JW Grant

"John “The General" Grant was an outstanding performer for Essendon between 1959/60 and 1976/77, scoring 4030

runs and taking 537 wickets in his 191 matches. He headed the VCA Bowling averages for three seasons in a row from

1967/68 to 1969/70. In the Bombers’ two Premierships during Grant’s career, his contribution was 398 runs @ 33.16 and

49 wkts @ 14.51 in 1963/64 and 66 wkts @ 11.84 and captain in 1969/70.

Following the introduction of the Jack Ryder Medal in 1972/73, Grant won the coveted award twice, in 1973/74 and 1974/75.

There appears little doubt that he would have won it on some more occasions if it had been around earlier.

Grant was also a more than useful all-rounder for Victoria, playing a big part in the Vics’ Sheffield Shield win in 1966/67

with 252 runs @ 31.50 and 29 wickets @ 25.44. In 43 first class matches between 1964/65 and 1968/69, he scored 1172

runs @ 22.54 with six half-centuries and a highest score of 70 v South Australia at the MCG in 1968/69. Grant took 110

wickets @ 31.54, with best figures of 6/37 against NSW at Sydney in 1966/67 and 5/25 v Qld at the MCG in 1968/69.

Following his retirement, Grant served as a Victorian selector from 1992 to 1998."