough.”

It might be added that at times W.G.'s bluff did come off. W. G. Grace had his greatness and his foibles. But he was a human soul, and. despite his inclination to bluffing at their expense, most of the old Australian cricketers had a very sincere regard for him personally, and the highest possible admiration for his powers as a cricketer.