Captain – George Parr
In 1857, Notts only played one match, namely against the sixteen of Sheffield on 22, 23 and 24 June at Bramall Lane. Cris Tinley top scored with 50 as Notts made 155, Sheffield replied with 92, John Jackson taking 10-48. George Parr was unbeaten on 32 as Notts made 67 second time around. Sheffield made a valiant effort, losing by nine runs, scoring 121 all out as Jackson took 9-57.
There were several comments in the press about lack of ‘county managers’ to run a county team at Trent Bridge.
The death of Trent Bridge founder William Clarke the previous year enabled the MCC to arrange the most popular match ever staged up to that year at Lord’s, namely the All England Eleven v United All England Eleven for the Cricketers’ Fund, which was set up that year to help professionals down on their luck.
Nearly 20,000 came to the ground over the first three days of June. The match put into the field the top 22 professionals of the day. Notts provided six of the 22 – Parr, James Grundy, Tinley, Alfred Clarke, John Bickley and Jackson. The AEE won by five wickets with Parr, unbeaten on 56 and 19, the most successful bat for his side and Jackson (8-85) the best bowler. A return match, also at Lord’s, gave the AEE, a second win and once again Parr made the highest score. Fred Lillywhite’s Guide for the season notes under Parr’s name: ‘if there is one player who can master a bowler, or bowlers, more than another it is this renowned bat’.
August 2020
Scorecard and stats can be seen here