Ken Graveney
Encyclopedia
John Kenneth Richard Graveney (born Hexham
, Northumberland
, December 16, 1924) was an English
cricketer
who played for and captained Gloucestershire
.
Ken Graveney was a lower order left-handed batsman and a right-arm fast-medium bowler of outswingers. He played in a few matches for Gloucestershire in both 1947 and 1948, and then regularly in 1949, when he took 59 wickets, including all ten wickets in an innings, for 66 runs, against Derbyshire
at Chesterfield
, the second-best innings analysis in the county's history. He played less in 1950 and 1951, however, because of fitness problems with a slipped disc, and this back trouble forced him to retire from first-class cricket
after the 1951 season.
In 1962, he reappeared in a few second eleven matches and, on the resignation as county captain of Tom Pugh
at the end of that season Graveney was appointed to lead the county side in 1963 and 1964. With a talented side of bowling all-rounders, including the England
players David Smith
, John Mortimore
and David Allen
, Graveney bowled very little and at a very gentle medium pace and batted low down the order. He retired as captain after a notably unsuccessful season in 1964 when Gloucestershire finished at the bottom of the County Championship
.
In retirement, Graveney has been active in committee work at Gloucestershire, serving as Chairman of the General Committee.
His brother Tom
and his son David
both had long cricket careers with Gloucestershire, and both captained the county.
Hexham
Hexham is a market town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, located south of the River Tyne, and was the administrative centre for the Tynedale district from 1974 to 2009. The three major towns in Tynedale were Hexham, Prudhoe and Haltwhistle, although in terms of population, Prudhoe was...
, Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, December 16, 1924) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
cricketer
Cricketer
A cricketer is a person who plays the sport of cricket. Official and long-established cricket publications prefer the traditional word "cricketer" over the rarely used term "cricket player"....
who played for and captained Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Gloucestershire. Its limited overs team is called the Gloucestershire Gladiators....
.
Ken Graveney was a lower order left-handed batsman and a right-arm fast-medium bowler of outswingers. He played in a few matches for Gloucestershire in both 1947 and 1948, and then regularly in 1949, when he took 59 wickets, including all ten wickets in an innings, for 66 runs, against Derbyshire
Derbyshire County Cricket Club
Derbyshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the England and Wales domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Derbyshire...
at Chesterfield
Queen's Park, Chesterfield
Queen's Park is a county cricket ground located in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England and lies within a park in the centre of the town established for Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee in 1897...
, the second-best innings analysis in the county's history. He played less in 1950 and 1951, however, because of fitness problems with a slipped disc, and this back trouble forced him to retire from first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
after the 1951 season.
In 1962, he reappeared in a few second eleven matches and, on the resignation as county captain of Tom Pugh
Tom Pugh
Charles Thomas Michael Pugh was an English cricketer.Tom Pugh was educated at Eton and was a right-handed batsman who played in 80 first-class matches between 1959 and 1962, including 76 for Gloucestershire whom he captained between 1961 and 1962...
at the end of that season Graveney was appointed to lead the county side in 1963 and 1964. With a talented side of bowling all-rounders, including the England
English cricket team
The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...
players David Smith
David Smith (Gloucestershire cricketer)
David Smith was an English cricketer, who played in five Tests for England in India in 1961-1962.He was one of a trio of pace bowlers, along with Alan Brown and Butch White, who were given their opportunity on the eight Test, five month long tour of India and Pakistan...
, John Mortimore
John Mortimore (cricketer)
John Brian Mortimore is a former English cricketer, who played in nine Tests for England from 1959 to 1964, and captained Gloucestershire between 1965 and 1967....
and David Allen
David Allen (cricketer)
David Arthur Allen is a former English cricketer, who played first-class cricket for Gloucestershire between 1953 and 1972. He also played 39 Test matches for England.-Life and career:...
, Graveney bowled very little and at a very gentle medium pace and batted low down the order. He retired as captain after a notably unsuccessful season in 1964 when Gloucestershire finished at the bottom of the County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
.
In retirement, Graveney has been active in committee work at Gloucestershire, serving as Chairman of the General Committee.
His brother Tom
Tom Graveney
Thomas William Graveney in Riding Mill, Northumberland, is a former English cricketer and was the President of the Marylebone Cricket Club for 2004/5. He went to Bristol Grammar School...
and his son David
David Graveney
David Anthony Graveney OBE is a leading figure in English cricket and former chairman of the England Test selectors, a post he held from 1997 until 2008. Graveney attended Millfield School in Somerset....
both had long cricket careers with Gloucestershire, and both captained the county.