# List of first-class cricket centuries by W. G. Grace

William Gilbert Grace, commonly known as W. G. Grace, is generally considered one of the greatest cricketers of all time. His first-class cricket career spanned 44 seasons, from 1865 until 1908, during which time he claimed over 2,800 wickets and over 800 catches. Despite this, he is best known for his batting ability: possessing a "high backlift and willingness to play off both front and back foot", he stood apart from other batsmen of the time. He scored over 50,000 first-class runs, a feat achieved by only six other cricketers, and was the first cricketer to score 100 or more centuries.
Disputes regarding the first-class status of a number of matches in which W. G. Grace played have resulted in him having varying career statistics published. Of his centuries, 124 were scored in matches universally accepted as being first-class, these are the figures which are published on both Cricinfo and CricketArchive. A number of further matches are considered to be first-class by some sources; in these matches he scored two centuries: for the "Gentlemen to Canada Touring Team" against the Marylebone Cricket Club in 1873, and for Gloucestershire against Somerset in 1879. Grace, in his 1899 reminiscences, records both of these centuries among his tally of first-class centuries. In Wisden Cricketers' Almanack's first-class records section, he is listed as having scored 126 centuries, the eleventh most hundreds scored during a career. He retains this position with the lower total of 124, also appearing eleventh on Cricinfo's list.
Grace made his first-class debut in June 1865 appearing for the Gentlemen of the South against the Players of the South at The Oval, but did not score his first century until his tenth match, making an unbeaten 224 for England against Surrey County Cricket Club at the same ground. In 1871, he reached 100 on 10 different occasions, the most during any season of his career. In doing so, he became the first batsman to pass 2,000 first-class runs in a season, tallying 2,739 in total. He scored the first triple century in first-class cricket in 1876, amassing 344 for the Gentlemen of Marylebone Cricket Club against Kent after the Gentlemen had been forced to follow on. Less than two weeks later, Grace passed 300 once more, scoring 318 not out for Gloucestershire against Yorkshire. He scored 177 in his only innings between the two triple-centuries, and scored 839 runs in eight days.
He scored his 100th century in 1895; at the time this was reckoned to be made in the county match between Gloucestershire and Somerset. Somerset's captain, Sammy Woods recollects the moment in his reminiscences:
   During May we had a weird game at Bristol v. Gloucester. We scored 200 for 1 wicket. W. G. then went on and took 5 wickets, and we were all out for 300. He then proceeded to go in first and help himself to 288, and to get his hundredth century. I had the satisfaction of giving him a full pitch to get to his hundred, not that he wanted any help.
Grace comments in his memoirs that he was glad to make his hundredth century at Gloucestershire's ground. Excluding the two centuries not considered first-class by some modern statisticians, Grace's hundredth century came later in the same month when he scored 169 for Gloucestershire against Middlesex at Lord's. He scored his final first-class century in July 1904 for London County, reaching 166 against the Marylebone Cricket Club. He played first-class cricket for another four seasons, and scored 15 and 25 for the Gentlemen of England in his final outing, an innings defeat against Surrey.

## Key

* * denotes that he remained not out.
* Pos. denotes his position in the batting order.
* Inn. denotes the number of the innings in the match.
* Date denotes the date on which the match began.
* Drawn denotes that the match was drawn.
* Lost denotes that the match was lost by Grace's team.
* Won denotes that the match was won by Grace's team.
* $^D$ denotes that the century was scored in a match not universally considered first-class.
* $^T$ denotes that the century was scored in a Test match.

