Lives in Cricket No 7 - Richard Daft

deliberately encouraged their opponents to arrange fixtures on the same dates as county matches, particularly those involving Surrey. In spite of Pycroft’s tirades, Richard had no doubt about the value of the visits of the All England Eleven to country areas. ‘Certainly’, he wrote, ‘one never sees such holiday-making and high jinks as we used to in the old All England days, especially at those matches played in small country towns. The All England match was the topic of conversation months before the event took place. Special committees were formed to get up entertainment in the evening, and when the great day arrived the excitement was often intense.’ The All England Eleven 23