Thomas William Graveney (16 June 1927 – 3 November 2015) was an English first-class cricketer, representing his country in 79 Test matches and scoring over 4,800 runs. In a career lasting from 1948 to 1972, he became the 15th player to score one hundred first-class centuries; he was the first batsman beginning his career after the Second World War to reach this milestone. He played for Gloucestershire and Worcestershire, and helped Worcestershire win the county championship for the first time in their history. His achievements for England after being recalled in 1966 have been described as "the stuff of legend." Graveney was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1953, captained England on one occasion and was awarded the OBE while still playing. His international career ended at the age of 42 when he played in a benefit match on the rest day of a Test match. He was banned for three matches, and was never selected for England again. In later life he worked as a cricket commentator for BBC Television and was the first former professional to be President of the Marylebone Cricket Club. He was one of the first 55 players inducted to the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2009. Early life Graveney was born on 16 June 1927 in the village of Riding Mill, near Hexham, Northumberland, one of five children born to Jack and Mary Graveney. One of his two brothers was the cricketer Ken Graveney. His father worked for the armaments manufacturer Vickers Armstrong in Newcastle-upon-Tyne as an engineer. After Jack's death in 1933, Mary married another engineer. The family moved to Lancashire and, in 1938, to Bristol so that Graveney's step-father could take up a position at Avonmouth Docks. Graveney attended Bristol Grammar School, playing cricket, hockey, rugby and golf all to a very high standard. He started work as an accountant, leaving after a few days to join the Army in 1946, as his elder brother Ken had done. He served in Suez with the Gloucestershire Regiment as a second lieutenant in 1946, and was later promoted to the rank of captain in the sports depot. At school he had been primarily a bowler, but when playing cricket on concrete pitches in Egypt with the army, he specialised more in batting, using his height and technique. On home leave in August 1947, he was asked to play in some benefit matches