In English
cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...
since the first half of the 18th century, various ''ad hoc'' teams have been formed for short-term purposes which have been called England (or sometimes "All-England"; i.e., in the sense of "the rest of England") to play against, say,
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is a cricket club founded in 1787 and based since 1814 at Lord's Cricket Ground, which it owns, in St John's Wood, London. The club was formerly the governing body of cricket retaining considerable global influence ...
(MCC) or an individual
county team
A county is a geographic region within Gaelic games, controlled by a county board of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) and originally based on the 32 counties of Ireland as they were in 1884. While the administrative geography of Ireland has ...
. The key factor is that they were non-international and there is a significant difference between them and the official
England cricket team
The England cricket team represents England and Wales in international cricket. Since 1997, it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club (the MCC) since 1903. Engla ...
which takes part in international fixtures. Conceptually, there is evidence of this sort of team being formed, or at least mooted, since the 1730s. They have always been "occasional elevens" but, nevertheless, have invariably been strong sides. A typical example would be a selection consisting of leading players drawn from several county teams.
Origin of the name
The earliest known mention of the concept occurs in a report by the ''
London Evening Post
The ''London Evening Post'' was a pro- Jacobite Tory English language daily newspaper published in London, then the capital city of the Kingdom of Great Britain, from 1727 until 1797.Cranfield, G.A. (1963). "The ''London Evening Post'', 1727–17 ...
'' of 7 to 9 September 1734 which states that the
London Cricket Club
The original London Cricket Club was formed in 1722 and was one of the foremost clubs in English cricket over the next four decades, holding important match status. It is closely associated with the Artillery Ground, where it played most of it ...
, being "desirous of playing one more match before the season is expired, do challenge to play with any eleven men in England". The challenge excluded members of
Croydon Cricket Club
The original Croydon Cricket Club, based at Croydon (then part of Surrey), was prominent in the 18th century and played most of its matches at Duppas Hill. The earliest record of the club is in the 1707 season when it played two major matches aga ...
, with whom London were in dispute. It is possible that challenges of this sort had been issued previously but no records of them have been found. There had been matches involving, for example, a team representing one county against a team bearing a patron's name and it is possible that teams of the latter type included players from a wide geographical area. In the 1730s, "any eleven men in England" would in practice have come from the southeastern counties only: e.g., Berkshire, Essex, Hampshire, Kent, Middlesex, Surrey, Sussex.
The majority of such teams were simply labelled "England" and sometimes the term "all-England" was used loosely in a generic sense but, strictly speaking, the teams represented "the Rest of England". The "all England" term ''per se'' was first used in reports of two
Kent
Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...
v England matches in 1739. The first was at
Bromley Common
Bromley Common is the area of south-east London, within the London Borough of Bromley, Greater London. Prior to 1965 it was within the historic county of Kent. It lies south of Bromley town centre and Bickley, west of Southborough and Petts W ...
on Monday, 9 July, and billed as "eleven gentlemen of that county (i.e., Kent) and eleven gentlemen from any part of England, exclusive of Kent". Kent, described as "the unconquerable county", won by "a very few notches".
[Waghorn, pp. 22–23.] The second match was at the
Artillery Ground
The Artillery Ground in Finsbury is an open space originally set aside for archery and later known also as a cricket venue. Today it is used for military exercises, cricket, rugby and football matches. It belongs to the Honourable Artillery Co ...
in Bunhill Fields,
Finsbury
Finsbury is a district of Central London, forming the south-eastern part of the London Borough of Islington. It borders the City of London.
The Manor of Finsbury is first recorded as ''Vinisbir'' (1231) and means "manor of a man called Finn ...
on Monday, 23 July. This game was drawn and a report includes the phrase "eleven picked out of all (''sic'') England". Top-level cricket at that time, however, was limited to the southeastern counties.
