by Abhishek Mukherjee

This was 1876, WG's watershed season, one that he would finish with 3,669 runs, 211 wickets, and 77 catches. Several of these matches featured 15, even 18, even 22 players on one side, which meant that he had to beat more fielders while batting. In First-Class cricket the numbers would read 2,622 runs at 62, 130 wickets at 19, and 46 catches.

In an eight-day period in August he would score 876 runs in 8 days (in addition to 15 wickets and 6 catches) and travel about 370 kilometres by road or rail to play these matches. About a fortnight after the match in question, he scored a quadruple-hundred.

This match took place in Batley, a small town in West Yorkshire where cricket has been played since the 1840s. The still have a team (even a Second XI). They had invited Grace's famous United South of England XI for a match against a 20-member local side. The touring side included WG and GF Grace, Harry Jupp, Walter Gilbert, Ted Pooley, James Southerton, John Lillywhite, Henry Charlwood, Richard Humphrey...

Batley XX (who featured Dick Barlow of Hornby-and-Barlow fame) were first bowled out for 152 in front a crowd exceeding 4,000. Then Grace walked out with George Elliott (not Eliot). But a young local called Joseph Blackburn took nine wickets to skittle the illustrious tourists for 60. They had to follow-on (the cut-off used to be 80 runs).

Grace, in no mood to get out cheaply twice in the match, now decided to counterattack. He reached 40 in no time, and it quickly became evident that this was going to be one of "those" days.

So one Sam Smithson came on, and did not even pretend to bowl. He simply stood and threw the ball. Grace, left without any time to adjust, was clean bowled.

Unfortunately, the umpire had not bothered to look at Smithson's action either. So nobody got a chance to call Smithson for his action. By that time Grace had been bowled and the ball had been dead. They would call him if there had been an encore, but that would be only after Grace had left.

A fuming Grace had to depart. It was unfair, but Grace was the last person who had the right to accuse someone of gamesmanship.

Batley won by 11 wickets.

Happened on 27 June 1876.