Jack Morrison Gregory, born on September 11, 1895, in Sydney, New Souuth Wales, was one of the iconic figures in Australian cricket history. Hailing from a renowned cricket family, his playing style was as unpredictable as a thunderstorm or a nuclear explosion, earning him the reputation of being a fearsome right-arm fast bowler.
Although Gregory’s Test match career was relatively brief, consisting of only twenty-four representative games, he left an indelible mark on the sport. In addition to his bowling prowess, he showcased his batting skills in Test matches, scoring 1146 runs with an average of 36.96, including two centuries. An interesting note about Gregory’s batting was that he batted left-handed and gloveless.
When it came to his bowling, Gregory’s presence and method have been compared to the legendary West Indian bowler, Wes Hall. Standing tall as a giant with a superb physique, he would run approximately twenty yards before releasing the ball with a high step at a gallop. At the moment of delivery, he would leap into the air with immense energy, generating tremendous momentum. His follow-through was so immense that it almost reached the batsman’s doorstep.
However, Gregory’s bowling style was far from the silent rhythmic motion observed in his fellow cricketing contemporary, EA (Ted) McDonald. Instead, he bowled as though he was battling against a gale of wind, using his willpower to produce extraordinary speed and power at the expense of potential muscular dislocation.
Gregory’s especially memorable performance came in the first game of the England v Australia rubber in 1921 at Trent Bridge. England, having just returned from Australia after losing all five Tests, struggled to recover from Gregory’s onslaught. He knocked out Ernest Tyldesley with a blistering bouncer that ricocheted from his cranium to the stumps. Gregory’s explosive ball, which broke back at horrifying velocity, gained attention and even prompted JT Tyldesley to offer advice to his brother: to position himself offside whenever he attempted a hook shot.
At Trent Bridge, Gregory’s dominance continued as he took six wickets for 58 runs in England’s first innings of 112. Only at Lord’s that same year did he achieve similar success, taking five wickets for 52 runs. The South African summer of 1921-22 saw Gregory regain his powers and take 22 wickets against England in the Test series, averaging 37.09 runs per wicket. However, by 1926, during the Ashes series in England, his performance declined significantly, costing him three wickets at an expense of 298 runs.
While Gregory might not have possessed the subtle variations and deceptive skills of Lindwall or McDonald, his incredible physical power and passion for the game made him one of the most thrilling cricketers to watch. He possessed an unrivaled gusto for life and fast bowling, earning him the title of one of the most exciting cricketers to ever grace a cricket field.
Aside from his on-field achievements, Gregory was admired and beloved for his generous and likeable nature. He approached cricket with unmatched enthusiasm and joy, radiating happiness to those around him. With his large frame, he excelled as a slip fielder, displaying remarkable reach and agility reminiscent of Wally Hammond, albeit not as graceful. One of his notable achievements as a batsman was his century in seventy minutes against South Africa in Johannesburg in 1921, which remains the fastest hundred in the history of Test cricket.
Gregory’s cricketing journey came to an unfortunate conclusion at the young age of thirty-three when he suffered a physical dislocation during a match in Brisbane in November 1928. His departure left a void in Australian cricket, robbing the sport of a legend who symbolized the epitome of youthful dynamism, power, and passion.
Jack Gregory’s legacy lives on, immortalized in the memories of those fortunate enough to witness his electrifying performances. His impact on the cricketing world endures, and his name remains an integral part of Australian cricket history.
