Cricket was played at Dartmouth in 1793 and Yale in 1818. Harvard, Ohio Wesleyan and Fordham began playing cricket in the 1830s and U Penn in 1842.

Cricket was played at Dartmouth in 1793 and Yale in 1818. Harvard, Ohio Wesleyan and Fordham began playing cricket in the 1830s and U Penn in 1842. While most of the cricket at the college level was intramural, there was some intercollegiate cricket beginning 1864, when U Penn played and lost to Haverford College by a margin of 29 runs. This first collegiate cricket encounter is generally regarded the second oldest intercollegiate competition after the Harvard-Yale Boat Race of 1852.

1895: College cricket goes international

Internationally, cricket exchanges at college level were simply non-existent for any sport. If there was one thing that cricket was not shy of, that was creating history. In 1895, the USA College XI team composed of students from Harvard, Haverford, and UPenn played against Canada College XI in the first international inter-university match organized by the Intercollegiate Cricket Association - an association that had Harvard, Haverford and UPenn as its members. Yale too had been part of this Association but had disbanded its team after "it could not stand being beaten by Harvard." (Source: New York Times Jan. 21, 1895)

The Canadian team comprised all colleges in that country and the team's members were selected by the Ontario Cricket Association. However, the Canadian team almost entirely comprised Trinity and Toronto universities.

The thirteen players representing USA were AH Brockie, S Goodman, JN Henry, CG Guest and W Thayer of the University of Pennsylvania; PH Clark, EH Pool and H Richardson of Harvard; JA Lester, GH Lippincott, DH Adams, AP Norris and CR Hinchman of Haverford.

Haverford was now the leader in cricket and it contributed the great John Ashby Lester whose average for 1894 was 62 and took quite a few wickets as well and AP Norris the Haverford bowler who had been averaging 5 runs per wicket.

By September 1895, collegiate cricket got an even bigger boost when a combined team from Oxford and Cambridge led by Frank Mitchell toured USA. For Frank Mitchell, who also represented England in their first tour of South Africa, this was the first of three American tours.

In Philadelphia, the men from Oxford and Cambridge, then the meccas of cricket, were defeated by U Penn in the first match and by Gentlemen of Philadelphia in the last match.

First Match - 13 Sept. 1895: Oxford-Cambridge versus U Penn

After a eight wicket victory over All New York and a very close draw versus Canada in Toronto, Frank Mitchell's Oxford-Cambridge XI proceeded to Philadelphia.

In their first match in Philadelphia, against alumni and students of U Penn, U Penn defeated the Oxford-Cambridge team by a margin of one hundred runs after George S Patterson got a career-best bowling analysis of 5 for 96 in the first innings and then bettered his own record with a 5 for 22 in the second innings. [Scorecard below]

Second Match - 20 Sept. 1895: Oxford-Cambridge versus Gentlemen of Philadelphia

A huge crowd watched the match between Oxford-Cambridge combined team and the Gentlemen of Philadelphia played at Manheim at the Germantown Cricket Club's ground.

In one of the most exciting finishes ever witnessed in America at that point, the visiting English scored a hard fought victory by just 2 wickets.

The match did not start until noon after some heavy rolling was ordered by the Philadelphia captain. Captain Mitchell and VT Hill opened the innings in good style hitting two boundaries in the very first over by Patterson. The second over too produced 10 runs. It was only when the captain attempted a huge six that this partnership was broken with an excellent catch on the ropes near the clubhouse by Bohlen. Score was 32 for 1.

With Hill getting out on 22, Milligan became cautious in his play and he and Druce took the score to 71 before Milligan was bowled by Patterson. Phillips then joined Druce and the two batted until lunch was called. Druce was on 24 and Phillips on 12.

>
CEM Wilson came in Phillips place on 109 and was content to support Druce who was scoring steadily. Druce was on 57 when he gave an easy catch to Brockie at mid-off of King's bowling.

W McG Hemmingway was next and he looked like he was going to settle down but was caught brilliantly by Bohlen when on 20. With six wickets gone and 71 runs yet to be scored, Philadelphians had a spring in their feet and things began to look up.