## Centuries

| No. | Score | For | Against | Pos. | Inn. | Venue | Date | Result |
| 1 | 224* | England | Surrey | 5 | 1 | The Oval, London | 30 July 1866 | Won |
| 2 | 173* | Gentlemen of the South | Players of the South | 5 | 2 | The Oval, London | 27 August 1866 | Drawn |
| 3 | 134* | Gentlemen | Players | 3 | 1 | Lord's, London | 29 June 1868 | Won |
| 4 | 130 | South of the Thames | North of the Thames | 1 | 2 | St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury | 3 August 1868 | Lost |
| 5 | 102* | South of the Thames | North of the Thames | 4 | 4 | St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury | 3 August 1868 | Lost |
| 6 | 117 | Marylebone Cricket Club | Oxford University | 2 | 2 | Magdalen Ground, Oxford | 13 May 1869 | Won |
| 7 | 138* | Marylebone Cricket Club | Surrey | 1 | 1 | The Oval, London | 1 July 1869 | Won |
| 8 | 121 | Marylebone Cricket Club | Nottinghamshire | 1 | 4 | Lord's, London | 5 July 1869 | Lost |
| 9 | 180 | Gentlemen of the South | Players of the South | 2 | 2 | The Oval, London | 15 July 1869 | Drawn |
| 10 | 122 | South | North | 1 | 1 | Bramall Lane, Sheffield | 26 July 1869 | Won |
| 11 | 127 | Marylebone Cricket Club | Kent | 1 | 1 | St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury | 11 August 1869 | Won |
| 12 | 117* | Marylebone Cricket Club | Nottinghamshire | 1 | 2 | Lord's, London | 13 June 1870 | Lost |
| 13 | 215 | Gentlemen | Players | 1 | 3 | The Oval, London | 14 July 1870 | Drawn |
| 14 | 109 | Gentlemen | Players | 1 | 1 | Lord's, London | 18 July 1870 | Won |
| 15 | 143 | Gloucestershire | Surrey | 1 | 1 | The Oval, London | 28 July 1870 | Won |
| 16 | 172 | Gloucestershire | Marylebone Cricket Club | 1 | 1 | Lord's, London | 1 August 1870 | Won |
| 17 | 181 | Marylebone Cricket Club | Surrey | 1 | 1 | Lord's, London | 15 May 1871 | Won |
| 18 | 118 | Gentlemen of the South | Gentlemen of the North | 1 | 2 | Lillie Bridge, West Brompton | 25 May 1871 | Won |
| 19 | 178 | South | North | 1 | 1 | Lord's, London | 29 May 1871 | Won |
| 20 | 162 | Gentlemen of England | Cambridge University | 1 | 1 | Fenner's, Cambridge | 1 June 1871 | Won |
| 21 | 189* | Single | Married | 1 | 1 | Lord's, London | 10 June 1871 | Won |
| 22 | 146 | Marylebone Cricket Club | Surrey | 1 | 2 | The Oval, London | 20 July 1871 | Lost |
| 23 | 268 | South | North | 1 | 3 | The Oval, London | 31 July 1871 | Drawn |
| 24 | 117 | Gentlemen of Marylebone Cricket Club | Kent | 1 | 2 | St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury | 9 August 1871 | Won |
| 25 | 217 | Gentlemen | Players | 1 | 3 | Royal Brunswick Ground, Hove | 14 August 1871 | Drawn |
| 26 | 116 | Gloucestershire | Nottinghamshire | 5 | 3 | Trent Bridge, Nottingham | 21 August 1871 | Lost |
| 27 | 101 | Marylebone Cricket Club | Yorkshire | 1 | 1 | Lord's, London | 27 May 1872 | Won |
| 28 | 112 | Gentlemen | Players | 3 | 4 | Lord's, London | 1 July 1872 | Won |
| 29 | 117 | Gentlemen | Players | 1 | 1 | The Oval, London | 4 July 1872 | Won |
| 30 | 170* | England | Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire | 1 | 1 | Lord's, London | 8 July 1872 | Won |
| 31 | 114 | South | North | 1 | 2 | The Oval, London | 25 July 1872 | Won |
| 32 | 150 | Gloucestershire | Yorkshire | 1 | 1 | Bramall Lane, Sheffield | 29 July 1872 | Won |
