Syd Gregory

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 743, 16 August 1929, Page 7

Syd Gregory

| “AUSTRALIA HAS NOT PRODUCED, WITH BUT ONE EXCEPTION, A GREATER BATSMAN ON ALL WICKETS” i

JACK WORRALL’S TRIBUTE The passing away of little Syd. Gregory in Sydney on August 1 from bronchial trouble has removed from our midst perhaps the most versatile batsman ever born in Australia (says 3. W. Worrall, in the “Australasian”). I have had the pleasure of playing with and against him many times, and have no hesitation in saying that no truerhearted or more lovable cricketer ever Played the game. It has become the custom in Australia, as in other lands, to forget the heroes of the past and belittle treir deeds and fame to the glorification of more modern heroes. I have seen all the great champions during the last 40 years, and appreciate to the full the talents of men like Victor Trumper, Clem Hill. Warwick Armstrong, George Giffen. Keg. Duff, Harry Graham, Joe Darling, Alf. Noble. Frank Iredale, and others, yet in my opinion Australia has not produced, "Tth but one exception, a greater batsman on all wickets aid against all classes of bowling than Gregory. CHAMPION COVER-POINT In my many years of close intimacy "ith first-class cricket, there have been four wonderful cover-points, viz., Syd, Gregory, Nip Pelley. Gilbert Jessop, and Jack Hobbs, the two best being Gregory and Jessop, with Gregory the “noblest Roman of them all.” Bel ore my time, however, there was a famous cover-point named Vernon Hoyle, who visited Australia as a member of Lord Harris's team ip IS7S-71). Old-timers are of tho opinion that Royle has never been surpassed in that department. But of his deeds I know nothing except from hearsay. Gregory had splendid pace, a wonderful pair of hands, and glorious anti cipation, with tho best return of any fieldsman I have ever seen. The ball "as sent to the wicketkeeper over the bails every time vi V that hip throw "hicli seems to have become a lost art in Australia. He could stand in a tub and throw a cricket ball more than 100 yards on tho full. A FEW OF HIS DEEDS Ho first visited England in IS9O-1, and finished in 1012. making eight visits in all. and heading the averages in 1896. He lias been associated in many famous partnerships, being one of tho few men who have made more than -00 runs in one innings in a test match, his highest score being 201 in Sydney ifi 1894-5 against Stoddart’s team. In that same match George Giffen made !61 and 41. yet the Australians were defeated by ten runs. He has played more innings in test cricket than any ether batsman, viz., 52, aggregating 2J.93 rune, for an average of 25.5.