Arkwright came in and played with great caution. He scored 35 in a gritty performance that sapped the bowlers. When he left, the match was as good as won.

With FA Phillips playing like a wall on the other end, there was no need to panic. JJ Robinson quickly made 13 runs and tied the score. He then gave a brilliant catch to Altemos. Lowe was the next man in and hit a boundary to the Ladies' Clubhouse bringing in the English victory.

Had Druce been caught when he gave a chance to Bally at third man, the story might have ended differently for the Philadelphians who fell short by two wickets.

JB "Bart" King got 7 for 55 in the first innings which was his best bowling analysis until that point. [Scorecard below]

Third Match - 27 Sept. 1895: Oxford-Cambridge versus Gentlemen of Philadelphia

The third match was played at Merion Cricket Club in Haverford between 27th and 30th September. Frank Mitchell won the toss and decided to bat, and despite King's 5 for 47, the visitors posted a respectable 198. Philadelphia's first innings commenced during the last session and openers Bohlen and Patterson were in superb nick scoring 52 and 32 respectively for 98 for no loss. The score climbed to a mammoth 404 on the second day, with Bohlen making a century (114) and Patterson and Noble helping themselves to half-centuries (74 and 57 respectively).

WIth over a day remaining, with Philadelphia's JB King in devastating form, and a huge deficit staring them in their face, it was just a matter of time before Mitchell XI caved. JB King took six wickets for 61 and Mitchell XI were all gone for 167 giving Philadelphia a victory by a whopping inning and 39 runs.

The 1895 international cricket matches were so successful that in 1896, Haverford sent the first American undergraduate XI to England.

Match 1: Oxford/Cambridge XI vs University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Cricket Club Ground on 13th, 14th, 16th September 1895 (3-day match)

Oxford/Cambridge F Mitchell's XI first innings

*F Mitchell c Brockie b Brown 58
VT Hill c Noble b EW Clark 46
WM Hemingway c Brown b Patterson 36
RA Studd b Patterson 18
FA Phillips c Ralston b Patterson 31
CEM Wilson c Ralston b Patterson 31
FW Milligan b EW Clark 6
+CD Robinson b EW Clark 12
HA Arkwright c Thayer b EW Clark 16
WW Lowe b Patterson 0
JC Hartley not out 12
Extras (14 b, 1 lb, 1 nb, 2 w) 18
Total (all out, 99.1 overs) 284

Fall of wickets:
1-89, 2-140, 3-167, 4-175, 5-215, 6-230, 7-252, 8-260, 9-260, 10-284 (99.1 ov)

University of Pennsylvania Past and Present

Patterson 47 10 96 5
EW Clark 21.1 8 61 4
Goodman 11 2 38 0
Noble 9 0 24 0
Brown 11 0 47 1

University of Pennsylvania Past and Present first innings

*W Brockie run out 0
HC Thayer c Lowe b Hartley 16
EW Clark c Wilson b Hartley 3
JS Clark c Robinson b Lowe 4
GS Patterson st Robinson b Hartley 23
HC Coates c Mitchell b Hartley 7
FH Bohlen c Arkwright b Lowe 2
WW Noble not out 33
+FW Ralston c Robinson b Wilson 26
HI Brown c Hill b Wilson 16
S Goodman c Mitchell b Milligan 5
Extras (2 b, 1 nb) 3
Total (all out, 55.2 overs) 138

Fall of wickets:
1-3, 2-6, 3-24, 4-24, 5-42, 6-45, 7-64, 8-113, 9-133, 10-138 (55.2 ov)

Oxford/Cambridge F Mitchell's XI bowling

Lowe 20 10 34 2
Hartley 21 4 60 4
Milligan 8.2 2 25 1
Wilson 6 0 16 2

University of Pennsylvania Past and Present second innings

WW Noble c Hartley b Hill 62
GS Patterson c Robinson b Arkwright 63
HC Coates c Hemingway b Lowe 63
FH Bohlen c Robinson b Hill 4
+FW Ralston c Hemingway b Hartley 14
EW Clark c Hill b Wilson 0
HI Brown c Robinson b Wilson 8
*W Brockie not out 41
HC Thayer b Mitchell 15
S Goodman b Hartley 5
JS Clark b Milligan 0
Extras (24 b, 2 lb, 3 nb, 3 w) 32
Total (all out, 99.4 overs) 307

