Lives in Cricket No 13 - AP Lucas

was in 1877 when he was playing for the Uppingham Rovers, a wandering team of former pupils at the school. He was their star player, and it was probably they that gave him the name. His contemporaries never referred to him as Alfred but always by his initials or his nickname; when needing to distinguish him from other Lucases, I have followed suit. In a first-class career that spanned 34 years, Lucas played in some of the greatest and most controversial matches of his age. He assisted England, the Gentlemen, Cambridge University, MCC, Surrey, Middlesex and finally Essex, where his role in the achievement of first-class status was vital. He was also a jobber on the London Stock Exchange and a lifelong member of the Church of England, latterly as a churchwarden in the Essex village of Fryerning, where he made his home. His long and varied cricket career and his life outside the game are well worth revisiting. 8 Introduction