Famous Cricketers No 96 - Clarrie Grimmett

Bowling O M R W BB Ave 5i 10m Sheffield Shield (8b) 22.1 1 98 9 8-86 10.88 1 - Career (8b) 79.1 3 } 1132 40 8-86 28.30 1 - (6b) 193.1 23 1924/25 Making his first appearance for South Australia, Grimmett soon found himself amongst the wickets. He claimed nine wickets in his opening Sheffield Shield match against Victoria, bowling Ponsford in both innings as well as securing that of Woodfull in the second. A further five wickets followed against Victoria, followed by five or more wickets in the following two games against Victoria and New South Wales. With Australia three one up against England, Grimmett aged 33 was brought into the side after playing only his fifth game in the Sheffield Shield. Although Australia triumphed once again, Grimmett went on to claim figures of 5-45 and 6-37. He thus became the first to take ten or more wickets on debut for Australia. Two weeks later he took 7-85 in the MCC’s final fixture of the season to finish with a total of fifty-nine wickets at a cost of 22.03. In addition to his eleven-wicket haul against England, Grimmett had also taken five wickets in an innings in five out of eight matches. He had emerged as the leading bowler in Australia, only Tate with 77 wickets having a superior record. Own Team O M R W Opp Ct Total Total 15. Australian XI v New South Wales, Sydney, October 17, 18, 20 (Match drawn) b C.G.Macartney 9 310 25 1 138 3 W.Bardsley c P.M.Hornibrook 645 T.J.E.Andrews b O.E.Nothling b c H.L.Collins b C.G.Macartney 7 142-8 16. South Australia v Victoria, Adelaide Oval, October 31, November 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 (Victoria won by three wickets) c W.M.Woodfull b H.S.T.L.Hendry 49 518 42 10 97 5 E.R.Mayne c and b 343 1 F.A.Tarrant st A.M.Ambler J.L.Ellis c A.M.Ambler W.H.Ponsford b H.S.T.L.Hendry c J.T.Murray c H.S.B.Love b F.A.Tarrant 22 233 50 6 170 4 E.R.Mayne st A.M.Ambler 409-7 R.L.Park st A.M.Ambler W.M.Woodfull c V.Y.Richardson W.H.Ponsford b 17. South Australia v MCC, Adelaide Oval, November 7, 8, 10, 11 (MCC won by nine wickets) did not bat - 346-4d 26 4 87 4 H.Sutcliffe b 406 J.W.Hearne lbw F.E.Woolley b A.P.F.Chapman b c J.W.Hearne b J.W.H.T Douglas 0 103 1.1 0 2 1 H.Sutcliffe st A.M.Ambler 44-1 18. South Australia v Victoria, Melbourne, November 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27 (Victoria won by eight wickets) c E.R.Mayne b P.H.Wallace 9 288 33.6 4 97 5 W.H.Ponsford b 357 H.S.B.Love b A.E.Liddicut c G.W.Harris J.L.Keating c G.H.Palmer J.L.Ellis c A.M.Ambler c J.L.Ellis b P.H.Wallace 6 202 15.2 0 43 0 134-2 19. South Australia v New South Wales, Sydney, November 28, 29, December 1, 2 (New South Wales won by nine wickets) b J.M.Gregory 12 248 26.7 1 137 5 A.F.Kippax c and b 510 1 J.M.Gregory c E.G.C.Wainwright O.E.Nothling c sub (G.W.Harris) W.A.S.Oldfield b C.V.Morrissey b b J.M.Gregory 0 314 - - - - 54-1 12