E.M. Grace

E. M. Grace

E. M. Grace
Personal information
Full name	Edward Mills Grace
Born	(1841-11-28)28 November 1841 Downend, South Gloucestershire, England
Died	20 May 1911(1911-05-20) (aged 69) Thornbury, South Gloucestershire, England
Nickname	The Coroner
Batting style	Right-handed
Bowling style	Right arm slow (underarm)
Role	All-rounder
Relations	W. G. Grace, G. F. Grace (brothers), Walter Gilbert (cousin)
International information
National side	England
Only Test (cap 22)	6 September 1880 v Australia
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1870–1896	Gloucestershire
Career statistics
Competition Test First-class Matches 1 314 Runs scored 36 10,025 Batting average 18.00 18.66 100s/50s 0/0 5/44 Top score 36 192 not out Balls bowled 0 13,441 Wickets – 305 Bowling average – 20.37 5 wickets in innings – 17 10 wickets in match – 2 Best bowling – 10/69 Catches/stumpings 1/– 369/1
Source: Cricinfo, 1 October 2009

Edward Mills ("E. M.") Grace (28 November 1841 – 20 May 1911) was an English cricketer in the second half of the 19th century who was an all-rounder, batting right-handed and bowling slow right arm underarm. He played first-class cricket for Gloucestershire CCC and was the elder brother of W. G. and Fred Grace. All three played in a Test match for England in 1880 a week before Fred Grace died. Always known by his initials, E. M. Grace controversially held amateur status but was criticised for the money he made by playing.

Born 28 November 1841 in Bristol, England, E. M. Grace was one of the great cricketers of the 1860s and 1870s, though he was overshadowed by his younger brother W. G. He was called Ted by the Grace family but elsewhere by his initials only.

Grace performed one of the most amazing all-round feats ever on 15 August 1862. He carried his bat through the entire MCC innings, scoring 192 not out of a total of 344. He then took all 10 wickets in the Kent first innings for 69 runs. However, although the match is recognised as first-class, this is not an official record as it was a 12-man game.

After the 1863 season, Grace toured America with George Parr's side, but he did not perform well, being hampered by a bad hand. He then pulled out of first-class cricket whilst he qualified as a surgeon, but returned on the formation of Gloucestershire County Cricket Club in 1871, of which he was secretary until his resignation in 1909. Thanks mainly to the combined efforts of the Grace brothers, Gloucestershire became the champion county in 1874, 1876 and 1877; they also shared the title in 1873.