Before these matches, there were instances of teams representing a number of counties. On Thursday, 28 August 1729, a match between
Edwin Stead
Edwin Stead (1701 – 28 August 1735) was a noted patron of English cricket, particularly of Kent county cricket teams, Kent teams in the 1720s. He usually captain (cricket), captained his teams but nothing is known about his ability as a playe ...
's XI and
Sir William Gage's XI was held at
Penshurst Park, near
Tunbridge Wells
Royal Tunbridge Wells is a town in Kent, England, southeast of central London. It lies close to the border with East Sussex on the northern edge of the Weald, High Weald, whose sandstone geology is exemplified by the rock formation High Roc ...
in
Kent
Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...
. The match had the alternative title of Kent (Stead) v Surrey, Sussex & Hampshire (Gage). It was 11-a-side and played for 100 guineas with some thousands watching. It seems to have been the first known innings victory as Gage "got (within three) in one hand, as the former did in two hands, so the Kentish men (i.e., Stead's team) threw it up". A contemporary report states that "(
Thomas Waymark
Thomas Waymark (probably born 17 June 1705) was an English professional cricketer in the first half of the 18th century. He is one of the earliest known players on record and is widely accounted the sport's first great all-rounder.
Cricket car ...
) turned the scale of victory, which for some years past has been generally on the Kentish side". Given a 1728 reference to the superiority of Kent in the 1720s, it would seem that only a team representing three other counties had the strength to compete against them.
Generic usage
After 1739, "England" (or "all-England") became a generic term used to denote numerous teams over the next two hundred years. They invariably have
important match status, depending on the quality and/or status of their opponents. Sometimes, the all-England teams were given names like "The Rest", which more accurately describes them ''vis-à-vis'' their opponents.
[CricketArchive – general matches played by "England" teams since 1739]
. Retrieved 9 January 2010.
. Retrieved 9 January 2010.
Retrieved 9 January 2010.
Retrieved 9 January 2010. ''CricketArchive'' (CA) lists 29 matches involving teams called England or The Rest between 1739 and 1778.
[ These are all important matches but only one, England v Kent in 1744, has a scorecard. The earliest important match that has been designated "first-class" by CA (i.e., coded F1) was between a Hampshire county team and one called England on ]Broadhalfpenny Down
Broadhalfpenny Down (pronounced /ˌbrɔ:dˈheɪpniː/; '' brawd-HAYP-nee'') is a historic cricket ground in Hambledon, Hampshire. It is known as the "Cradle of Cricket" because it was the home venue in the 18th century of the Hambledon Club, b ...
at Hambledon in Hampshire on 24 June 1772. CA lists all matches involving teams called England without differentiating between international and non-international, so it seems they assume the "England" team of 1772 to be a direct predecessor of the modern England Test team.[ Not helpfully, CA also uses the term "England XI" and has another list, starting in 1872, of matches played by this team which is currently understood to be the England national team when playing non-international matches on tour. CA's list of England XI matches begins five years before Test cricket started and most of the early matches are between a university team and what is loosely termed an England XI.][CricketArchive – first-class matches played by "England XI" teams since 1872]
Retrieved 4 January 2014.
William Clarke's All-England Eleven (the AEE)
The name "All-England" took on a specific meaning in 1846 when William Clarke's All-England Eleven
The All-England Eleven (AEE) was an itinerant all-professional first-class cricket team created in 1846 by Nottinghamshire cricketer William Clarke. Widely known by its acronym AEE, it took advantage of opportunities offered by the newly deve ...
, commonly known as the AEE, was founded as a touring team of leading players, its purpose being to take advantage of the new railway network and play matches at city venues, mainly in the North of England. Clarke
Clarke is a surname which means "clerk". The surname is of English and Irish origin and comes from the Latin . Variants include Clerk and Clark. Clarke is also uncommonly chosen as a given name.
Irish surname origin
Clarke is a popular surname i ...
