Parsee cricket team in England in 1886
Encyclopedia
The Parsee tour of England in 1886 was the first cricket
tour of England
by a team from India
. While the tour was singularly unsuccessful in terms of results, it paved the way for another trip
by the Parsees two years later and more tours by English teams to India in the next decade.
- was founded in 1848, the Parsees played their first match against Bombay Gymkhana
. The earliest plan at a tour of England by a Parsee team was made by A.B. Patel in 1878. It fell through when Patel got involved in a libel suit and was unable to proceed with the plans.
A few years later Patel, with the help of B.B. Baria and Dr. Dhunjishaw Patel, made another attempt to organise the tour. C. W. Alcock
, the Secretary of the Surrey Cricket Club
served as the agent for the team in England. Robert Henderson
, a Surrey professional, acted as the coach.
After a three week voyage, the Parsees played their first match on May 24 against the Lord Sheffield's XI. The second match of the tour was against M.C.C.
for whom W. G. Grace
played at the request of the tourists. Parsees went on to lose by an innings and 224 runs, Grace scored 65 and took 11 wickets for 44 runs in the match. Most of the matches were similarly one-sided. The Parsees crossed 200 only once and scored only four fifties between them. Two notable performances in bowling were Shapurjee Bhedwar's hat-trick
and 6 for 27 against Chiswick and Ashton. The only victory was on first innings against Normanhurst in a one-day game.
The last match of the tour at Cumberland Lodge against Prince Christian Victor's XII was arranged on the express desire of Queen Victoria
. Prince Victor
and his brother Prince Albert took part in the game. At the end of the match a garden party was held in honour of the guests. The team left England on August 24.
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...
tour of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
by a team from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. While the tour was singularly unsuccessful in terms of results, it paved the way for another trip
Parsee cricket team in England in 1888
The Parsees made their second tour of England in 1888. The fifteen member team played mostly against amateur teams and was more successful than the tourists of 1886.-The tour:...
by the Parsees two years later and more tours by English teams to India in the next decade.
Background
The Parsees were the earliest local community in India to take up cricket. They are known to have played the game since about 1840 and the first Parsee cricket club - the Oriental Cricket ClubOriental Cricket Club
The Oriental Cricket Club was a cricket club established by the Parsee community in Mumbai in 1848. The Parsee community viewed these clubs as a way of cementing ties with the British colonial powers. Though the club was the first to be organised by Indians, it was closed a few years...
- was founded in 1848, the Parsees played their first match against Bombay Gymkhana
Bombay Gymkhana
Bombay Gymkhana ,, established in 1875, is one of the premiere gymkhanas in the city of Mumbai, India. It is located in the South Mumbai area and was originally built as a British-only club, designed by English architect, Claude Batley. The Gymkhana Grounds lie in the southern end of the Azad Maidan...
. The earliest plan at a tour of England by a Parsee team was made by A.B. Patel in 1878. It fell through when Patel got involved in a libel suit and was unable to proceed with the plans.
A few years later Patel, with the help of B.B. Baria and Dr. Dhunjishaw Patel, made another attempt to organise the tour. C. W. Alcock
C. W. Alcock
Charles William Alcock was an influential English sportsman and administrator. He was a major instigator in the development of both international football and cricket, as well as being the creator of the FA Cup....
, the Secretary of the Surrey Cricket Club
Surrey County Cricket Club
Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions...
served as the agent for the team in England. Robert Henderson
Robert Henderson (cricketer)
Robert Henderson was a Welsh cricketer, a right-hand batsman and right-arm slow bowler.- Brilliant Debut Season in 1883 :...
, a Surrey professional, acted as the coach.
The tour
The Parsee team was essentially made of enthusiasts who were willing to pay their own expenses for the tour. Dhunjishaw Patel, a fast underarm bowler and decent batsman, captained the side. In terms of results, the team made little impression. Of the twenty eight matches, they won only one and lost 19.After a three week voyage, the Parsees played their first match on May 24 against the Lord Sheffield's XI. The second match of the tour was against M.C.C.
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
for whom W. G. Grace
W. G. Grace
William Gilbert Grace, MRCS, LRCP was an English amateur cricketer who is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest players of all time, having a special significance in terms of his importance to the development of the sport...
played at the request of the tourists. Parsees went on to lose by an innings and 224 runs, Grace scored 65 and took 11 wickets for 44 runs in the match. Most of the matches were similarly one-sided. The Parsees crossed 200 only once and scored only four fifties between them. Two notable performances in bowling were Shapurjee Bhedwar's hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
and 6 for 27 against Chiswick and Ashton. The only victory was on first innings against Normanhurst in a one-day game.
The last match of the tour at Cumberland Lodge against Prince Christian Victor's XII was arranged on the express desire of Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
. Prince Victor
Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein
Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein GCB GCVO DSO KStJ was a member of the British Royal Family. He was the eldest son of Princess Helena, third daughter of Queen Victoria....
and his brother Prince Albert took part in the game. At the end of the match a garden party was held in honour of the guests. The team left England on August 24.