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Wisden

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£ 1 625
Auction dateClassic
30.07.2020 00:00UTC +01:00
Auctioneer
CHRISTIE'S
Event location
United Kingdom, London
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Archive
ID 381386
Lot 178 | Wisden
WISDEN – Cricketers' Almanack for 1884 [-1887]. London: John Wisden & Co., [1884-1887].

Twenty-first to twenty-fourth editions in original wrappers; an important sequence of Wisdens. The 21st edition is of special interest for including a full account of 'The Hon. Ivo Bligh's Twelve in Australia', while the 22nd contains a one-page obituary of John Wisden who died 5 April, 1884. Praising his likeable character and cricket achievements, not least the fact that 'during the time he was cricket tutor at Harrow the school team were never beaten by Eton', the obituary mentions his cricket outfitting business, established in 1855, and then, not altogether uncritically, to his Almanack: 'In 1864 he issued the first number of the "Cricketers' Almanack," a very primitive production consisting of scores only, but which, thanks to the enthusiasm of subsequent editors, has now been accorded the title of "the most accurate and authentic record of the game published."'

The 23rd edition for 1886 covers the first ever series of five Tests to take place in Australia, dedicating 43pp. to 'Shaw's Team in Australia, 1884-85', with England winning 3-2. In the Surrey v Sussex game, 29 June-1 July 1885, W.E. Roller scores 204 and also takes a hat-trick for Surrey, 'a unique achievement in cricket' (Rice and Renshaw). It also gives considerable space to the 1865 university match at Lord's, secured for Cambridge by H.W. Bainbridge's remarkable score of 101. 'The hits in Mr Bainbridge's long score included fourteen 4's, the majority of them well-placed off-drives. He did not give a chance, and his innings was in every way worthy to rank with those famous scores of three figures which belong to the history of the University matches.' It was only the ninth century in 51 matches between Oxford and Cambridge.

The 24th edition bemoans the failure of the Australian touring team – England won all three Tests – pinning some of the blame on a nasty injury to Spofforth's bowling hand attempting to stop a ball hit hard back to him by Lord Harris.

4 volumes, octavo (160 x 104mm), all bound in original wrappers. 1884: [2], 268, [18]pp. (a very clean copy; rebacked with portions of original spine laid down, wrappers faintly soiled, rear cover lightly creased); 1885: [2], 290, [20]pp. (short marginal tear at head of title; rebacked with portions of original spine laid down, wrappers faintly soiled); 1886: [2], 360, [22]pp. (a very clean copy; rebacked with portions of original spine laid down, wrappers faintly soiled); 1887: [2], 308, [18]pp. (front endpapers lightly soiled; spine defective and repaired at head and tail, but the vast majority of the original printed backstrip in good condition).
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