's team was indeed a top-class side worthy of its title as, in 1846, it consisted of himself, Joe Guy (cricketer)
Joseph Guy (30 July 1813 – 15 April 1873) was an English professional cricketer who played first-class cricket from 1837 to 1854.
A right-handed batsman and occasional wicket-keeper who was mainly associated with Nottinghamshire, he made 149 ...
, George Parr (all of Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire (; abbreviated Notts.) is a landlocked county in the East Midlands region of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west. The traditi ...
), William Lillywhite
Frederick William Lillywhite (13 June 1792 – 21 August 1854) was an English first-class cricketer during the game's roundarm era. One of the main protagonists in the legalisation of roundarm, he was one of the most successful bowlers of his ...
, Jemmy Dean
James "Jemmy" Dean (4 January 1816 – 25 December 1881) was an English first-class cricketer with professional status. Mainly associated with Sussex, he is recorded in 305 matches from 1835 to 1861 which are designated first-class by ''Crick ...
(both Sussex
Sussex (), from the Old English (), is a historic county in South East England that was formerly an independent medieval Anglo-Saxon kingdom. It is bounded to the west by Hampshire, north by Surrey, northeast by Kent, south by the English ...
), William Denison
Sir William Thomas Denison (3 May 1804 – 19 January 1871) was Lieutenant Governor of Van Diemen's Land from 1847 to 1855, Governor of New South Wales from 1855 to 1861, and Governor of Madras from 1861 to 1866.
According to Percival Se ...
, Will Martingell
William Martingell (20 August 1818 – 29 September 1897), also known as Will Martingell, was an English professional cricketer who played first-class cricket between 1839 and 1860. He played primarily for Kent County Cricket Club and Surrey Co ...
(both Surrey
Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...
), Fuller Pilch
Fuller Pilch (17 March 1804 – 1 May 1870) was an English first-class cricketer, active from 1820 to 1854. He was a right-handed batsman who bowled at a slow pace with a roundarm action. Pilch played in a total of 229 first-class matches for a ...
, Alfred Mynn
Alfred Mynn (19 January 1807 – 1 November 1861) was an English first-class cricketer during the game's "Roundarm Era". He was a genuine all-rounder, being both an attacking right-handed batsman and a formidable right arm fast bowler. Cricket w ...
, Nicholas Wanostrocht
Nicholas Wanostrocht (5 October 1804 – 3 September 1876), known as Nicholas Felix, was an English amateur "gentleman" cricketer. He was one of the few players who – at his request – was routinely known by his pseudonym, Felix. When his fa ...
(''aka'' "Felix") and William Hillyer
William Richard Hillyer (5 March 1813 – 8 January 1861), was a prominent 19th century English professional cricketer for Kent County Cricket Club, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and many other sides in the days before county and international ...
(all Kent
Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...
). Their matches in Sheffield
Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is Historic counties o ...
, Manchester
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
and Leeds
Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populati ...
were a huge success and very profitable, especially for Clarke himself who was careful to pay his players more than Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is a cricket club founded in 1787 and based since 1814 at Lord's Cricket Ground, which it owns, in St John's Wood, London. The club was formerly the governing body of cricket retaining considerable global influence ...
(MCC) did (from £4 to £6 per week) and so keep them interested. He kept the surplus for himself.
The AEE continued for several years to showcase the best players of the day. Subsequent additions to the squad included John Wisden
John Wisden (5 September 1826 – 5 April 1884) was an English cricketer who played 187 first-class cricket matches for three English county cricket teams, Kent, Middlesex and Sussex. His father, William, was a builder. He attended Brighton's ...
of Sussex, William Dorrinton
William Dorrinton (29 April 1809 – 8 November 1848) was an English first-class cricketer who played for Kent County Cricket Club, Kent, Hampshire County Cricket Club, Hampshire, Suffolk County Cricket Club, Suffolk and the Marylebone Cricket ...
