Lives in Cricket No 37 - William Clarke

103 Controversy The 1854 season began much more slowly than the summers immediately preceding it. There was an early practice game at Trent Bridge, commencing 17 April, when Players of Nottinghamshire opposed the Gentlemen with five players. Alfred Clarke appeared, George Parr hit a century for the Gentlemen and the attendance was reported as good, but there was no sign of Old Clarke. He did not appear in any match for another month and then it was in the first AEE fixture of the season at Upton Park in south-west Essex (now West Ham) on 23, 24 and 25 May. Clarke took 13 wickets in Upton Park’s second innings. The United Eleven’s season had begun earlier and two games completed prior to the AEE arrival in Essex. After their success in 1853, Nottinghamshire opposed England at Lord’s on 5 and 6 June. Nottinghamshire lost but the match was more memorable for the row caused by Clarke. Fred Lillywhite describes what happened: An unusual occurrence took place in this match, respecting a ‘run out’. The new law now tells the batsman to obtain permission of their opponents before they can be allowed a substitute, which was done, Buttress acting for Caesar; the latter, however, drove a ball forward from Clarke, and immediately ran and made the run, the substitute remaining on his ground. The ‘Old General’ [Clarke] knowing some one ought to be out, put the wicket down at the end Caesar had made, and appealed to the Umpire, who gave him ‘not out’; but, however, contrary to the Laws of Cricket, Clarke proceeded to the pavilion, to ask the opinion of the gentlemen, who, after a lapse of time, came to the determination that Caesar, having left his wicket wrongfully, should be given out. But nevertheless, according to the law on the subject, Wisden was the party who left, and was away from the wicket that was put down. At all events, the Umpire’s decision should not have been disputed by Clarke, whether wrong or right. There followed four All-England matches in succession, after which Surrey came to Trent Bridge to play Nottinghamshire. In the press George Parr and Julius Caesar were given as the organizers, and it was stated that ‘though but short notice was given to the manager of the Trent Bridge ground, it was got into good order.’ One assumes that Clarke was not An early photograph of Alfred Clarke, who played 55 first-class matches between 1851 and 1864.