Syd Gregory
Encyclopedia
Sydney Edward Gregory sometimes known as Edward Sydney Gregory, was a cricketer
who played for New South Wales
and Australia. At the time of his retirement, he had played a world-record 58 Test matches
during a career spanning 1890 to 1912. A right-handed batsman, he was also a renowned fielder, particularly at cover point.
, not far from the present site of the Sydney Cricket Ground
. The Gregorys were Australia's first cricketing dynasty. Syd's father Ned Gregory
was one of the eleven Australians selected to play in a match against England
at the MCG
in 1877 - a match later designated as the first-ever Test. Ned Gregory served as curator at the SCG, occupying this position at the time of the birth of Syd. Syd Gregory's uncle Dave
was Australia's first Test cricket captain, and his nephew Jack was the nation's most feared fast bowler of the 1920s.
Syd Gregory made his first-class debut for New South Wales
in the season of 1889–90. Six months later, he was selected to tour England
with the Australian team. Altogether, Gregory toured England a further seven times - in 1893, 1896, 1899, 1902, 1905, 1909 and finally in 1912 - and South Africa
once (1902). He is one of only three cricketers to have batted in every position of the batting order, from one to eleven, in his Test career.
Syd Gregory scored Australia's first double hundred in a Test in Australia in 1894–95 but his 201 was not enough to save his team from a remarkable defeat. They made England follow on after amassing 586 but the visitors then made 437 and bowled Australia out for 166 to pull off an astonishing victory by 10 runs. It was the first time a Test had been won after following on and remained the only occurrence until the famous Headingley
Test in 1981.
In 1912, six of Australia's leading cricketers - including captain Clem Hill
- refused to tour England for the inaugural Triangular Test series
. A largely untried team, led by Gregory, was selected in its place. Although Australia lost only one of its six Tests, the cricket was overshadowed by the Australian team's poor behaviour. Gregory was heavily criticised for his inability to control the off-field antics of members of his team.
Away from cricket, Gregory was initially employed by the postal service before opening a "men's shop" - containing a tobacconist, barber and sporting store among others - with two business partners in Sydney
's King Street in the mid-1890s. In 1896, he married a woman named Maria Sullivan. When his business failed in 1902, Gregory was forced to take a clerical job at the Water Board.
Syd Gregory died on 1 August 1929 at Randwick
, an eastern suburb of Sydney. He was 59.
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 New South Wales
New South Wales Blues
The New South Wales cricket team are an Australian first class cricket team based in Sydney, New South Wales...
and Australia. At the time of his retirement, he had played a world-record 58 Test matches
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
during a career spanning 1890 to 1912. A right-handed batsman, he was also a renowned fielder, particularly at cover point.
Biography
Gregory was born at Moore Park, New South WalesMoore Park, New South Wales
Moore Park is a large area of parkland in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is part of Centennial Parklands, a collective of three parks being Moore Park, Centennial Park and Queens Park. Centennial Parklands is administered by the Centennial Park &...
, not far from the present site of the Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
. The Gregorys were Australia's first cricketing dynasty. Syd's father Ned Gregory
Ned Gregory
Edward James Gregory was an Australian cricketer who played in the first recognised Test in 1877 between Australia and England in Melbourne....
was one of the eleven Australians selected to play in a match against 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...
at the MCG
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
in 1877 - a match later designated as the first-ever Test. Ned Gregory served as curator at the SCG, occupying this position at the time of the birth of Syd. Syd Gregory's uncle Dave
Dave Gregory (cricketer)
David William Gregory was an Australian cricketer of the 19th century. A right-handed batsman, Gregory was the first Australian national cricket captain, leading the side for the first three recognised Test matches between England and Australia in March and April 1877 and January 1879...
was Australia's first Test cricket captain, and his nephew Jack was the nation's most feared fast bowler of the 1920s.
New South Wales Blues
The New South Wales cricket team are an Australian first class cricket team based in Sydney, New South Wales...
in the season of 1889–90. Six months later, he was selected to tour England
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...
with the Australian team. Altogether, Gregory toured England a further seven times - in 1893, 1896, 1899, 1902, 1905, 1909 and finally in 1912 - and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
once (1902). He is one of only three cricketers to have batted in every position of the batting order, from one to eleven, in his Test career.
Syd Gregory scored Australia's first double hundred in a Test in Australia in 1894–95 but his 201 was not enough to save his team from a remarkable defeat. They made England follow on after amassing 586 but the visitors then made 437 and bowled Australia out for 166 to pull off an astonishing victory by 10 runs. It was the first time a Test had been won after following on and remained the only occurrence until the famous Headingley
Headingley Stadium
Headingley Stadium is a sporting complex in the Leeds suburb of Headingley in West Yorkshire, England. It is the home of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, rugby league team Leeds Rhinos and rugby union team Leeds Carnegie ....
Test in 1981.
Clem Hill
Clement "Clem" Hill was an Australian cricketer who played 49 Test matches as a specialist batsman between 1896 and 1912. He captained the Australian team in ten Tests, winning five and losing five...
- refused to tour England for the inaugural Triangular Test series
1912 Triangular Tournament
The 1912 Triangular Tournament was a Test cricket competition played between Australia, England and South Africa, the only Test-playing nations at the time....
. A largely untried team, led by Gregory, was selected in its place. Although Australia lost only one of its six Tests, the cricket was overshadowed by the Australian team's poor behaviour. Gregory was heavily criticised for his inability to control the off-field antics of members of his team.
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
's King Street in the mid-1890s. In 1896, he married a woman named Maria Sullivan. When his business failed in 1902, Gregory was forced to take a clerical job at the Water Board.
Syd Gregory died on 1 August 1929 at Randwick
Randwick, New South Wales
Randwick is a suburb in south-eastern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Randwick is located 6 kilometres south-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the City of Randwick...
, an eastern suburb of Sydney. He was 59.
Career highlights
- Test debut: vs. EnglandEnglish cricket teamThe 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...
at Lord's, LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 21-23 July 1890. - Final Test: vs. EnglandEnglish cricket teamThe 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...
at The OvalThe OvalThe Kia Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of The Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth. In the past it was also sometimes called the Kennington Oval...
, LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 19-22 August 1912. - Highest Test score: 201 vs. EnglandEnglish cricket teamThe 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...
at the Sydney Cricket GroundSydney Cricket GroundThe Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
, 14-20 December 1894. This was the first instance in which a double-century was scored in a Test on an Australian cricket ground. - Captaincy record: Gregory captained Australia six times, winning two and losing one (three drawn).
- Syd Gregory was one of WisdenWisdenThe Wisden Group was a group of companies formed by John Wisden & Co Ltd, publishers of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. As well as John Wisden & Co, the group included the The Wisden Cricketer magazine, Cricinfo – the world's highest traffic cricket website – and the Hawk-Eye computerised...
's five Cricketers of the YearWisden Cricketers of the YearThe Wisden Cricketers of the Year are cricketers selected for the honour by the annual publication Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, based primarily on their "influence on the previous English season"...
in 1897. - Syd Gregory has played the most Test matches by a non-Englishman at Lord'sLord's Cricket GroundLord's Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board , the European Cricket Council and, until August 2005, the...
.