Fall of wickets:
1-130, 2-134, 3-144, 4-193, 5-193, 6-239, 7-243, 8-283, 9-304, 10-307 (99.4 ov)

Oxford/Cambridge F Mitchell's XI bowling

Lowe 10 2 36 1
Hartley 28 5 81 2
Milligan 11.4 2 41 1
Wilson 20 9 38 2
Mitchell 4 2 6 1
Arkwright 18 6 37 1
Hill 8 1 36 2

Oxford/Cambridge F Mitchell's XI second innings

*F Mitchell c Goodman b Patterson 1
VT Hill c Ralston b Patterson 13
WM Hemingway b Patterson 11
RA Studd c Ralston b EW Clark 0
FA Phillips b Patterson 2
CEM Wilson b EW Clark 2
FW Milligan b EW Clark 0
+CD Robinson c Noble b EW Clark 25
HA Arkwright run out 1
WW Lowe c EW Clark b Patterson 2
JC Hartley not out 2
Extras (1 b, 1 lb) 2
Total (all out, 30 overs) 61

Fall of wickets:
1-4, 2-24, 3-27, 4-27, 5-31, 6-31, 7-31, 8-32, 9-37, 10-61 (30 ov)

University of Pennsylvania Past and Present

Patterson 15 7 22 5
EW Clark 15 2 37 4

Match 2: Gentlemen of Philadelphia vs Oxford/Cambridge XI, Germantown Cricket Club Ground, Manheim, Philadelphia on 20th, 21st, 23rd September 1895 (3-day match)

Gentlemen of Philadelphia first innings

GS Patterson not out 109
WW Noble b Hartley 5
AM Wood c Druce b Milligan 3
HC Coates b Milligan 2
FH Bohlen b Hartley 1
EW Clark lbw b Arkwright 6
+FW Ralston b Wilson 53
*W Brockie c Druce b Milligan 10
FL Altemus b Milligan 0
JB King lbw b Milligan 12
HP Baily b Milligan 13
Extras (14 b, 3 lb, 1 nb, 2 w) 20
Total (all out, 84.4 overs) 234

Fall of wickets:
1-6, 2-14, 3-24, 4-27, 5-61, 6-154, 7-184, 8-188, 9-210, 10-234 (84.4 ov)

Oxford/Cambridge F Mitchell's XI bowling

Milligan 32.4 12 71 6
Hartley 33 4 75 2
Lowe 6 1 19 0
Arkwright 7 1 18 1
Hill 2 0 16 0
Wilson 4 1 15 1

Oxford/Cambridge F Mitchell's XI first innings

VT Hill c Noble b Baily 41
*F Mitchell b King 3
WM Hemingway b Baily 20
NF Druce b King 30
CEM Wilson c Wood b Baily 11
FA Phillips b King 2
FW Milligan c Coates b King 14
+CD Robinson c Noble b King 3
HA Arkwright not out 9
WW Lowe c Wood b King 8
JC Hartley b King 0
Extras (12 b, 1 lb, 1 nb, 1 w) 15
Total (all out, 52.3 overs) 156

Fall of wickets:
1-6, 2-54, 3-89, 4-110, 5-112, 6-125, 7-130, 8-139, 9-156, 10-156 (52.3 ov)

Gentlemen of Philadelphia bowling

Patterson 5 0 12 0
King 25.3 9 55 7
Baily 22 7 74 3

Gentlemen of Philadelphia second innings

GS Patterson b Lowe 67
WW Noble b Milligan 14
AM Wood b Milligan 8
HC Coates c sub b Milligan 0
FH Bohlen b Lowe 5
EW Clark b Lowe 0
+FW Ralston b Lowe 9
FL Altemus c Hartley b Milligan 2
*W Brockie b Lowe 4
JB King not out 11
HP Baily b Lowe 2
Extras (15 b, 1 lb) 16
Total (all out, 63.3 overs) 138

Fall of wickets:
1-37, 2-63, 3-69, 4-88, 5-88, 6-104, 7-111, 8-115, 9-125, 10-138 (63.3 ov)