| 33 | 145 | Gentlemen of the South | Players of the North | 1 | 2 | Prince's Cricket Ground, Chelsea | 5 June 1873 | Lost |
| 34 | 134 | Gentlemen of the South | Players of the South | 1 | 1 | The Oval, London | 26 June 1873 | Won |
| 35 | 163 | Gentlemen | Players | 1 | 1 | Lord's, London | 30 June 1873 | Won |
| 36 | 158 | Gentlemen | Players | 1 | 1 | The Oval, London | 3 July 1873 | Won |
| | 152 $^D$ | Gentlemen to Canada Touring Team | Marylebone Cricket Club | 1 | 1 | Lord's, London | 21 July 1873 | Won |
| 37 | 192* | South | North | 1 | 1 | The Oval, London | 24 July 1873 | Won |
| 38 | 160* | Gloucestershire | Surrey | 1 | 3 | Clifton College Close Ground, Bristol | 25 August 1873 | Drawn |
| 39 | 179 | Gloucestershire | Sussex | 1 | 1 | County Ground, Hove | 11 June 1874 | Won |
| 40 | 150 | Gentlemen of the South | Players of the South | 1 | 2 | The Oval, London | 25 June 1874 | Won |
| 41 | 104 | Gentlemen of the South | Players of the North | 1 | 2 | Prince's Cricket Ground, Chelsea | 20 July 1874 | Won |
| 42 | 110 | Gentlemen | Players | 1 | 3 | Prince's Cricket Ground, Chelsea | 23 July 1874 | Won |
| 43 | 167 | Gloucestershire | Yorkshire | 1 | 1 | Bramall Lane, Sheffield | 27 July 1874 | Won |
| 44 | 121 | Kent and Gloucestershire | England | 1 | 3 | St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury | 3 August 1874 | Won |
| 45 | 123 | Gentlemen of Marylebone Cricket Club | Kent | 1 | 2 | St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury | 5 August 1874 | Won |
| 46 | 127 | Gloucestershire | Yorkshire | 1 | 1 | Clifton College Close Ground, Bristol | 13 August 1874 | Won |
| 47 | 152 | Gentlemen | Players | 1 | 3 | Lord's, London | 5 July 1875 | Won |
| 48 | 111 | Gloucestershire | Yorkshire | 1 | 1 | Bramall Lane, Sheffield | 26 July 1875 | Lost |
| 49 | 119 | Gloucestershire | Nottinghamshire | 1 | 1 | Clifton College Close Ground, Bristol | 16 August 1875 | Drawn |
| 50 | 104 | Gloucestershire | Sussex | 1 | 3 | County Ground, Hove | 12 June 1876 | Won |
| 51 | 169 | Gentlemen | Players | 1 | 1 | Lord's, London | 3 July 1876 | Won |
| 52 | 114* | South | North | 1 | 4 | Trent Bridge, Nottingham | 17 July 1876 | Won |
| 53 | 126 | United South of England Eleven | United North of England Eleven | 1 | 1 | Argyle Street, Hull | 3 August 1876 | Drawn |
| 54 | 344 | Gentlemen of Marylebone Cricket Club | Kent | 2 | 3 | St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury | 10 August 1876 | Drawn |
| 55 | 177 | Gloucestershire | Nottinghamshire | 1 | 1 | Clifton College Close Ground, Bristol | 14 August 1876 | Won |
| 56 | 318* | Gloucestershire | Yorkshire | 1 | 1 | College Ground, Cheltenham | 17 August 1876 | Drawn |
| 57 | 261 | South | North | 1 | 1 | Prince's Cricket Ground, Chelsea | 31 May 1877 | Won |
| 58 | 110 | Gloucestershire and Yorkshire | England | 2 | 3 | Lord's, London | 16 July 1877 | Drawn |
| 59 | 116 | Gloucestershire | Nottinghamshire | 1 | 3 | Trent Bridge, Nottingham | 1 August 1878 | Drawn |
| 60 | 123 | Gloucestershire | Surrey | 1 | 3 | The Oval, London | 5 June 1879 | Won |
| 61 | 102 | Gloucestershire | Nottinghamshire | 1 | 2 | Trent Bridge, Nottingham | 31 July 1879 | Drawn |
| | 113 $^D$ | Gloucestershire | Somerset | 1 | 1 | Clifton College Close Ground, Bristol | 11 August 1879 | Won |
