James Lillywhite
Encyclopedia
James Lillywhite was a first-class
and Test
cricket
er and umpire
. He was the first ever captain
of the English cricket team
in a Test match, captaining 2 Tests against Australia
in 1876-77, losing the first, but winning the second.
Lillywhite was born in Westhampnett
in Sussex
, the son of a bricklayer, John Lillywhite. He was the nephew of William Lillywhite
, and so cousin to William's sons, James, John
, Fred
and Harry. He became a professional cricketer, and played first-class cricket for Sussex
from 1862 and 1883. He played one final first-class match in 1885. Before the pre-Ashes Test-playing tour to Australia in 1876-77, Lillywhite also joined tours to North America in 1868 in a team led by Edgar Willsher
, to Australia in 1873-74
in a team led by WG Grace. He also joined three further tours to Australia in teams led by Alfred Shaw
, in 1881-82, 1884-85
and 1886-87
.
He stood as a first-class umpire
between 1883 and 1901, including six Test matches. He umpired all four Test matches between Australia and England in the 1881-82 season (being partnered by John Swift
in three matches and George Coulthard
in the other). He was one of the organisers of Arthur Shrewsbury
's team to Australia in 1884-85 but, in spite of his experience, the Australian captain Billy Murdoch
refused to allow him to umpire the first ever Test match at Adelaide. However, along with Ted Elliott
, he umpired in the second Test of that series, when the entire Australian team refused to play unless they received fifty per cent of gate takings. Nine new faces appeared for Australia, and were soundly beaten. Lillywhite's other match as umpire was the drawn 4th Test between England and Australia at Old Trafford
in 1899.
He died in Chichester
, the last English survivor of the first Test Match.
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
and Test
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er and umpire
Umpire (cricket)
In cricket, an umpire is a person who has the authority to make judgements on the cricket field, according to the Laws of Cricket...
. He was the first ever captain
English national cricket captains
This is a list of all English national cricket captains, comprising all of the men, boys and women who have captained an English national cricket team at official international level. England played in the first Test match in 1877 and have played more Test matches, and had more captains, than any...
of the English cricket team
English cricket team
The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...
in a Test match, captaining 2 Tests against Australia
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
in 1876-77, losing the first, but winning the second.
Lillywhite was born in Westhampnett
Westhampnett
Westhampnett is a village and civil parish in the district of Chichester in West Sussex, England located north-east of Chichester on the former A27 road, now by-passed.-History:...
in Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, the son of a bricklayer, John Lillywhite. He was the nephew of William Lillywhite
William Lillywhite
Frederick William Lillywhite was a famous English cricketer during the game's roundarm era...
, and so cousin to William's sons, James, John
John Lillywhite
John Lillywhite was an English cricketer during the game's roundarm era....
, Fred
Fred Lillywhite
Frederick Lillywhite was a sports outfitter and cricketing entrepreneur, who organised the first overseas cricket tour by an English team and published a number of reference works about cricket.-Cricketing dynasty:...
and Harry. He became a professional cricketer, and played first-class cricket for Sussex
Sussex County Cricket Club
Sussex County Cricket Club is the oldest of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Sussex. The club was founded as a successor to Brighton Cricket Club which was a representative of the county of Sussex as a...
from 1862 and 1883. He played one final first-class match in 1885. Before the pre-Ashes Test-playing tour to Australia in 1876-77, Lillywhite also joined tours to North America in 1868 in a team led by Edgar Willsher
Edgar Willsher
Edgar "Ned" Willsher was an English cricketer who is famous for being the catalyst in the shift from roundarm to overarm bowling....
, to Australia in 1873-74
English cricket team in Australia in 1873–74
An England cricket team toured Australia in 1873-74. This was the third tour of Australia by an English team, the previous one being in 1863–64.-Squad:...
in a team led by WG Grace. He also joined three further tours to Australia in teams led by Alfred Shaw
Alfred Shaw
Alfred Shaw was an eminent Victorian cricketer and rugby footballer, who bowled the first ball in Test cricket and was the first to take five wickets in a Test innings . He who organised the first British Isles rugby tour to Australasia in 1888...
, in 1881-82, 1884-85
English cricket team in Australia in 1884–85
The England cricket team in Australia in 1884–85 was generally known as Alfred Shaw's XI after its main organiser. The team played 8 first-class matches, including the five matches in the Test series, winning 6 and losing 2.-Test series summary:...
and 1886-87
English cricket team in Australia in 1886–87
The England cricket team in Australia in 1886–87, generally known as Alfred Shaw's XI, was described by Wisden as "one of the strongest that ever left England for the Colonies"...
.
He stood as a first-class umpire
Umpire (cricket)
In cricket, an umpire is a person who has the authority to make judgements on the cricket field, according to the Laws of Cricket...
between 1883 and 1901, including six Test matches. He umpired all four Test matches between Australia and England in the 1881-82 season (being partnered by John Swift
John Swift
John Sheddon Swift was a Victorian First-class cricketer and Test match umpire.He played three matches for Victoria as a right-hand batsman, scoring 65 runs at an average of 13.00 with a highest score of 28. He also kept wicket, taking two catches.Swift umpired 8 Test matches, and was the first...
in three matches and George Coulthard
George Coulthard
George Coulthard was a star Australian rules footballer who played for Carlton. He was also a notable cricketer who played for the Melbourne Cricket Club and briefly for Australia. As a cricketer he played only six first-class matches, five for Victoria and a Test match for Australia...
in the other). He was one of the organisers of Arthur Shrewsbury
Arthur Shrewsbury
Arthur Shrewsbury was an English cricketer, and rugby football administrator, who organised the first British Isles rugby tour to Australasia in 1888, and who was widely rated as competing with W. G...
's team to Australia in 1884-85 but, in spite of his experience, the Australian captain Billy Murdoch
Billy Murdoch
William Lloyd Murdoch was an Australian cricketer, who captained the Australian team on tours to England in 1880, 1882 , 1884 and 1890...
refused to allow him to umpire the first ever Test match at Adelaide. However, along with Ted Elliott
Ted Elliott (umpire)
Edward Hudspith Elliott was a Victorian First-class cricketer and Test match umpire....
, he umpired in the second Test of that series, when the entire Australian team refused to play unless they received fifty per cent of gate takings. Nine new faces appeared for Australia, and were soundly beaten. Lillywhite's other match as umpire was the drawn 4th Test between England and Australia at Old Trafford
Old Trafford (cricket)
Old Trafford is a cricket ground situated on Talbot Road in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester. It has been the home of Lancashire County Cricket Club since its foundation in 1864, having been the ground of Manchester Cricket Club from 1857...
in 1899.
He died in Chichester
Chichester
Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
, the last English survivor of the first Test Match.
See also
- History of Test cricket (to 1883)History of Test cricket (to 1883)Test matches in the period 1877 to 1883 were organised somewhat differently from international cricket matches today. The teams were rarely representative, and the boat trip between Australia and England, which usually lasted about 48 days, was one that many cricketers were unable or unwilling to...
- History of Test cricket (1884 to 1889)History of Test cricket (1884 to 1889)The history of Test cricket between 1884 and 1889 was one of English dominance over the Australians. England won every Test series that was played. The period also saw the first use of the word "Test" to describe a form of cricket when the Press used it in 1885...
- History of Test cricket (1890 to 1900)History of Test cricket (1890 to 1900)Test matches in the 19th century were somewhat different affairs than what they are today. Many of them were not designated as Test matches for many years afterwards, and it is possible that some Test players never knew they had played in a Test. Before 1888 there had been 26 Test matches, all...
- Australian Test Cricket Umpires
- List of Test umpires