Lives in Cricket No 13 - AP Lucas

and a ten-wicket defeat. With 832 runs at 34.66 and 34 wickets at 13.82, Lucas had enjoyed by far his best season to date, finishing fourth in the national batting averages and fourteenth in bowling. In May 1878 Lucas had completed his degree and could devote his full attention to cricket. He again selected one of the Freshmen’s sides, this time against Edward Lyttleton’s side, but neither of them played. The second trial game must have been one of the most even matches ever played: the Next XVI made 96 and 144, the First XI 98 and 144 for nine, of which Lucas contributed only three and nought. The 1878 Cambridge team is generally reckoned to be their best ever. In the days before the formalisation of the County Championship, the Press were divided as to which was the champion county, but in this season the university was by some way the leading domestic side in England. As their captain, Edward Lyttleton, and his brother Alfred (secretary and wicket-keeper) pointed out: ‘They enjoyed a season of unbroken success, winning all of their eight matches, four by an innings and one by ten wickets.’ 40 This was despite the fact that Lucas, who had topped their batting averages in the previous two seasons, was not at his best, because Surrey and Cambridge University, 1874-1878 43 The great Cambridge University side of 1878, which won all eight of its first-class matches. Standing (l to r): Hon I.F.W.Bligh, Hon A.Lyttelton (wk), D.Q.Steel, L.K.Jarvis, A.F.J.Ford. Seated: F.W.Kingston, A.P.Lucas, Hon E.Lyttelton (capt), P.H.Morton. On the ground: H.Whitfeld, A.G.Steel. 40 Quoted by Peter Hatton in The Undecided Championship of 1878: a Cambridge Perspective, in The Cricket Statistician, 136, 2006, p 41.