| 62 | 106 | Gloucestershire | Lancashire | 7 | 2 | Clifton College Close Ground, Bristol | 26 August 1880 | Won |
| 63 | 152 $^T$ | England | Australia | 2 | 1 | The Oval, London | 6 September 1880 | Won |
| 64 | 100 | Gentlemen | Players | 1 | 2 | The Oval, London | 30 June 1881 | Won |
| 65 | 182 | Gloucestershire | Nottinghamshire | 5 | 3 | Trent Bridge, Nottingham | 28 July 1881 | Drawn |
| 66 | 112 | Gloucestershire | Lancashire | 1 | 1 | Clifton College Close Ground, Bristol | 27 August 1883 | Won |
| 67 | 101 | Marylebone Cricket Club | Australians | 1 | 1 | Lord's, London | 22 May 1884 | Won |
| 68 | 107 | Gentlemen of England | Australians | 1 | 2 | The Oval, London | 26 June 1884 | Lost |
| 69 | 116* | Gloucestershire | Australians | 4 | 1 | Clifton College Close Ground, Bristol | 7 August 1884 | Lost |
| 70 | 132 | Gloucestershire | Yorkshire | 1 | 1 | Park Avenue, Bradford | 27 July 1885 | Drawn |
| 71 | 104 | Gloucestershire | Surrey | 2 | 2 | College Ground, Cheltenham | 20 August 1885 | Won |
| 72 | 221* | Gloucestershire | Middlesex | 1 | 1 | Clifton College Close Ground, Bristol | 24 August 1885 | Won |
| 73 | 174 | Gentlemen | Players | 1 | 1 | North Marine Road Ground, Scarborough | 3 September 1885 | Won |
| 74 | 148 | Gentlemen of England | Australians | 1 | 1 | The Oval, London | 17 June 1886 | Drawn |
| 75 | 104 | Marylebone Cricket Club | Oxford University | 1 | 2 | University Parks, Oxford | 21 June 1886 | Won |
| 76 | 110 | Gloucestershire | Australians | 4 | 3 | Clifton College Close Ground, Bristol | 5 August 1886 | Drawn |
| 77 | 170 $^T$ | England | Australia | 1 | 1 | The Oval, London | 12 August 1886 | Won |
| 78 | 113 | Gloucestershire | Middlesex | 2 | 1 | Lord's, London | 2 June 1887 | Drawn |
| 79 | 116* | Marylebone Cricket Club | Cambridge University | 1 | 4 | Lord's, London | 27 June 1887 | Won |
| 80 | 183* | Gloucestershire | Yorkshire | 3 | 3 | Spa Ground, Gloucester | 30 June 1887 | Drawn |
| 81 | 113* | Gloucestershire | Nottinghamshire | 1 | 3 | Clifton College Close Ground, Bristol | 8 August 1887 | Lost |
| 82 | 101 | Gloucestershire | Kent | 1 | 1 | Clifton College Close Ground, Bristol | 25 August 1887 | Drawn |
| 83 | 103* | Gloucestershire | Kent | 1 | 3 | Clifton College Close Ground, Bristol | 25 August 1887 | Drawn |
| 84 | 215 | Gloucestershire | Sussex | 1 | 1 | County Ground, Hove | 21 May 1888 | Drawn |
| 85 | 165 | Gentlemen of England | Australians | 1 | 2 | Lord's, London | 28 May 1888 | Drawn |
| 86 | 148 | Gloucestershire | Yorkshire | 1 | 1 | Clifton College Close Ground, Bristol | 16 August 1888 | Drawn |
| 87 | 153 | Gloucestershire | Yorkshire | 1 | 3 | Clifton College Close Ground, Bristol | 16 August 1888 | Drawn |
| 88 | 101 | Gloucestershire | Middlesex | 1 | 3 | Lord's, London | 3 June 1889 | Lost |
| 89 | 127* | Gloucestershire | Middlesex | 1 | 1 | College Ground, Cheltenham | 22 August 1889 | Drawn |
| 90 | 154 | South | North | 1 | 3 | North Marine Road Ground, Scarborough | 5 September 1889 | Drawn |
| 91 | 109* | Gloucestershire | Kent | 1 | 1 | Mote Park, Maidstone | 22 May 1890 | Lost |
| 92 | 159* | Lord Sheffield's XI | Victoria | 1 | 1 | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne | 27 November 1891 | Won |
