Robert Graham (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
Robert Graham - A lower-order batsman, medium pace bowler and a safe pair of hands in the field, Robert Graham enjoyed a brief first-class
career either side of the 20th century. He was born, of all places(!), in Grahamstown
, Cape Province
, South Africa
, on September 16, 1877 and died near Eastbourne
, Sussex
, England
, on April 21, 1946, aged 78. He made his debut for Western Province against Transvaal
in the Currie Cup
final of 1897/98 but did nothing of note in the victory that gave his side their fourth domestic title. However, he took five wickets for 54 runs in his next match playing for Cape Colony
against Lord Hawke’s touring England
side of 1898/99
and was subsequently selected for the 1st Test
match because of it. Played at the Old Wanderers
Ground, Johannesburg
, in February 1899, he took 2 wickets for 60 runs in the match and held two catches as England won by 32 runs. He then took 6 wickets for 97 runs, again for a Cape Colony XI against the tourists, which secured his place for the 2nd Test. Unfortunately, in what was a very poor match for him, he took just 1 wicket for 67 and scored only two runs, a victim of A.E. Trott
in both innings
. After two years out of the sport, Graham was invited to tour England with South Africa in 1901. On the trip he recorded his highest first-class score, 63 not out against Leicestershire
, and took five wickets in an innings three times. These came in both innings of the match against Derbyshire
– 6 for 84 and 5 for 47, thereby also giving him his only haul of ten wickets in a match – and the match against Worcestershire
, 8 for 90. For some reason or other, no obituary appeared within Wisden for Graham after his death in 1946. He was the brother of J.M. Graham (Transvaal), the nephew of D.K. Graham (Western Province) and the uncle of T.L. Graham (Western Province).
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...
career either side of the 20th century. He was born, of all places(!), in Grahamstown
Grahamstown
Grahamstown is a city in the Eastern Cape Province of the Republic of South Africa and is the seat of the Makana municipality. The population of greater Grahamstown, as of 2003, was 124,758. The population of the surrounding areas, including the actual city was 41,799 of which 77.4% were black,...
, Cape Province
Cape Province
The Province of the Cape of Good Hope was a province in the Union of South Africa and subsequently the Republic of South Africa...
, 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...
, on September 16, 1877 and died near Eastbourne
Eastbourne
Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, 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...
, on April 21, 1946, aged 78. He made his debut for Western Province against Transvaal
Transvaal cricket team
Gauteng cricket team is the first-class cricket team of the province of Gauteng in South Africa....
in the Currie Cup
SuperSport Series
The SuperSport Series is the main domestic first class cricket competition in South Africa, first contested in 1889-90. From 1990-91 it became known as the Castle Cup, and from 1996-97 by its current title...
final of 1897/98 but did nothing of note in the victory that gave his side their fourth domestic title. However, he took five wickets for 54 runs in his next match playing for Cape Colony
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
against Lord Hawke’s touring England
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
side of 1898/99
History of cricket in South Africa to 1918
This article describes the history of South African cricket from its known beginnings until the end of the First World War in 1918.First-class cricket was introduced to South Africa in the 1888-89 season with the arrival of the first English touring team and the presentation by Sir Donald Currie of...
and was subsequently selected for the 1st Test
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...
match because of it. Played at the Old Wanderers
Old Wanderers
Old Wanderers was a cricket ground in Johannesburg, South Africa. The ground hosted 22 Test matches from 1895 to 1939, before being rebuilt as Johannesburg's Park Station in 1946...
Ground, Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, in February 1899, he took 2 wickets for 60 runs in the match and held two catches as England won by 32 runs. He then took 6 wickets for 97 runs, again for a Cape Colony XI against the tourists, which secured his place for the 2nd Test. Unfortunately, in what was a very poor match for him, he took just 1 wicket for 67 and scored only two runs, a victim of A.E. Trott
Albert Trott
Albert Trott was a Test cricketer for both Australia and England. He was named as one of Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1899. He remains the only batsman who has struck a ball over the top of the Lord's pavilion...
in both innings
Innings
An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
. After two years out of the sport, Graham was invited to tour England with South Africa in 1901. On the trip he recorded his highest first-class score, 63 not out 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....
, and took five wickets in an innings three times. These came in both innings of the match 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...
– 6 for 84 and 5 for 47, thereby also giving him his only haul of ten wickets in a match – and the match against 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...
, 8 for 90. For some reason or other, no obituary appeared within Wisden for Graham after his death in 1946. He was the brother of J.M. Graham (Transvaal), the nephew of D.K. Graham (Western Province) and the uncle of T.L. Graham (Western Province).