Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Thomas William Graveney | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Riding Mill, Hexham, Northumberland, England | 16 June 1927||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Died | 3 November 2015 | (aged 88)||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nickname | Long Tom | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Batting | Right-handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bowling | Right-arm leg break | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Role | Batsman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Relations |
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International information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
National side | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Test debut (cap 358) | 5 July 1951 v South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last Test | 12 June 1969 v West Indies | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1948–1960 | Gloucestershire | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1961–1970 | Worcestershire | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1969/70–1971/72 | Queensland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: CricketArchive, 25 January 2009 |
Thomas William Graveney OBE (16 June 1927 – 3 November 2015) was an English first-class cricketer, representing his country in 79 Test matches and scoring over 4,800 runs. In a career lasting from 1948 to 1972, he became the 15th player to score one hundred first-class centuries; he was the first batsman beginning his career after the Second World War to reach this milestone. He played for Gloucestershire and Worcestershire, and helped Worcestershire win the county championship for the first time in their history. His achievements for England after being recalled in 1966 have been described as "the stuff of legend."[1] Graveney was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1953, captained England on one occasion and was awarded the OBE while still playing.
His international career ended at the age of 42 when he played in a benefit match on the rest day of a Test match. He was banned for three matches, and was never selected for England again. In later life he worked as a cricket commentator for BBC Television and was the first former professional to be President of the Marylebone Cricket Club. He was one of the first 55 players inducted to the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2009.