James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1898

T H EP H I L A D E L P H I A N S I N E G L A N D . 2 7 consistent run-getter on the side wasJ. A. Lester . His batting , as one of the Haverford College team in England in 1896 , had made a very favourable impression on English critics . This he thoroughly justified by his performances last summerin a better class of cricket . A watchful batsman, with no lack of hit when required , he was the mainstay of the side throughout . H eis, too, a fair change bowler, and as he is quite younghe should be of the greatest service to American cricket for years to come. A. M. W o o d, besides Lester the only memberof the team of English birth , showedhimself to be a batsmanabove the average . If not as consistent as Lester he mostly got runs , and on several occasions played really good innings , more than upholding the high reputation he has so deservedly gained in American cricket . Most of the team were able to get runs , and there was no lack of pluck , no matter how the game was going . H. С. Thayer , C. Coates , and E. M. Cregar could all of them hit , and hit vigorously , whenthe bowling was the least bit off the wicket. Still there w a sa wantof style , which was due rather to a want of practice against really goodbowling than to anything else . So m u c h of the actual cricket of the Philadelphians . Incidental reference has already been madeto the sportsmanlike spirit which marked theconductof the tour . Thatits primary object , to wit, the improvementof the general formof Philadelphian cricketers , will be accomplished , no one w h ofollowed themin their English matches will doubt. The mainidea of the tour was to improve, and, if possible , perfect the style of cricket in Philadelphia , and the experience Captain Patterson andhis m e nlearned of English methods , of English players and English grounds , is bound to be of great use , not only to them but to the coming generations of Philadelphians . In any case practical good has been undoubtedly done by the visit in further strengthening the pleasant relations which have always existed between the cricketers of England and America . The scores of the matches and averages of the fifteen players follow :- Opponents . R e s u l t so f M a t c h e s . Matches played , 15 ; won, 2 ; drawn, 4 ; lost , 9. Matches W o n(2) . S u s s e x Warwickshire Matches Drawn(4). OxfordUniversity Y o r k s h i r e N o t t s Somersetshire Club. Opnts. Where played . Whenplayed . 1st 2nd 1st 2nd Ins. Ins. Ins. Ins. W o nb y. 8wkts.; *2w d 5 wkts.; *5w d R e m a r k s. Brighton Birmingham July 8, 9,10 J u n e17,1 8 216 *83 46 252 269 *230 296 201 O x f o r d June7,8 #1 6 3 3 6 3 *7 w d Sheffield Nottingham B a t h June28, 29,30 225 July 12, 13, 14 421 July19,20 *1 0 4 *4 w d *1 7 1 2 4 4*249 *8 w d 2 0 0 *5wd Matches Lost (9) . L a n c a s h i r e Manchester June10,11 CambridgeUniversity ... M i d d l e s e x Cambridge J u n e14,15 L o r d ' s OxfordPasta n dPresent Oval H a m p s h i r e Bournem'th Gloucestershire Bristol M . C . C .a n dG r o u n d L o r d ' s K e n t Surrey M a i d s t o n e O v a l June21,22,23 J u n e24,25,26 July 1,2, 3 July15,16,17 July22,23, 24 July26, 27, 28 July29,30, 31 1 2 3 86 149 *64 1 4 9100 412 117 270 234 *154 120 221 261 *84 2 9 2163 281 *178 181 153 363 179 152 278 *280 168 277 454 233 258 273 372 Lostb y. 7wkts.; *3 wd I n s. &1 6 3r u n s 7wkts.; *3 wd 7wkts.; * 3w d 5wkts.; *5w d I n n s.&29 runs 227 r'ns ; 8wd,i.c I n n s. & 9 r u n s 154 runs