Gregory Syd Image 1 New South Wales 1905

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Moore Park, New South Wales born Syd Gregory was a right-handed batsman from Australia’s first cricketing dynasty. Gregory made his first class debut for New South Wales in the 1889-90 season. Six months later, he was selected to tour England with the Australian team. Altogether, Gregory toured England a further seven times – in 1893, 1896, 1899, 1902, 1905, 1909 and finally in 1912, and he also South Africa once in 1902. He is one of only three cricketers to have batted in every position of the batting order, from one to eleven, in his Test career. He was also a renowned fielder, particularly at cover point.

Syd Gregory scored Australia’s first double hundred in a Test in Australia in 1894-95 but his 201 was not enough to save his team from a remarkable defeat. They made England follow on after amassing 586 but the visitors then made 437 and bowled Australia out for 166 to pull off an astonishing victory by 10 runs. It was the first time a Test had been won after following on and remained the only occurrence until the famous Headingley Test in 1981.

In 1912, six of Australia’s leading cricketers including captain Clem Hill refused to tour England for the inaugural Triangular Test series. A largely untried team, led by Gregory, was selected in its place. Although Australia lost only one of the six Tests, the cricket was overshadowed by the Australian team’s poor behaviour. Gregory was heavily criticised for his inability to control the off-field antics of members of his team.

By the time of his retirement in 1912, he had played a world record 58 Test matches.

Syd’s father Ned Gregory was one of the eleven Australians selected to play in the first ever Test match against England at the MCG in 1877. Gregory’s uncle Dave Gregory was Australia’s first Test cricket captain in March 1877, and his nephew Jack was the nation’s most feared fast bowler of the 1920’s.