Description
Poona, Maharashtra, India born Grant Asher (sometimes known by his first name, Augustus), was a multi-talented sportsman who played 10 first class cricket matches for Oxford University while studying at Brasenose College, Oxford in 1883 and 1884, winning a Blue for cricket in 1883. He also later played for the Scotland national cricket team. A right-hand bat and right-arm fast-medium bowler, at first class level his only century of 182 comprised more than half his total 346 runs in 17 innings for Oxford University, giving him a batting average of 20.35. He also took 3 wickets with his occasional bowling at an average of 29.33, registering 3-62 in his only successful wicket taking innings.
As a rugby half back, he represented Oxford University and played for the Fettesian-Lorettonian Club, and Edinburgh Wanderers, winning 4 caps for Scotland between 1882 and 1886. R.J. Phillips, the first historian of Scottish rugby said: “no one has arisen to bear comparison with A.R. Don Wauchope at quarter or half back, where he and A.G.G. Asher still hold claim as the greatest pair to have played together for their country.”
He was also Scotland’s pole vault champion.
In later life he was President of the Scottish Rugby Union from 1929 to his death in 1930. He was appointed CBE in the 1918 Birthday Honours and knighted in the 1927 Birthday Honours.