Oxford/Cambridge F Mitchell's XI bowling

Milligan 26 7 63 4
Hartley 11 1 19 0
Lowe 13.3 7 15 6
Arkwright 13 8 25 0

Oxford/Cambridge F Mitchell's XI second innings

VT Hill c Wood b Patterson 22
*F Mitchell c Bohlen b Patterson 12
FW Milligan b Patterson 20
NF Druce c Brockie b King 57
FA Phillips c Wood b Patterson 18
CEM Wilson not out 20
WM Hemingway c Bohlen b King 0
HA Arkwright c King b Baily 35
+CD Robinson c Altemus b Baily 13
WW Lowe not out 4
JC Hartley did not bat
Extras (16 b, 1 lb, 1 nb, 1 w) 19
Total (8 wickets, 85.4 overs) 220

Fall of wickets:
1-32, 2-42, 3-71, 4-109, 5-140, 6-146, 7-202, 8-216

Gentlemen of Philadelphia bowling

Patterson 28 5 67 4
King 38.4 14 80 2
Baily 9 3 26 2
Clark 10 2 28 0

Match 3: Oxford/Cambridge vs Gentlemen of Philadelphia, Merion Cricket Club Ground, Haverford on 27th, 28th, 30th September 1895 (3-day match)

Oxford/Cambridge F Mitchell's XI first innings

*+F Mitchell b Clark 18
VT Hill b Cregar 36
FW Milligan c Wood b King 43
NF Druce c Coates b King 26
FA Phillips c King b Patterson 4
CEM Wilson b King 3
WM Hemingway b Clark 23
HA Arkwright c Brockie b King 16
CD Robinson c Coates b King 10
WW Lowe c Baily b Clark 3
JC Hartley not out 0
Extras (15 b, 1 lb) 16
Total (all out, 70 overs) 198

Fall of wickets:
1-45, 2-66, 3-130, 4-141, 5-141, 6-145, 7-174, 8-195, 9-198, 10-198 (70 ov)

Gentlemen of Philadelphia bowling

Patterson 30 3 87 1
King 23 5 47 5
Clark 9 2 25 3
Baily 5 1 21 0
Cregar 3 1 2 1

Gentlemen of Philadelphia first innings

GS Patterson b Hartley 74
FH Bohlen run out 115
AM Wood st Mitchell b Hartley 5
WW Noble st Mitchell b Hartley 57
HC Coates c Hemingway b Lowe 22
+FW Ralston b Arkwright 14
EM Cregar b Wilson 35
JB King c Mitchell b Wilson 16
*W Brockie c Hartley b Wilson 6
EW Clark not out 12
HP Baily b Hartley 9
Extras (22 b, 7 lb, 1 nb, 9 w) 39
Total (all out, 119.3 overs) 404

Fall of wickets:
1-200, 2-218, 3-219, 4-252, 5-286, 6-336, 7-372, 8-375, 9-384, 10-404 (119.3 ov)

Oxford/Cambridge F Mitchell's XI bowling

Lowe 22 2 97 1
Hartley 37.3 6 115 4
Milligan 27 13 58 0
Arkwright 9 0 37 1
Hill 4 1 9 0
Mitchell 1 0 4 0
Wilson 19 6 45 3

Oxford/Cambridge F Mitchell's XI second innings

*+F Mitchell b King 5
VT Hill b King 29
FW Milligan b Clark 11
NF Druce c and b King 46
FA Phillips c Wood b Baily 13
CEM Wilson c Wood b Baily 4
WM Hemingway c Wood b Clark 31
HA Arkwright b King 6
CD Robinson c Noble b King 8
WW Lowe not out 0
JC Hartley b King 1
Extras (9 b, 1 lb, 1 nb, 2 w) 13
Total (all out, 54.3 overs) 167

Fall of wickets:
1-6, 2-27, 3-61, 4-99, 5-111, 6-124, 7-144, 8-166, 9-166, 10-167 (54.3 ov)

Gentlemen of Philadelphia bowling

King 25.3 5 61 6
Clark 20 5 62 2
Baily 9 1 31 2