43-531: Alfred Perry " Bunny " Lucas (20 February 1857 – 12 October 1923) was an English first-class cricketer from 1874 to 1907, playing for Cambridge University , Surrey , Middlesex and Essex . He also played five Test matches for the England cricket team . Lucas was educated at Uppingham School and Clare College, Cambridge . Even as a seventeen-year-old, Lucas proved himself an exceptional batsman with an innings of 136 against Marylebone Cricket Club and in
86-596: A Spanish oak tree was planted on in the centre of the ancient Church Green to commemorate the Coronation of King Edward VIII. At the time, there was a debate in the village due to the fact that the Oak was not a native English specimen. Local resident, Charlie Cox who was eight at the time, remembers that the green was about 50 yards long on each side forming a triangle. In 1948, the Ingatestone and Fryerning Dart League
129-644: A barn at North Hall Farm, which survives to this day; the 13th-century barn is comparable to the better-preserved barn of Cressing Temple in Witham . In 1540, the Knights Hospitallers were suppressed by Henry VIII when the Ging Hospital was transferred to Sir William Berners, the Royal auditor; the area then became known as Ging Berners . Later, in the 16th century, part of the area came into
172-459: A batsman with the rare gift of combining style with extremely solid defence for both the university and in the holidays for Surrey. 1876 saw Lucas advance into the top league of batsmen, with 818 runs at an average of thirty being exceptional for the time and placing him among the top batsmen in the game. 1877 saw Lucas make a further advance, being in average behind only the incomparable W.G. Grace and achieving his highest first-class aggregate for
215-535: A birth qualification from 1883, when he remained near the top of the first-class batting averages. He achieved the rare feat of carrying his bat through an innings for the Gentlemen at the Oval, and played an innings of 72 at Lord's. Lucas played in the first two Tests of the 1884 season without doing anything worthy of his reputation apart from a dour 15 not out on a sticky wicket in the first match. Owing to his work for
258-543: A contemporary report (i.e., termed "a great match" in this case) and to have been played for a large sum of money was one in Sussex between two unnamed eleven-a-side teams contesting "fifty guineas apiece" in June 1697, a match of enormous historical significance but with no statistical data recorded. Fryerning Fryerning is a small village and former civil parish , now in the parish of Ingatestone and Fryerning , in
301-728: A first-class match, that the ICC clearly stipulates that its match type list "is not exhaustive and is merely indicative of the matches which would fall into the first-class definition". For example, the list includes matches of recognised first-class teams versus international touring teams; and the leading domestic championships (using their then-current names) such as the County Championship , Sheffield Shield , Ranji Trophy , etc. The absence of any ICC ruling about matches played before 1947 (or before 1895 in Great Britain)
344-617: A line between what was important historically and what should form part of the statistical record. Hence, for pre-1895 (i.e., in Great Britain) cricket matches, "first-class" is essentially a statistical concept while the historical concept is broader and takes account of historical significance. Webber's rationale was that cricket was "generally weak before 1864" (there was a greater and increasingly more organised effort to promote county cricket from about that time) and match details were largely incomplete, especially bowling analyses, which hindered compilation of records. According to Webber's view,
387-401: A review when Greville Stevens was picked as a schoolboy for the Gentlemen in 1919, was described as good enough to be selected himself. Lucas did play twice for Surrey and caused a sensation at Prince's with an innings of 48 against Alfred Shaw and Fred Morley at their best. His reputation established, Lucas, eighteen, went to Cambridge University in 1875 and solidified his reputation as
430-481: A season of 832 runs. He also showed himself a useful slow bowler, taking 34 wickets for less than fourteen each, and as late as 1882 achieved his best first-class bowling of six wickets for ten runs against his old University for the “Gentlemen of England” – Lucas also achieved his highest first-class score of 145 in the same match. However, opinions as to the quality of Lucas’ bowling were not positive even then and he almost never bowled after 1882. Still, Lucas’ batting in
473-634: Is "taking" the first-class matches to be one against Sydney ( sic ), two each against Victoria , the Combined team and the Australian Eleven, and another against South Australia . In the fourth issue on 1 June 1882, James Lillywhite refers to first-class matches on the tour but gives a different list. The earliest known match scorecards date from 1744 but few have been found before 1772. The cards for three 1772 matches have survived and scorecards became increasingly common thereafter. At
