Grace, W.G

Grace, W.G. -- With the modern game's emphasis on fitness and athleticism, the sight of a portly, bearded figure waddling out to bat at Lord's has not been seen since, erm, Mike Gatting's last appearance of 1997. By leaving the first-class game at the tender age of 41, however, Gatting will fall far short in endurance, as well as hirsuteness, if not girth, of the game's greatest legend, William Gilbert Grace (1848-1915). Grace played first-class cricket for Gloucestershire for 43 years, amassing nearly 55,000 runs. He played 22 Tests - although Test cricket did not begin until 1877 and there were far fewer matches than today - the last of them at the age of 51. Oh, and through all this he maintained his practice as a country doctor in Gloucestershire. He is commemorated at the game's headquarters by the Grace Gates, through which the players and officials enter the ground.