ID 381393
Lot 185 | Wisden
Estimate value
£ 12 000 – 18 000
Publisher's presentation copy of the fifth edition in hardback to Major R.M. Poore, one of the 'Five Cricketers of the Season'. Although not explicitly stated, this copy of Wisden is undoubtedly Poore's copy. It is accompanied by Henry Luff's letter dated 31 January 1900 stating, 'We are sending to C/o Lord Roberts', and the page references on the blank endpapers written in contemporary ink all refer to Poore. Born in 1866 in Dublin, Ireland, Poore was a cricketer and British army officer who, while serving in southern Africa during the Second Matabele War 1896-7, played in three Tests for the South African cricket team in 1896. Upon returning to England, he resumed his cricketing career, with 1899 becoming his annus mirabilis, hitting 1,399 runs (including seven hundreds) between 12 June and 12 August at an average of 116.58. Against Somerset he made 304 and with fellow Army officer Captain Wynyard shared in a stand of over 400 for the sixth wicket – still the highest for that wicket in county cricket. In 21 innings over the course of the entire season, Poore managed 1,551 runs at 91.23, a record average for an English season not broken until Don Bradman averaged 98.66 in 1930. Consequently Poore selected as one of the five Wisden 'Cricketers of the Season'. He returned to South Africa at the end of 1899 to serve in the Second Boer War under the Commander-in-Chief, Lord Roberts. Poore was mentioned in despatches by Roberts on 31 March 1900, and later received the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in 1901.
This 37th edition contains the third and final part of Gaston’s ‘Cricket Bibliography’. There is a full account of the tenth tour of England by the Australians under Joe Darling. Besides Poore, other 'Cricketers of the Season' on the photoplate are A.O. Jones and three Australians: Darling, M.A. Noble and C. Hill. However Ranji leads the batting averages becoming the first man to make 3,000 runs in a season.
Octavo (162 x 100mm). Mounted photographic plate, cxii, 506, [29]pp. (tips of ads at end lightly creased, a few minor and insignifcant spots confined to fore-edges of a few leaves towards end). Publisher's original hardback cloth, spine and front cover lettered in gilt, original printed yellow wrappers used as endpapers (front hinge repaired, adhesion and rubbing to front yellow endpapers with some loss of text, extremities lightly rubbed). Provenance: Henry Luff (letter signed in modern brown cloth case, dated '31/1/1900', and addressed 'Dear Sir', to:) – Major R.M. Poore (page references in ink in a contemporary hand on blank endleaves all referring to Poore in the text).
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