Lives in Cricket No 24 - Edgar Willsher

65 of the national sport in the whole country, so their appearance on the cricket field was both a considerable drawcard and an endorsement of the continuing appeal of the more venerable game. It also appeased their father Sam, himself a professional at St George’s, who was no doubt disappointed by their preference for America’s new-fangled pastime. Round about noon, Willsher successfully carried out his most important task as captain by winning the toss and deciding to make first use of a pitch described by the Brooklyn Eagle as ‘not as good as it might have been.’ At 12.20 pm, to the accompanying ‘smell of chowder … with the slight odour of onions mixed’, Humphrey and Jupp finally walked out to face the opening attack of Norley and Harry Wright, a handy combination when backed up by twenty outfielders. Norley bowled the first ball of the tour to Humphrey, which he successfully ‘blockaded’, and he saw off the rest of the over without mishap. Jupp recorded the first run in the next over when he turned Wright to leg for two, and matters proceeded quietly until the sixth over, when Norley dropped Humphrey at slip off Wright. The reprieve was short lived, however, as in Wright’s next over, Humphrey was bowled for five ‘by a splendid ball, which merited the applause so liberally bestowed.’ Nine for one. Next in was Smith, who steadied any residual nerves in a calm and confident stand with Jupp, treating the crowd to ‘an exhibition of well-defended wickets. The batting was not only scientific but powerful, and great prudence and judgment was shown in the cuttings, blockings, and drivings.’ By such methods, they had advanced the score to 30 before Wright made way for the gentler pace of Butterfield, who toiled to little effect. Finally, the persevering Norley induced Smith to play on with the total at 45, his own contribution to a partnership of 36 being a classy 22, including the first boundary of the match, awarded three runs under local regulations. Lillywhite then joined Jupp to take proceedings up to lunch, which, in traditional, and no doubt liquid, fashion, lasted well over an hour. Not long after the interval, Lillywhite fell with the score at 71, bringing in Shaw to accompany the ‘Pocket Stonewall’ for a further half hour of dour defence. At last, Jupp, ‘who, to all appearance, had made up his mind to stay till dark’, was bowled by Norley to make it 79 for four. He had held the bowling at bay for over two hours for his 23. After Jupp’s demise, a mid-innings ‘wobble’ was threatened when Norley had Tarrant lbw for a duck, but Pooley’s arrival heralded Captain of England