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#1732787774056516-399: Is a fairly comprehensive store of data about 19th century matches, certainly since 1825. Subsequently, Webber's view was challenged by Bill Frindall who believed that 1815 should be the startpoint to encompass the entire roundarm bowling phase of cricket's history, although roundarm did not begin in earnest until 1827. In Frindall's view, the inaugural first-class match should have been
559-438: Is one of the highest-standard forms of cricket . A first-class match is one of three or more days' scheduled duration between two sides of eleven players each and is officially adjudged to be worthy of the status by virtue of the standard of the competing teams. Matches must allow for the teams to play two innings each, although in practice a team might play only one innings or none at all. The etymology of "first-class cricket"
602-457: Is problematic for those cricket statisticians who wish to categorise earlier matches in the same way. They have responded by compiling their own match lists and allocating a strictly unofficial first-class status to the matches they consider to have been of a high standard. It is therefore a matter of opinion only with no official support. Inevitable differences have arisen and there are variations in published cricket statistics . In November 2021,
645-484: Is unknown, but the term was used loosely before it acquired official status in 1895, following a meeting of leading English clubs. At a meeting of the Imperial Cricket Conference (ICC) in 1947, it was formally defined on a global basis. A significant omission of the ICC ruling was any attempt to define first-class cricket retrospectively. That has left historians, and especially statisticians, with
688-597: The Brentwood district, in the county of Essex , England. It is situated approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Ingatestone . The parish church of St. Mary the Virgin , on Blackmore Road, dates back from the 11th century, with a 15th-century brick tower. It has a memorial stained glass window to the murdered politician Airey Neave , which was unveiled by his cousin Penelope in 1985. An ancient English Yew , found to
731-486: The London Stock Exchange , nothing more was seen of Lucas in first-class cricket until 1887, when despite an exceptional summer he was again disappointing. In 1889, coming to the aid of his good friend C.E. Green, Lucas began to play for Essex, in which he had been residing since 1883, and captaining the side until 1894. However, he played only two first-class matches from 1890 to 1893 and when Essex joined
774-596: The ACS had published its Guide to Important Cricket Matches Played in the British Isles, 1709–1863 in which it listed all the known matches during that period which it considered to have historical importance. The ACS did stipulate that they had taken a more lenient view of importance regarding matches played in the 18th century than they did of matches played in the 19th century. As they explained, surviving details of 18th century matches are typically incomplete while there
817-464: The ACS' Important Matches guide, which have left no scorecard and for which only a brief announcement or report exists, must be based on other factors. Contemporary importance was often measured by the amount of money at stake and the fact that a match was deemed notable enough to be reported in the press. The 18th century matches in the ACS list were primarily compiled to assist historians. The earliest match known to have been accorded superior status in
860-491: The County Championship in 1895, his profession restricted Lucas to a few games in 1895 and 1896. He then played fairly regularly for Essex until 1901, and if not quite the outstanding batsman of twenty years beforehand, Lucas still was a model of soundness and style. His work as a banker again began to severely restrict his cricket from 1902, but whenever he could play Lucas remained valuable up to his last match at
903-578: The Fryerning Lane, which connects with Ingatestone High Street, where two large Sarsen Stones mark either side of the lane. The name Fryerning derives from the Saxon period. The syllable "ing" denoting possession, probably during the sixth century, thus Saxon territories each distinguished by the owners name; these were usually prefixed by "ing" or "ging", a principle shared with neighbouring villages: Margaretting, Mountnessing and Ingrave. After
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#1732787774056946-419: The ICC and the application of ICC conditions when the match is played. In 2010, the ICC published its Classification of Official Cricket which includes the criteria with which a match must comply to achieve a desired categorisation. In the section on first-class cricket, there is a list of the types of match that should qualify. It is important to note, given the differences in opinion about what constitutes
