All Ten: The Ultimate Bowling Feat

30 James Lillywhite umpire. He acquitted himself well in his two-match Test career, taking eight wickets. There were some reservations however about his captaincy: it was said that he didn’t bowl himself enough, and could be unduly influenced by stronger personalities in the side. Late 19th-century touring involved lengthy, arduous travel and, although his motivation was usually financial, Lillywhite was clearly a man of fortitude and determination. He bowled slow-medium left-arm, varying flight and pace skilfully whilst maintaining exceptional accuracy over long spells. When he had played his last match in 1885 he had taken 1,210 wickets, a total then exceeded by only six other bowlers. A useful bat, he made two first-class centuries. Lillywhite’s all-ten came in his most prolific season since his debut. In all first-class matches he took 94 wickets, a total he exceeded just once when he dismissed 110 batsmen in 1873. The South v North match had been a feature of the famous Canterbury Week for several years. The Week had begun in 1842. It was a colourful and popular occasion with a ball and theatricals in the evenings. In the early 1870s however, apart from tents, there was little other accommodation at the St Lawrence Ground. There were few seats for spectators and the amateurs had to change in a small tent, whilst the professionals had to make their own arrangements (often at a nearby inn). North fielded a strong side comprising ten players from Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire and Lancashire along with, perhaps surprisingly geographically, Cambridgeshire’s Robert Carpenter. I suppose this was balanced by the South including Cambridge University’s Frederick Fryer. It rained most of the first day, the Bank Holiday, and play was impossible. Next day was fine, a strong westerly wind helping to dry the pitch. The large crowd present ‘comprised many of the leading families, both of the city and the neighbourhood’ and again ‘an unusually large number of ladies’ were present, adding colour to the occasion. The Laws of Cricket did not yet mention boundaries and it had been agreed that ‘all hits to the seated visitors’ should count four and not be run out. South’s innings began badly: Surrey’s Richard Humphrey run out off the third ball, county colleague Harry Jupp bowled next over. After that, despite the presence of a late-arriving W.G.Grace, the innings never really recovered. Fryer, the only member of the side apart from Edgar Willsher who never made a first-class century, top scored with 55. North began their innings at 1.40. Nottinghamshire’s Thomas Bignall was missed by Grace at mid off with his score eight but was bowled soon after by Lillywhite. Ephraim Lockwood and Andrew Greenwood (‘two clipping little Yorkshire batsmen’: Wisden ) then took the score to 113 before the hard-hitting Greenwood, who had also been dropped by Grace, fell to a well-judged catch at long on by Charles Thornton. Nottinghamshire’s Daft was cheered to the wicket and, after Lockwood had been caught by Ted Pooley (‘a catch at wicket that few keepers would have secured’), he and Carpenter took the score to 262. Lillywhite had been rested, but on return he dismissed Daft, followed quickly by Hector Tennent. Tennent, born in Tasmania, educated in Scotland, and the least eminent of the North team, had a modest but varied cricket career, including matches for MCC,