Page:Cricket, by WG Grace.djvu/322

 William Gunn (cricketer) was born at Nottingham on December 4th, 1858. His height is 6 ft. 3 in.; weight 14 st. 4 lbs. He did not represent his county at so early an age as some players; but he very soon showed that he possessed batting powers of no mean order. So pleased were the authorities of the M.C.C. with his first display at Lord's, that they made him the offer of a place as one of the ground-bowlers, which he promptly accepted. But he very soon gave evidence that it was as a batsman, and not as a bowler, that he was going to attract attention. The year 1881 saw him exceeding 100 more than once for the old club, though he did not score so successfully for his county.

In the year 1884 he made distinct improvement, and every year since he has been a most prominent figure with the bat in county and representative matches. His great height enables him to get well over the ball, and of late years his defence has much improved. He hits very hard and clean; but he has not scored so fast the last two or three years as he used to.

His highest score for his county is 205, made against Sussex in 1887; but he exceeded that by 14 runs two years later, and was not out, in the memorable match M.C.C. and Ground v. Northumberland. He has proved himself to be a magnificent field in the country; and his displays for the Players v. Gentlemen at the Oval and Lord's the last two or three years have been magnificent. The year 1889 saw him at the top of the batting averages in first-class cricket; and he took second place in 1890. His grand score of 228 for the Players against the Australians at Lord's on the 19th and 20th June, 1890, will be remembered as one of the finest bits of batting that has ever been witnessed against first-class bowling. There was not the shadow of a chance in it, and the last 28 runs were made in the same careful and scientific manner as the first hundred. Altogether he batted nine