In Memory of Surrey Pride, Esq

Martin Chandler | 9:09am BST 18 August 2024

Published: 2024
Pages: 12
Author: Tebay, Martin
Publisher: Red Rose Books
Rating: 3.5 stars

Over the years Martin Tebay has started a number of series of monographs on various aspects of Lancashire cricket. With this title he begins another, Notable Lancashire Victories in 19th Century Cricket. With therefore a guaranteed happy ending for supporters of the Red Rose I suspect this one will do rather well.

The match which is the focus of this one was played at Aigburth, Liverpool over the first three days of July in 1886. The visitors were Surrey, who had won six of their seven matches up until that point in the summer. The Lancastrians had been rather less successful winning only three of their first six, and being heavily between by Surrey at the Oval just over three weeks previously.

Of course we already know that Lancashire won the match and, in a complete reversal of the result at the Oval they won by an innings. Cricket is rarely a one man show, and there were other noteworthy performances, but it is impossible to avoid the conclusion that one man, making his first appearance of the season, was the difference between the two sides.

The man in question was Allan Steele, a stylish batsman and multi-faceted bowler who took 4-101 in Surrey’s first innings, then scored 83 and finished off the visitors with 7-95. Largely forgotten today lawyer Steele was, when available, one of the very best players in England and it is high time someone wrote his biography.

As for the booklet itself in the manner of these things Tebay sets the scene by way of introduction before using a variety of contemporary sources to construct his account of the three days play. One thing he is unable to record is the exact temperature, which would have interested me greatly seeing that all reporters were agreed that the game was played in intense heat, so much so that at one point the Lancashire ‘keeper, Richard Pilling, had to leave the field.

A further, for Lancastrians, bonus of this particular monograph is in it’s title, which is first line of a satirical ‘In Memoriam’ notice that Tebay found in a journal called The Umpire. It may not be anything like as well known as the mock obituary notice of four years previously out of which The Ashes were borne, but it shows that good ideas can always stand a bit of repetition.

In Memory of Surrey Pride, Esq is not going to appeal to a huge audience, rather too few cricket lovers these days taking a great interest in Victorian cricket. That much conceded Tebay has only printed 20 copies, and I would expect there to be more than sufficient interest in to see those flying off his shelves, so if it is of interest early ordering is advised – at £8 per copy including UK postage it will not break the bank.