Page:The international cricket match.djvu/20

2 and skill, which will be seen, by our report, to have been displayed on this memorable occasion—memorable for all time to come, not only as under all the circumstances, a well played game on both sides, but as the first meeting that has taken place between English and American players!

In consequence of the admitted superiority of "the All England Eleven," it was agreed and arranged that they should play in Canada and in the United States upon the same conditions, and with the same apparent odds against them, as is commonly the case in England, (eleven against twenty-two) when opposed to any of the younger clubs in provincial towns. The Oxford University Eleven, and the Cambridge University Eleven, and the Marylebone Club, of course they cannot contend against at such a disadvantage, but they sometimes give even to these strong Elevens, the odds of a Player or two, from their own ranks, whenever it is thought by so doing they can more-nearly equalize the sides, and consequently impart greater interest to the game.

The English players, twelve in number, selected for the matches, were from a club known as the "All England," and from another club, called "the United All England;" one of the twelve acted as umpire. These men have the reputation of being among the finest proficients of the game in the world—they are from the great Cricketing counties of Surrey, Cambridge, Sussex and Nottingham. Their names are George Parr, John Jackson, Julius Caesar, Thomas Hayward, Alfred Diver, H. H. Stephenson, John Wisden, John Lillywhite, William Caffyn, Thomas Lockyer, James Grundy, and Robert Carpenter.

It will be proper to put on record, a brief sketch of the peculiar forte and excellence that distinguishes each of these accomplished players. We will begin with Parr—having been chosen the Captain of this Band of Brothers—he is, consequently, par excellence "the first and foremost man"—he is from Nottingham—ranks as the great Leviathan of Batters—in many points of the game reputed to be on a par with the best—few in his vocation can pari passu, keep pace with him. He had a namesake once, who was a noted player; he played a few seasons, and then I lost sight of him. If they had both flourished at the same time, though not akin to each other, they would, nevertheless, professionally have been "par nobile fratrum."

I remember when the present distinguished player first brought