989-463: The ICC retrospectively applied first-class status to women's cricket , aligning it with the men's game. A key issue for the statisticians is when first-class cricket for their purpose is deemed to have begun. Writing in 1951, Roy Webber argued that the majority of matches prior to 1864 (i.e., the year in which overarm bowling was legalised) "cannot be regarded as first-class" and their records are used "for their historical associations". This drew
1032-603: The Norman conquest, the "ings" or "gings" were divided up. Fryerning and Ingatestone were collectively known as Ging-at-the Stone and was given to the Norman Baron Robert de Germon. Later on, his grandson Gilbert Mountfitchet granted half the manor called Ginges , along with the church St Mary's, to the Knights Hospitallers of Jerusalem and that part was known as Ging Hospital . The Knights Hospitallers constructed
1075-504: The absence of any specialist bowler except Tom Emmett . Although he played only ten first-class games in 1879 despite being the official captain of Surrey, Lucas returned to form under severely difficult conditions due to the abominable weather and was selected for the first Test team in England the following year, where he made 55, his only fifty in five Tests. At the end of 1882 Lucas moved away from Surrey and played for Middlesex under
1118-557: The age of fifty. Although known to his chums as “Bunny”, he is referred to in all cricket sources, including contemporary reports, either by his surname or as “A. P. Lucas”. To the players under his leadership, he was simply “The Boss”. He is buried in the churchyard of St Mary's, Fryerning , Essex. First-class cricket First-class cricket One Day International Limited overs (domestic) Twenty20 International Twenty20 (domestic) Other forms First-class cricket , along with List A cricket and Twenty20 cricket ,
1161-697: The answers. In 1880, the Cricket Reporting Agency was founded. It acquired influence through the decade especially by association with Wisden Cricketers' Almanack ( Wisden ) and the press came to generally rely on its information and opinions. The term acquired official status, though limited to matches in Great Britain, following a meeting at Lord's in May 1894 between the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) committee and
1204-400: The beginning of the 1860s, there were only four formally constituted county clubs. Sussex was the oldest, formed in 1839, and it had been followed by Kent , Nottinghamshire and Surrey . In the early 1860s, several more county clubs were founded, and questions began to be raised in the sporting press about which should be categorised as first-class, but there was considerable disagreement in
1247-431: The country's highest playing standard. Later ICC rulings make it possible for international teams from associate members of the ICC to achieve first-class status but it is dependent on the status of their opponents in a given match. According to the ICC definition, a match may be adjudged first-class if: A Test match is a first-class match played between two ICC full member countries, subject to their current status at
1290-577: The inaugural first-class match was the opening game of the 1864 season between Cambridge University and MCC at Fenner's on 12 and 13 May, Cambridge winning by 6 wickets. When the Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians (ACS) published its Guide to First-Class Cricket Matches Played in the British Isles in 1982, it tentatively agreed with Webber's 1864 start date by saying that "the line between first-class and other matches becomes more easily discernible about that date". A year earlier,
1333-435: The inaugural first-class match was the opening game of the 1895 season between MCC and Nottinghamshire at Lord's on 1 and 2 May, MCC winning by 37 runs. " Test match " was another loosely applied term at the time but the first list of matches considered to be "Tests" was conceived and published by South Australian journalist Clarence P. Moody in his 1894 book, Australian Cricket and Cricketers, 1856 to 1893–94 . His proposal
A. P. Lucas - Misplaced Pages Continue
1376-717: The internet, the CricketArchive (CA) and ESPN Cricinfo (CI) databases both say the earliest first-class match was Hampshire v England at Broadhalfpenny Down on 24 and 25 June 1772. At that time, cricket matches were played with a two-stump wicket and exclusively underarm bowling , although other features of the modern game had been introduced. The opinion of these databases has been repudiated by both Wisden and Playfair Cricket Annual . Wisden agrees with Frindall by commencing its first-class records in 1815. Playfair supports Webber and begins its records in 1864. The status of earlier matches, including many in
1419-533: The middle to late 1870s was good enough for him to be a regular for the Gentlemen from 1876 and to play for “England” teams against a combined Kent and Gloucestershire team in 1876 and against Gloucestershire alone the following year. Business prevented Lucas touring Australia with the first Test-playing team in 1876/1877, but despite being rather disappointing in his last year at Cambridge Lucas made his only tour in 1878/1879 under Lord Harris , when he did much more bowling than he would ordinarily have done owing to
