Lives in Cricket No 50 - Tom Emmett

44 With James Lillywhite’s side 1876-77 As we saw earlier, Emmett might have travelled to play in Australia in 1870, but the tour never took place. He was also not tempted by the 1873 expedition. Instead, his first tour abroad came when he was one of five Yorkshiremen in James Lillywhite’s team of 1876-77. For this he received £200, and his travelling and hotel expenses, which Allen Hill – also in the party – observed meant it was ‘not a great money-making affair’. 37 It was a big commitment of time and energy (and not without risks) and the players needed to be sure it was worth it. Emmett’s county colleague, Ephraim Lockwood took some time to think about the opportunity and decided against it in the end, but Alfred Shaw’s hesitation over family and business obligations was overcome and he took part. Following completion of the domestic season, the side left Southampton on 21 September 1876, after a champagne breakfast to mark the occasion. There were twelve in the touring party – Lillywhite (captain), Armitage, Charlwood, Emmett, Andrew Greenwood, Hill, Jupp, Pooley, Selby, Shaw, Southerton and Ulyett. At Southampton: the cricketers having got comfortably on board, and taken possession of their berths, which are all close together on the upper deck, and the two truck loads of mail bags having been safely stowed away, the bell rang to clear the ship of strangers and the final leave-taking took place....As the ship steered majestically out of the dock a hearty cheer rang out from the crowd assembled on the pier head which was as heartily re-echoed by the Twelve, who were assembled on the upper deck. After experiencing some rough seas, they arrived in Gibraltar, where the players viewed the fortifications, and then sailed down the Suez Canal in good spirits. They changed ships at Galle in Ceylon (Sri Lanka), leaving on 20 October, and arrived in Australia on the P&O steamer RMS Tangore on 6 November. According to one story, Emmett was subdued on the voyage as a result of sea-sickness, and when the ship docked for a short stay he went ashore, reportedly running to some grass in the distance where he ‘rolled and gambolled in it like a vigorous young dog just let loose from its kennel’. Later on, he was so badly affected by sea sickness that Alfred Shaw reported that ‘he felt his face so drawn up with the agony of the situation that he was afraid it would never return to its natural beauty!’ 38 Once in Australia, the visitors were greeted with considerable interest, a large number of people attending their initial practice sessions in Adelaide, and pressing onto the field to get a good view. However, one local reporter observed that Emmett’s bowling ‘is very suggestive of throwing, and is likely to be none the more popular on that account.’ The Australian press was surprised that, with the exception of Ulyett, Hill and Armitage, the team were not big men. Nevertheless, they were impressed by the strength of the bowling. Emmett stood out and The Australasian commented that he has: a puzzling trundle, with the most awkward of awkward deliveries. He The Great All-rounder (1872-1877)