Lives in Cricket No 13 - AP Lucas

that he fell away somewhat, but finished his first-class season with 712 runs at 28.48. Again he chose to spend August with the Rovers rather than Surrey. Not for the last time, Surrey in 1880 enjoyed more success on the balance sheet than on the field, and they lost seven of their fourteen county games. A large sub-committee, including Lucas, was appointed ‘to consider the cricketing position of the club’. They proved as effective as most such committees, for in 1881 Surrey lost nine out of fourteen. The County Championship had not then been formalised, but had it been they would in both seasons probably have found themselves below all but Sussex. 53 It might have helped if Lucas had played more often and had found his best form when he did so. In 1880, five Surrey matches and a batting average of 15 for them were disappointing from one of their finest batsmen, especially as he produced his two best innings of the season for England. In 1881 his six appearances for Surrey included two typically solid, defensive half-centuries, but neither innings could save his county from a heavy defeat, so perhaps his presence would have made little difference. Lucas opened the 1882 season with what were to remain his first-class career-best performances with bat and ball, for an ‘England XI’ against his favourite opponents, Cambridge University. His magnificent and chanceless 145 passed his score of the previous year by just three, and was the main contribution to England’s first innings lead of 219. Then, after Cambridge had passed 100 with only two wickets down, Lucas took six for 10 in 12.2 overs and the last eight wickets went down for 14; England won by an innings and 92, ‘a result mainly attributable to the excellent all-round play of Mr A.P.Lucas.’ 54 Lucas then played another fine innings, against the Australians at Twickenham for the Orleans Club. Charles Dickens, jun. wrote in 1879: The Orleans Club was built … in the reign of Queen Anne. … It is intended as an agreeable country resort, not only to members, but to their families and friends, and as a rendezvous for members of the Four-in-hand and Coaching Clubs. Orleans House is so called because Louis Philippe lived therein for some years while Duke of Orleans. 55 The club had its own cricket ground which was ‘as charming a spot as one could well imagine.’ They played some major teams there, most notably the 1878 and 1882 Australians but also MCC and I Zingari. C.I.Thornton and S.S.Schultz were the best-known men to play regularly for them, but other first-class cricketers also turned out occasionally. Thornton captained the 1882 side, which included the Lancashire professionals Dick Barlow and Dick Pilling, and eight amateurs who played at some time for the Surrey and England, 1879-1882 57 53 Indeed, in Roy Webber’s 1957 compilation of the table, they were firmly at the foot, having lost more matches than any other side. See Roy Webber, County Cricket Championship , Phoenix Sports Books, 1957, p 20. 54 The Times , 18 May 1882. 55 In his Dictionary of London , see www.victorianlondon.org