"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." BattingInnings | N.O. | Runs | Batting Avg | High Score | 50s | 100s |
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200 | 28 | 4030 | 23.43 | 110 | 16 | 1 |
| BowlingRuns | Wickets | Bowling Avg | Best | 5wi | 10wm | Ct/St |
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8236 | 537 | 15.34 | 8/34 | 37 | 5 | 74 |
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