In the English winter of 1891–92, Lord Hawke led a touring party of English amateur cricketers on a tour of North America. During their tour they played eight matches, six in the United States of America and two in Canada. The tour contained two first-class fixtures, both contested against the Gentlemen of Philadelphia.

C.W. Alcock of Surrey originally intended to take the team, but finding himself unable to go had to find a successor. Lord Hawke took on the role of organising the tour. The team was weaker than he wished but the inclusion of Sammy Woods at the last hour considerably strengthened the bowling. Woods turned out to be the success of the tour, taking 76 wickets in the 8 matches at an average of 7, as well as scoring 260 runs.

Touring party

Name County Birth date Batting Style Bowling Style Refs Lord Hawke (Captain) Yorkshire Right-handed – Herbie Hewett Somerset Left-handed Unknown arm medium George Hillyard – Right-handed Right arm fast-medium John Hornsby – Right-handed Slow left-arm orthodox Kingsmill Key Surrey Right-handed Right arm off break Kenneth McAlpine – Right-handed – Henry Milles Kent Right-handed Right arm off break George Ricketts – Right-handed Right arm medium Viscount Throwley Kent Right-handed Right arm medium Sammy Woods Somerset Right-handed Right arm fast-medium Charles Wreford-Brown Gloucestershire Right-handed Right arm slow Charles Wright † Nottinghamshire Right-handed –

Matches

First-class matches The party left Liverpool on 16 September 1891, and during the voyage Herbie Hewett, George Ricketts and Charles Wreford-Brown suffered badly from seasickness. Sammy Woods, who was not affected by such ailments, attempted to get the three men to take dinner with him on the fourth evening. He served champagne and vegetable soup, but an American who was also suffering from nausea commented "Say steward, did you bring this up or did I?" None of Woods' three team-mates ate the dinner.Woods (1925), p45. The party landed in New York on the evening of 23 September and immediately made their way to Philadelphia for a half-day's practice before their first match.

Other tour matches

Match log No.DateOpponentsVenueCountryResultRef 1 5–7 October All New York Livingston Field, Staten Island Drawn 2 9–10 October Baltimore Baltimore Won by an innings and 150 runs 3 12–13 October Boston Athletic Association Boston Won by 242 runs 4 16–17 October Chicago Chicago Won by an innings and 90 runs 5 20–21 October Western Ontario Rosedale, Toronto Won by an innings and 54 runs 6 23–24 October Eastern Ontario Ottawa Won by an innings and 84 runs

References

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