1462-527: The opening game of the 1815 season between MCC and Middlesex at Lord's on 31 May and 1 June, Middlesex winning by 16 runs. Notwithstanding Frindall's reputation, Webber's view has been revived and reinforced in recent times. For example, the Kent researcher Derek Carlaw began his study of Kent cricketers since 1806 by stating: "Part One is confined to players who appeared for Kent in important matches from 1806 to 1863 and first-class matches from 1864 to 1914". On
1505-694: The possession of the De Vere family, Earls of Oxford. Three generations later, William Berners great-grandson sold Fryerning to Sir Nicolas Wadham , whose daughter, Dorothy Wadhams, married Sir William Petre . William and Dorothy later went on to found Wadham College in Oxford , which still owns land in Fryerning and is the Patron of the parish. On 24 Match 1889, the parish was abolished and merged with Ingatestone to form Ingatestone and Fryerning . In 1936,
1548-590: The problem of how to categorise earlier matches, especially those played in Great Britain before 1895. The Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians (ACS) has published a list of early matches which are believed to have been of a high standard. Test cricket , the highest standard of cricket, is statistically a form of first-class cricket, though the term "first-class" is mainly used to refer to domestic competition. A player's first-class statistics include any performances in Test matches. Before 1894 "first-class"
1591-486: The secretaries of the clubs involved in the official County Championship , which had begun in 1890. As a result, those clubs became first-class from 1895 along with MCC, Cambridge University , Oxford University , senior cricket touring teams (i.e., Australia and South Africa at that time) and other teams designated as such by MCC (e.g., North v South , Gentlemen v Players and occasional "elevens" which consisted of recognised first-class players). Officially, therefore,
1634-617: The status of teams. For example, MCC was authorised to determine the status of matches played in Great Britain. To all intents and purposes, the 1947 ICC definition confirmed the 1894 MCC definition, and gave it international recognition and usage. Hence, official judgment of status is the responsibility of the governing body in each country that is a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC). The governing body grants first-class status to international teams and to domestic teams that are representative of
1677-598: The west of the church and is over a millennium old, is thought to be one of Essex's oldest trees. In 1881, the parish had a population of 704. Fryerning is located in mid-Essex and has several big areas of woodland populated by several large herds of deer, which are frequently seen by walkers and cyclists. The village has no shops, but two pubs: The Cricketers and The Viper ; the latter becomes particularly busy during its biannual beer festivals. Fryerning and nearby Ingatestone have always been closely entwined. The earliest surviving signs of their ancient past can be seen on
1720-542: Was a common adjective applied to cricket matches in England, used loosely to suggest that a match had a high standard; adjectives like "great", "important" and "major" were also loosely applied to such matches, but there tended to be differences of opinion. In the inaugural issue of Cricket: A Weekly Record of the Game on 10 May 1882, the term is used twice on page 2 in reference to the recently completed tour of Australia and New Zealand by Alfred Shaw's XI . The report says it
1763-540: Was formally defined by the then Imperial Cricket Conference (ICC) on 19 May 1947. It was made clear that the definition "will not have retrospective effect". The definition is as follows: A match of three or more days' duration between two sides of eleven players officially adjudged first-class, shall be regarded as a first-class fixture. Matches in which either team have more than eleven players or which are scheduled for less than three days shall not be regarded as first-class. The Governing body in each country shall decide
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1806-435: Was set up between Pubs Anchor A, Anchor B, British Legion, Crown Hotel, Spread Eagle, Woolpack Hotel Fryerning and Viper Hotel Mill Green. In 2011, Brentwood Borough Council asked Essex County Council to commission a conservation area in Fryerning, which was subsequently enforced. Many historical buildings, ranging from the 12th century to the late 20th century, were included in the conservation area, along with 3 trees having
1849-610: Was widely accepted after a list of 39 matches was reproduced in the 28 December 1894 issue of Cricket magazine. The list began with the Melbourne Cricket Ground match played 15–17 March 1877 and ended with a recent match at the Association Ground, Sydney played 14–20 December 1894. All of Moody's matches, plus four additional ones, were retrospectively recognised as Test matches and also, thereby, as first-class matches. The term "first-class cricket"
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