Thomas Alexander Brandon Grant (5 December 1893 – 9 June 1966) was a New Zealand cricketer who played first-class cricket from 1920 to 1925.

Alec Grant
Personal information
Full name
Thomas Alexander Brandon Grant
Born5 December 1893
Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
Died9 June 1966 (aged 72)
Lower Hutt, New Zealand
BattingLeft-handed
BowlingSlow left-arm orthodox
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1920/21–1921/22Canterbury
1922/23–1924/25Wellington
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 9
Runs scored 305
Batting average 19.06
100s/50s 0/3
Top score 78
Balls bowled 580
Wickets 8
Bowling average 35.62
5 wickets in innings 0
10 wickets in match 0
Best bowling 2/19
Catches/stumpings 4/–

After working as a clerk in Christchurch, Alec Grant enlisted in the First World War and served as a corporal in the New Zealand Medical Corps on the hospital ship Marama. He was later promoted to sergeant, and towards the end of the war served on the Matatua.[1] An album of photographs he took during his service in Europe and the Middle East is in the National Library of New Zealand.[2]

Alec Grant (on right)

Grant was a middle-order batsman and left-arm spin bowler. He played his first match for Canterbury in 1920–21, and then was one of the leading batsmen in the 1921–22 Plunket Shield, with 226 runs at an average of 56.50.[3] In Canterbury's victory over Otago he made his top score of 78, which was also Canterbury's top score in the match.[4] In the loss to Auckland he top-scored in each innings with 66 not out and 64 not out.[5] He played for South Island against North Island at the end of the season, but was not successful.

Grant moved to the Manawatū District in 1922, where he captained the Manawatu cricket team and also represented Wellington. After the MCC toured New Zealand in 1922–23, their captain, Archie MacLaren, singled Grant out as a player of particular promise, and suggested him as a member of the New Zealand side that might tour England in 1925.[6] However, Grant played little cricket after that season. In 1928 he married Erna Gerritzen;[7] they had one son, Lindsay.

References

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  1. ^ "Thomas Alexander Brandon Grant". Auckland War Memorial Museum. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  2. ^ "Photograph album relating to Thomas Alexander Brandon Grant's service". National Library of New Zealand. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  3. ^ "Batting and fielding in Plunket Shield 1921–22". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  4. ^ "Canterbury v Otago 1921–22". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  5. ^ "Auckland v Canterbury 1921–22". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  6. ^ "Cricket in Dominion: Mr MacLaren's Impression". New Zealand Herald. Vol. LX, no. 18327. 17 February 1923. p. 10.
  7. ^ New Zealand, Marriage Index, 1840-1937. Ancestry.com.
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