of Kent, Tom Sewell senior and his son Tom Sewell junior
Thomas Sewell Jr (15 March 1830 – 13 June 1871) was an English professional cricketer whose known top-class career spanned the years 1851 to 1868. His father was Tom Sewell Sr.Carlaw D (2020) ''Kent County Cricketers A to Z. Part One: 1806–1 ...
of Surrey. Because of its strength the AEE generally played "odds" matches against sides composed of twenty-two men, though these odds were reduced when opposed to such sides as Sheffield Cricket Club
The Sheffield Cricket Club was founded in the 18th century and soon began to play a key role in the development of cricket in northern England. It was the direct forerunner of Yorkshire County Cricket Club and some of the teams fielded by Sheffi ...
, Manchester Cricket Club
Manchester Cricket Club was founded in 1816 and was a direct forerunner of Lancashire County Cricket Club which was founded in 1864. Manchester matches are classified with first-class cricket between 1844 and 1858, after which it was superseded by ...
and some county teams.
The AEE lasted until 1880. In all matches George Parr with 10,404 runs (av 16.78) was the leading batsman for the side and William Clarke himself took the most wickets (2,385).
United All-England Eleven (UEE)
In 1852, several players set up the United All-England Eleven
The United All-England Eleven (UEE) was an English cricket team formed in 1852 by players breaking away from William Clarke's All-England Eleven (AEE). Key UEE players included John Wisden and Jemmy Dean, who became joint secretaries of the team ...
(UEE) as a rival to the AEE. Clarke would have nothing to do with the UEE but he died in 1856 and, from 1857 to 1866, matches were played between these two teams which were perhaps the most important contests of the English season – certainly judged by the quality of the players.
The AEE/UEE concept expanded with the formation of other itinerant elevens, notably the United North of England Eleven
The United North of England Eleven (UNEE) was an itinerant cricket team founded in 1869 by George Freeman and Roger Iddison with the backing of Lord Londesborough who became the team's president.Bowen, p.273. As its name suggests, its purpose was ...
(UNEE) and the United South of England Eleven
The United South of England Eleven (USEE) was an itinerant cricket team founded in November 1864 by Edgar Willsher, as secretary, and John Lillywhite, as treasurer. The USEE had no home venue as its prime purpose, like all similarly named teams of ...
(USEE), the latter showcasing W. G. Grace
William Gilbert Grace (18 July 1848 – 23 October 1915) was an English amateur cricketer who was important in the development of the sport and is widely considered one of its greatest players. He played first-class cricket for a record-equal ...
.
The travelling elevens ran their course over a period of some thirty seasons but interest in them waned as county cricket
Inter-county cricket matches are known to have been played since the early 18th century, involving teams that are representative of the historic counties of England and Wales. Since the late 19th century, there have been two county championship ...
grew and provided matches with a more competitive edge. With the advent of international cricket in the 1870s, especially following the hugely successful inaugural Australian tour in 1878, the travelling elevens faded away.
Non-international England teams
Teams styled England and commonly referred to as all-England continued to play non-international matches into the 1880s but thereafter they tended to be given names such as The Rest because the England national team was by then well-established and understood to represent the country for the purpose of international cricket.
The earliest match involving a team styled "The Rest of England" took place at Bradford Park Avenue
Bradford (Park Avenue) Association Football Club is an association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The team compete in , at the sixth tier of the English football league system. The name derived from their former hom ...
in June 1883 when the opposition was a composite Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire
Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...
XI. The combined counties won by 6 wickets.CricketArchive – Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire v The Rest 1883
Retrieved on 9 January 2011.
In the 20th century, Test trial matches were occasionally staged (the last in 1976) and these were called England v The Rest, but it is generally understood that the England of these games was the national side while The Rest formed the "all-England" element.
References
Bibliography
*
{{English cricket teams in the 18th century
English cricket teams in the 18th century
English cricket in the 19th century
First-class cricket teams
*
fr:All-England Eleven