22 Facts About Wally Grout

1.

Arthur Theodore Wallace Grout, known as Wally Grout, was a Test cricketer who kept wicket for Australia and Queensland.

2.

Wally Grout made his Test debut against South Africa at Wanderers Stadium, during which he caught a record six wickets behind the stumps in the second innings.

3.

For many years, Wally Grout played second fiddle to Don Tallon in the Queensland state team, and was unable to cement a regular spot as wicket keeper until Tallon's retirement in 1953.

4.

Wally Grout died suddenly from a heart attack at the age of 41, only 3 years after ending his playing career.

5.

On 27 January 2016 Wally Grout was inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame.

6.

Wally Grout reported first becoming engrossed in cricket at age seven, seeing Australia international wicket-keeper Don Tallon play at Perry Park in Brisbane.

7.

Wally Grout took to the game well and was later picked for Brisbane schoolboys as an opening batsman.

8.

Wally Grout was unable to play in his favoured role as keeper due to the presence of Australian keeper Don Tallon.

9.

Queensland state selector Vic Honour had reminded Wally Grout that Siggs was a better batsman, but Wally Grout disagreed, noting that the keeper is responsible for the runs of every wicket missed.

10.

Wally Grout finally played as keeper for Queensland in 1949 as Tallon decided to switch to spin bowling.

11.

Wally Grout entertained hopes of playing for Australia against Len Hutton's English touring side in 1954, but Victorian Len Maddocks was selected, and played all five Tests despite having an injured finger.

12.

Wally Grout was again overlooked as Gil Langley and Maddocks were the two keepers selected for the 1956 tour of England.

13.

Wally Grout got off to a bad start, and allowed eight byes in the first innings in what he called "a severe attack of the fumbles".

14.

Wally Grout was impressed at the grounds and the hospitality on the South African tour, yet it was not without its risks; early on, some of the Australians were quoted in the local press as being unimpressed with the South African opening bowlers Adcock and Heine, this fired them up and Wally Grout and teammate Les Favell copped a barrage of fearsome bowling in a match against Transvaal.

15.

Wally Grout played his first Test on home soil on 5 December 1958, in front of a home-town crowd at Brisbane; he was very nervous.

16.

Wally Grout was replaced in the first three Tests by South Australia's Barry Jarman, who played only seven Tests until Grout retired in 1966.

17.

Wally Grout then snapped up Fred Titmus off Doug Walters to give him five catches in an innings.

18.

Wally Grout described Australian teammate Alan Davidson as his "bread and butter", and snared 48 of his first 100 victims from his bowling.

19.

Wally Grout took plenty of outside edges from late-swinging balls.

20.

Wally Grout hated keeping to off-spinners as the ball is often obscured by the batsman until it is too late; this is in contrast to leg spinners where the ball is visible from the time it is bowled.

21.

Wally Grout loved billiards, and met champion Indian billiards player Wilson Jones in Kolkata in 1960; the test team cheered Wilson in the World Amateur Billiards Championship, which was being held at the same time as the test.

22.

Wally Grout's personality added his last name as a rhyming slang for a "Shout".