Charles Grove
Encyclopedia
Charles William Collard Grove (16 December 1912 – 15 February 1982) was an English cricketer
who taking over 700 first-class
wickets during the course of over 200 games in the mid-20th century, mostly for Warwickshire
. He had one season for Worcestershire
at the end of his career.
Grove appeared for Warwickshire's Second XI in the Minor Counties Championship as early as 1933,
but his first-class debut was five years later in June 1938 against Northamptonshire
, when he took 3-53 including the wicket of opposing captain Robert Nelson
at Edgbaston
.
His two other first-class games that summer brought Grove no wickets, but in 1939 he took 37, including two five-wicket hauls, and (said his Wisden
obituarist) showed promise before the Second World War intervened.
He played a number of matches during the war,
but his first-class career did not resume until 1947. He took 98 wickets that season, and though this figure was reduced to 60 the following year, he managed at least 80 every season from 1949 until the end of his Warwickshire career in 1953.
A notable performance in 1950 was his first-innings 8-38 against the West Indians,
which helped Warwickshire to become the only county that season to defeat the tourists.
He passed fifty on five occasions in his career, all between 1947 and 1949, including one century: 104 not out
against Leicestershire
in late August 1948; he scored his runs in 80 minutes.
In 1951, Grove's benefit year,
he took 100 wickets in a season for the first time, finishing with 110 at 18.52
. The 1952 season saw him top this total as he helped Warwickshire to the County Championship
title: he picked up 118 wickets, including ten or more in a match on four occasions, and claimed a career best 9-39 versus Sussex
in June.
As of 2008, only Jack Bannister
(twice) has recorded better innings figures for Warwickshire since Grove's achievement.
Grove ended his Warwickshire career after the 1953 season, and then had a single year with Worcestershire, playing only the middle part of the season. Although he took 8-66 against Gloucestershire
in late May,
he was not particularly successful, finishing the year with 42 wickets at an average of slightly over 30. His final first-class outing came against Derbyshire
in mid-July, and was an unsuccessful experience for Grove: he took 0-68 in the match and made a duck
in his only innings.
He later played club cricket
in the Birmingham League
.
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 taking over 700 first-class
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...
wickets during the course of over 200 games in the mid-20th century, mostly for Warwickshire
Warwickshire County Cricket Club
Warwickshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Warwickshire. Its limited overs team is called the Warwickshire Bears. Their kit colours are black and gold and the shirt sponsor...
. He had one season for Worcestershire
Worcestershire County Cricket Club
Worcestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Worcestershire...
at the end of his career.
Grove appeared for Warwickshire's Second XI in the Minor Counties Championship as early as 1933,
but his first-class debut was five years later in June 1938 against Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire County Cricket Club
Northamptonshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Northamptonshire. Its limited overs team is called the Northants Steelbacks. The traditional club colour is Maroon. During the...
, when he took 3-53 including the wicket of opposing captain Robert Nelson
Robert Nelson (cricketer)
Robert David Nelson is an English cricketer. Nelson is a left-handed batsman who bowls right-arm off break. He was born in Chiswick, London and later educated at Harrow School....
at Edgbaston
Edgbaston Cricket Ground
Edgbaston Cricket Ground, also known as the County Ground or Edgbaston Stadium, is a cricket ground in the Edgbaston area of Birmingham, England...
.
His two other first-class games that summer brought Grove no wickets, but in 1939 he took 37, including two five-wicket hauls, and (said his Wisden
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
obituarist) showed promise before the Second World War intervened.
He played a number of matches during the war,
but his first-class career did not resume until 1947. He took 98 wickets that season, and though this figure was reduced to 60 the following year, he managed at least 80 every season from 1949 until the end of his Warwickshire career in 1953.
A notable performance in 1950 was his first-innings 8-38 against the West Indians,
which helped Warwickshire to become the only county that season to defeat the tourists.
He passed fifty on five occasions in his career, all between 1947 and 1949, including one century: 104 not out
Not out
In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress...
against Leicestershire
Leicestershire County Cricket Club
Leicestershire 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 Leicestershire. It has also been representative of the county of Rutland....
in late August 1948; he scored his runs in 80 minutes.
In 1951, Grove's benefit year,
he took 100 wickets in a season for the first time, finishing with 110 at 18.52
Bowling average
Bowling average is a statistic measuring the performance of bowlers in the sport of cricket.A bowler's bowling average is defined as the total number of runs conceded by the bowlers divided by the number of wickets taken by the bowler, so the lower the average the better. It is similar to earned...
. The 1952 season saw him top this total as he helped Warwickshire to the County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
title: he picked up 118 wickets, including ten or more in a match on four occasions, and claimed a career best 9-39 versus Sussex
Sussex County Cricket Club
Sussex County Cricket Club is the oldest of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Sussex. The club was founded as a successor to Brighton Cricket Club which was a representative of the county of Sussex as a...
in June.
As of 2008, only Jack Bannister
Jack Bannister
Jack Bannister is the current Talksport radio cricket correspondent, and was, for many years, a BBC television cricket commentator. He had previously played professionally on the county scene for Warwickshire as a fast-medium bowler, taking 1198 first-class wickets in a career that lasted from...
(twice) has recorded better innings figures for Warwickshire since Grove's achievement.
Grove ended his Warwickshire career after the 1953 season, and then had a single year with Worcestershire, playing only the middle part of the season. Although he took 8-66 against 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....
in late May,
he was not particularly successful, finishing the year with 42 wickets at an average of slightly over 30. His final first-class outing came 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...
in mid-July, and was an unsuccessful experience for Grove: he took 0-68 in the match and made a duck
Duck (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a duck refers to a batsman's dismissal for a score of zero.-Origin of the term:The term is a shortening of the term "duck's egg", the latter being used long before Test cricket began...
in his only innings.
He later played club cricket
Club cricket
Club cricket is a mainly amateur, but still formal, form of the sport of cricket, usually involving teams playing in competitions at weekends or in the evening. There is a great deal of variation in game format although the Laws of Cricket are always observed...
in the Birmingham League
Birmingham and District Premier League
The Birmingham and District Cricket League is the oldest club cricket league in the world, formed in 1888. Arguably the strongest club competition in the country, it was also the first ECB Premier League, being designated such in 1998.- Geography :...
.