Lives in Cricket No 24 - Edgar Willsher

79 following eye-witness account: Lillywhite played a ball to the off, and Griffith of course called him and got well home, when an appeal was made and the umpire gave Griffith out, very much to the surprise of all present. This was the means of stopping the match for a time, and the Eleven had very justly to object to the umpire. Never could a more one-sided decision be given, and it was a matter of surprise that an appeal should be made in such a case as the present, but it was quite evident that the Young Americans meant winning, and no matter how … . Strong words, fortunately published nearly three weeks after the event. The protest from the batting side was so vociferous that umpire Pepper, himself a replacement for the original official who had given a similarly dodgy decision reprieving a Philadelphian batsman, was removed in favour of Pearson, the Philadelphia Club professional. Naturally enough, the local press was less inclined to criticise what they saw as well-intentioned decisions. The correspondent of the Inquirer was of the opinion that ‘if the umpire’s decisions are to be questioned, and the umpire grossly insulted, as was the case yesterday, the sooner the public know of it the better, as in that case they can withhold their patronage’. Whatever the rights or wrongs of the matter, Griffith had to go, and all results were still possible at 31 for eight. Pooley, held back by Willsher, now came in to face Meade, and as ever caused ‘considerable amusement by his antics about the “popping-crease”’, having cut the last ball of the over for what he hoped would be the winning run. Newhall now diplomatically bowled his only wide of the match, and Ned could breathe a double sigh of relief – not only had his team scraped home by two wickets, but he had not been called on to bat in unimaginably tense circumstances. Despite defeat, the hero of the hour was Charles Newhall, with five more wickets for 21, although Freeman, whose 27 wickets were the real difference between the sides, was handed the accolade of ‘best bowler that ever trod foot on an American cricket-field’. Perhaps the English had under-estimated their opponents, but the reality was that odds of two to one were always going to be weighted against them on what turned out to be a sluggish playing surface. They would have to be at their best when they re-convened two days later against a team billed portentously as the ‘United States’. The closest match of the tour should perhaps not be left behind without touching upon an interesting sidelight provided by the Cricket on the Brain