Lives in Cricket No 24 - Edgar Willsher

50 during their Islington fixture of September 1864 led the South of England team to refuse to play the North at Newmarket in the return match planned for October. This ‘north-south’ schism was officially confirmed when seven members of the UEE resigned in order to form the new eleven. If they carried on playing for John Wisden’s outfit, they would inevitably be forced to play against northerners from time to time, especially in the AEE fixtures, but with their own team they could pick and choose their opponents. Many requests for matches did reach Willsher at his Maidstone home in the winter of 1864/65, and the next summer saw the United South of England Eleven (USEE) engaged in 14 minor matches, in eleven of which Edgar took part. The biggest fixture was the last of the season, against the Gentlemen of Surrey at The Oval. The amateurs were immeasurably strengthened by the addition of W.G.Grace’s older brother, E.M., who performed the match double with 120 runs and 13 wickets over the two innings, helping to inflict defeat on the USEE for the fourth time in its inaugural season. From Willsher’s point of view, it was not the first time he had tried to run a travelling team. Lillywhite’s Guide for 1864 tells us that Overarm at Last The bread and butter job. The United South of England Eleven, managed by Willsher, which played a local twenty at the Dripping Pan, Lewes, over three days in September 1865. Players only, from left: E.W.Pooley (wk), W.Mortlock, Jas.Lillywhite jun, T.Hearne, John Lillywhite (seated), E.Willsher, J.Caesar, G.Griffith, T.Lockyer, H.Jupp, T.Humphrey (seated). T.Sewell (umpire) is seated in dark jacket.