William Gilbert Grace, since known universally as W.G. Grace, is perhaps the first icon of English cricket and the England Test team.
A veteran of the MCC, Gloucestershire and London County during a 35-year career, he not only played in the first ever England Test match, but is also the first ever England centurion.
Grace was great and he also knew it. That arrogant resilience Geoffrey Boycot channelled during his career prompted historians to check if they were of the same lineage.
He is also perhaps the founder of what in cricket is known as sledging. When clean bowled once, he replaced the bail and quipped: "The wind's strong today, umpire." The umpire however took them off again: "Yes, mind your hat on the way to the pavilion."
And on another occasion when given out for lbw (leg before wicket), he refused to leave the crease, offering the immortal outburst: "They came to watch me bat, not you bowl." Billy Bowden, take note.