Lives in Cricket No 37 - William Clarke

63 Leaving Trent Bridge him.’ Caffyn describes Dean as the finest long stop in England and noted as a fast bowler but continues: ‘He was a little man and very stout in his latter days. He had a queer shambling kind of walk and indeed his appearance altogether was as unlike one’s idea of a cricketer as could well be imagined.’ Dean was born at Duncton in 1816; he represented Sussex from 1835 to 1860 and the Players v the Gentlemen from 1843 to 1857, but played for the All-England Eleven only until 1849. He died in 1881. William Dorrinton was born at West Malling in Kent in 1809 and died in November 1848; the cause, according to Haygarth, was a cold caught whilst travelling with the AEE. He played 23 matches for Clarke’s side and was considered an excellent wicketkeeper and useful batsman. Unfortunately his career coincided with those of Box and Wenman thus restricting his opportunities as a keeper. He played for Kent from 1836 to 1848 and occasionally for Players v Gentlemen. George Butler, a useful batsman, who was born in Mansfield in 1810, played for Nottinghamshire from 1841 to 1852, but in only five AEE matches, all three 1846 games and once each in 1847 and 1848. As noted, he only played due to Parr’s absence. Latterly he was an umpire and then groundsman at Trent Bridge, dying in Nottingham in 1887. The above notes on the players have been taken deliberately from contemporary sources, principally Caffyn, Denison and Fred Lillywhite, in order that the reader can obtain a feel for the abilities of the players as felt by those who either played with them, or watched them on a regular basis. The first three-day All-England Eleven match was arranged for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, (31 August, 1 and 2 September 1846) versus XX of Sheffield. The report in the Sheffield and Rotherham Independent states: This important and interesting match was played … before the largest number of spectators, we believe, that ever assembled to witness a match since the making of the ground. From the well-known ability of the All England eleven, the names of whom had been for some weeks before the public, the interest excited, not only in the town and its immediate vicinity, but also amongst the lovers of this noble and manly amusement living at a considerable distance, was unusually intense. Parties in vehicles of every description, and groups of pedestrians, thronged our streets early during the mornings of the three days and hundreds availed themselves of the advantages of railway accommodation. Between five and six thousand people attended each day – one source gives a total of 16,000 in all. Sheffield won the toss, putting the England side in to bat. William Clarke and James Dean opened the batting. Clarke faced the first over, which is succinctly reported: ‘The first three balls were played by Clarke without a run, but the last caused a rattle behind.’ England were all out for 80 and rain ended the first day’s play after Sheffield had faced just three overs without loss. By the close of the second day Sheffield were all out for 72 and England were 85 for six in their second innings. The report notes England were now favourites at considerable odds. On the