James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1896

* T hat the Lancashire eleven did not succeed in attaining to the highest honours of County cricket last year was, in the opinion of many, their mis­ fortune rather than their fault. On actual figures they had, perhaps, a shade the worst of a comparison with Surrey; and, indeed, it would not be fair to urge that the latter were undeserving the first place. Still, in respect of the Somersetshire fixture at Manchester, which was nevtr even begun, as the Somersetshire eleven w’ere playing at the time, Lancashire had on paper a good thing of it if the match could have been played out, and a victory there would have made all the difference in Lancashire s position. In Mr. A. C. McLaren they had very nearly the best batsman of the year, in Mold almost the best fast bowler, in Albert \\ard a batsman throughout. In any case they played fine all-round cricket with few equals, in Briggs a slow bowler with few superiors. In the later matches particularly as an all-round side they had certainly no superiors.