Grimmett, Greg Chappell inducted into ICC Cricket Hall of Fame

Adelaide (Australia), Dec.5 (ANI): Two more Australia legends, Clarrie Grimmett and Greg Chappell, were formally inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame during the tea interval on the second day of the second Test between Australia and West Indies at the Adelaide Oval here.

ICC President David Morgan presented commemorative cap to Grimmett's son Victor while Cricket Australia Chairman and ICC Director Jack Clarke presented the cap to Greg Chappell who was then driven around the outfield in a motorcade to allow the crowds to show their appreciation.

The Hall of Fame, run in association with the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations (FICA), recognises some of the truly great players from cricket's long and illustrious history.

The late Grimmett was one of Australia's greatest spin bowlers and took 216 wickets in 37 Tests, including five wickets in an innings 21 times and 10 wickets in a match on seven occasions.

Born on Christmas Day 1891 in Dunedin, New Zealand, Grimmett went to Australia on a short working holiday in 1914 and ended up spending the next 66 years of his life in the country and playing cricket for it.

Grimmett holds the record for reaching the fast 200 Test wickets. He claimed his 200th wicket in his 36th Test. The next quickest to reach the milestone of 200 Test wickets, is fellow Hall of Famer Dennis Lillee who accomplished the feat in his 38th Test.

Making his debut for Australia at the age of 33, Grimmett is only the second bowler (the other being India's Dilip Doshi) to have made his Test debut after the age of 30 and still end up with 100 or more Test wickets. Doshi took 113 wickets in 33 Tests.

Also inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame today was Greg Chappell whose elder brother Ian was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame during the Ashes series in England in July.

Born in August 1948, Chappell appeared in 87 Tests for Australia, scoring 7,110 runs with 24 centuries and 31 half-centuries. He captained Australia in 48 Tests, winning 21 Tests.

Chappell is one of the four batsmen to have scored centuries in his first and last Tests. He scored 108 on his debut against Australia in Perth in 1970 and signed off on his illustrious career by hitting 182 against Pakistan in Sydney in 1984.

The other three batsmen to have achieved the rare distinction are Mohammad Azharuddin of India, Reginald Duff and William Ponsford (both Australia).

In 74 ODIs, Chappell made 2,331 runs at an average of 40.18 while in 321 first-class matches he scored 24, 535 runs, including 74 centuries. He was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1973.

After receiving his cap from ICC Director and Cricket Australia Chairman Jack Clarke, Chappell said: "It is obviously a great honour to be named in the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame alongside so many greats of the game and the ones who I particularly looked up to when I was just starting my career.

"I am particularly pleased to be receiving my cap today here in Adelaide as both my mother and my elder brother Ian are here to share this special moment with me."

Victor, after receiving his father's cap from ICC President David Morgan, said: "I am honoured to be here today to accept the cap on behalf of my father.

"Dad was quite shy and reserved, but he was a lovely man who would have been delighted with this award. This is very special."

The cap presentation ceremony is a key part of the celebrations to mark the ICC's centenary year as it acknowledges the greats of the game and the contributions they have made to ensure cricket is a great sport with a great spirit.

*ICC Cricket Hall of Fame - initial inductees (55):

Sydney Barnes, Bishan Bedi, Alec Bedser, Richie Benaud, Allan Border, Ian Botham, Geoffrey Boycott, Donald Bradman, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Denis Compton, Colin Cowdrey, Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, Lance Gibbs, Graham Gooch, David Gower, WG Grace, Tom Graveney, Gordon Greenidge, Richard Hadlee, Walter Hammond, Neil Harvey, George Headley, Jack Hobbs, Michael Holding, Leonard Hutton, Rohan Kanhai, Imran Khan, Alan Knott, Jim Laker, Harold Larwood, Dennis Lillee, Ray Lindwall, Clive Lloyd, Hanif Mohammad, Rodney Marsh, Malcolm Marshall, Peter May, Javed Miandad, Keith Miller, Bill O'Reilly, Graeme Pollock, Wilfred Rhodes, Barry Richards, Vivian Richards, Andy Roberts, Garfield Sobers, Brian Statham, Fred Trueman, Derek Underwood, Clyde Walcott, Everton Weekes, Frank Woolley, Frank Worrell. (ANI)