| 93 | 128 | Marylebone Cricket Club | Kent | 1 | 1 | Lord's, London | 8 June 1893 | Won |
| 94 | 139 | Marylebone Cricket Club | Cambridge University | 1 | 2 | Fenner's, Cambridge | 24 May 1894 | Won |
| 95 | 196 | Marylebone Cricket Club | Cambridge University | 2 | 3 | Lord's, London | 25 June 1894 | Won |
| 96 | 131 | Gentlemen | Players | 1 | 2 | Central Recreation Ground, Hastings | 10 September 1894 | Drawn |
| 97 | 103 | Marylebone Cricket Club | Sussex | 1 | 3 | Lord's, London | 9 May 1895 | Won |
| 98 | 288 | Gloucestershire | Somerset | 1 | 2 | Ashley Down Ground, Bristol | 16 May 1895 | Won |
| 99 | 257 | Gloucestershire | Kent | 1 | 2 | Bat and Ball Ground, Gravesend | 23 May 1895 | Won |
| 100 | 169 | Gloucestershire | Middlesex | 1 | 1 | Lord's, London | 30 May 1895 | Won |
| 101 | 125 | Marylebone Cricket Club | Kent | 1 | 3 | Lord's, London | 13 June 1895 | Won |
| 102 | 101* | Gentlemen of England | I Zingari | 1 | 4 | Lord's, London | 20 June 1895 | Won |
| 103 | 118 | Gentlemen | Players | 1 | 2 | Lord's, London | 8 July 1895 | Lost |
| 104 | 119 | Gloucestershire | Nottinghamshire | 1 | 1 | College Ground, Cheltenham | 19 August 1895 | Won |
| 105 | 104 | South | North | 2 | 3 | Central Recreation Ground, Hastings | 5 September 1895 | Won |
| 106 | 243* | Gloucestershire | Sussex | 1 | 1 | County Ground, Hove | 25 May 1896 | Drawn |
| 107 | 102* | Gloucestershire | Lancashire | 1 | 3 | Ashley Down Ground, Bristol | 25 June 1896 | Lost |
| 108 | 186 | Gloucestershire | Somerset | 1 | 1 | County Ground, Taunton | 29 June 1896 | Won |
| 109 | 301 | Gloucestershire | Sussex | 1 | 1 | Ashley Down Ground, Bristol | 3 August 1896 | Won |
| 110 | 113 | Gloucestershire | Gentlemen of Philadelphia | 1 | 1 | Ashley Down Ground, Bristol | 15 July 1897 | Won |
| 111 | 126 | Gloucestershire | Nottinghamshire | 3 | 2 | Trent Bridge, Nottingham | 22 July 1897 | Won |
| 112 | 116 | Gloucestershire | Sussex | 1 | 2 | Ashley Down Ground, Bristol | 2 August 1897 | Drawn |
| 113 | 131 | Gloucestershire | Nottinghamshire | 1 | 2 | College Ground, Cheltenham | 12 August 1897 | Won |
| 114 | 126 | Gloucestershire | Essex | 1 | 2 | County Ground, Leyton | 7 July 1898 | Won |
| 115 | 168 | Gloucestershire | Nottinghamshire | 1 | 1 | Trent Bridge, Nottingham | 21 July 1898 | Drawn |
| 116 | 109 | Gloucestershire | Somerset | 1 | 1 | County Ground, Taunton | 18 August 1898 | Won |
| 117 | 110* | London County | Worcestershire | 1 | 3 | Crystal Palace Park, London | 13 August 1900 | Won |
| 118 | 110 | London County | Marylebone Cricket Club | 1 | 3 | Crystal Palace Park, London | 23 August 1900 | Lost |
| 119 | 126 | South | North | 1 | 1 | Lord's, London | 13 September 1900 | Drawn |
| 120 | 132 | London County | Marylebone Cricket Club | 1 | 1 | Crystal Palace Park, London | 8 August 1901 | Drawn |
| 121 | 131 | London County | Marylebone Cricket Club | 5 | 2 | Crystal Palace Park, London | 14 July 1902 | Won |
| 122 | 129 | London County | Warwickshire | 1 | 1 | Crystal Palace Park, London | 21 August 1902 | Drawn |
| 123 | 150 | London County | Gloucestershire | 4 | 2 | Crystal Palace Park, London | 4 June 1903 | Won |
| 124 | 166 | London County | Marylebone Cricket Club | 1 | 2 | Crystal Palace Park, London | 18 July 1904 | Won |