Alec Grant Explained

Alec Grant
Country:New Zealand
Fullname:Thomas Alexander Brandon Grant
Birth Date:5 December 1893
Birth Place:Newcastle, Australia
Death Date:9 June 1966 (aged 72)
Death Place:Lower Hutt, New Zealand
Batting:Left-handed
Bowling:Slow left-arm orthodox
Club1:Canterbury
Year1:1920–21 to 1921–22
Club2:Wellington
Year2:1922–23 to 1924–25
Columns:1
Column1:First-class
Matches1:9
Runs1:305
Bat Avg1:19.06
100S/50S1:0/3
Top Score1:78
Deliveries1:580
Wickets1:8
Bowl Avg1:35.62
Fivefor1:0
Tenfor1:0
Best Bowling1:2/19
Catches/Stumpings1:4/0
Source:https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/21/21991/21991.html Cricket Archive

Thomas Alexander Brandon Grant (5 December 1893 – 9 June 1966) was a cricketer who played first-class cricket in New Zealand from 1920 to 1925.

After working as a clerk in Christchurch, Alec Grant enlisted in the First World War and served as a corporal in the New Zealand Medical Corps on the hospital ship Marama. He was later promoted to sergeant, and towards the end of the war served on the Matatua.[1] An album of photographs he took during his service in Europe and the Middle East is in the National Library of New Zealand.[2] Grant was a middle-order batsman and left-arm spin bowler. He played his first match for Canterbury in 1920–21, and then was one of the leading batsmen in the 1921–22 Plunket Shield, with 226 runs at an average of 56.50.[3] In Canterbury's victory over Otago he made his top score of 78, which was also Canterbury's top score in the match.[4] In the loss to Auckland he top-scored in each innings with 66 not out and 64 not out.[5] He played for South Island against North Island at the end of the season, but was not successful.

Grant moved to the Manawatū District in 1922, where he captained the Manawatu cricket team and also represented Wellington. After the MCC toured New Zealand in 1922–23, their captain, Archie MacLaren, singled Grant out as a player of particular promise, and suggested him as a member of the New Zealand side that might tour England in 1925.[6] However, Grant played little cricket after that season. In 1928 he married Erna Gerritzen;[7] they had one son, Lindsay.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Thomas Alexander Brandon Grant . Auckland War Memorial Museum. 4 March 2017.
  2. Web site: Photograph album relating to Thomas Alexander Brandon Grant's service . National Library of New Zealand . 4 March 2017.
  3. Web site: Batting and fielding in Plunket Shield 1921–22 . CricketArchive . 8 March 2017.
  4. Web site: Canterbury v Otago 1921–22 . CricketArchive . 8 March 2017.
  5. Web site: Auckland v Canterbury 1921–22 . CricketArchive . 8 March 2017.
  6. News: New Zealand Herald . 17 February 1923 . 10 . Cricket in Dominion: Mr MacLaren's Impression. LX . 18327.
  7. New Zealand, Marriage Index, 1840-1937. Ancestry.com.