122 Facts About Archie MacLaren

Archibald Campbell MacLaren was an English cricketer who captained the England cricket team at various times between 1898 and 1909.

An amateur, Archie MacLaren played first-class cricket for Lancashire, captaining that county for most of his career.

Archie MacLaren was a deep thinker on the game and critics believed him to be tactically advanced, but his pessimism, clashes with the selectors and inability to get the best out of his players led most commentators to rate him a poor leader.

Archie MacLaren first captained England in 1898 as a stand-in, but became captain in his own right in 1899.

Archie MacLaren was involved in controversies throughout all three defeats, and was replaced as captain in 1905, although he remained in the team.

Archie MacLaren had many jobs as he attempted to find ways to support his cricket, family and lifestyle.

Archie MacLaren was born on 1 December 1871 in Whalley Range, a fairly prosperous district of Manchester, the second of seven sons to James Archie MacLaren and Emily Carver.

Archie MacLaren was selected for the school's cricket team, scored his first century, and was the captain by his final year.

From Elstree, Archie MacLaren went to Harrow School in 1886 where he joined James; Geoffrey, their younger brother, followed them but financial difficulties prevented any other family members attending the school.

Archie MacLaren had little success in intra-school cricket during his first year there but in 1887, success in trial games resulted in his promotion to the school first eleven.

Archie MacLaren came top of the school batting averages for the 1887 season.

Archie MacLaren played football successfully: he captained his House team and played in the school first eleven in 1888 and 1889 before a knee injury forced him to miss the 1890 season.

Unlike many of his fellow amateur cricketers in this period, Archie MacLaren did not attend Oxford or Cambridge Universities, where he would have played a high level of cricket; his father could not afford to send him or his brothers there.

On leaving Harrow, Archie MacLaren found employment with the Manchester and Liverpool District Bank.

When he did play for Lancashire, Archie MacLaren was moderately successful.

Archie MacLaren led the county's batting averages in 1892 and in total scored 548 runs at 27.40.

Archie MacLaren scored consistently in 1893, totalling 831 runs at 25.18, had success in the high-profile match against Yorkshire, and led the team in the absence of the regular captain.

Archie MacLaren scored 66, sharing an opening partnership of 121 in 80 minutes with his county colleague Albert Ward.

Wisden Cricketers' Almanack observed that Archie MacLaren was young for the position, and largely unproven in cricket, but it supported the decision.

Archie MacLaren finished sixth in the Lancashire averages, and in total scored 1,105 runs at 25.69, but his batting had made little progress since his debut.

England won the next game, although Archie MacLaren was caught from the opening delivery of the match, the first time anyone had been dismissed by the first ball of a Test.

Archie MacLaren had little personal success, and averaged only 12.50 in the series after four games.

Archie MacLaren scored 240 runs at 26.67 in the Test series, finishing fourth in the English averages.

Archie MacLaren performed more effectively in the lesser matches, and following some final tour fixtures, he totalled 803 runs at 47.23 in all first-class games.

Archie MacLaren returned home via Japan, missing the start of the 1895 cricket season.

Archie MacLaren batted for 470 minutes in total and hit 62 fours and a six.

Archie MacLaren ended 1895 top of the national batting averages with 1,229 runs at 51.20.

Archie MacLaren was elected a life member of Lancashire in recognition of his achievements.

Archie MacLaren was dismissed by the first ball he faced in the first innings, and scored 15 runs in the second as England were defeated.

Archie MacLaren batted effectively for the rest of the season, finishing with 713 runs for Lancashire at 54.85.

Archie MacLaren's teaching duties meant that in 1897 he again missed the start of the cricket season, and he felt it necessary to resign as Lancashire's captain.

Archie MacLaren scored 109 in the first innings, batting more cautiously than usual, and 50 not out in the second as England won by nine wickets.

Archie MacLaren's captaincy proved controversial when he refused to recall the Australian batsman Charlie McLeod to the wickets after he was dismissed; McLeod was out to a no-ball but, being deaf, did not hear the umpire's call and was run out when he left his crease.

Australia won by an innings, and Archie MacLaren was criticised in the Australian press for complaining about the pitch.

Archie MacLaren scored 124 in the third game, but was mocked in the press after the fourth when he claimed that a fly in his eye caused him to be dismissed.

Archie MacLaren scored 65 in the first innings but could not prevent Australia winning again.

Archie MacLaren played little cricket in 1898, initially owing to his teaching commitments and the need to establish himself and his wife in a new home.

Archie MacLaren played nine first-class games, scoring 478 runs at 29.87, before his season was ended by neuralgia.

That summer, the Australians toured England and the first Test took place before Archie MacLaren had played any cricket.

Archie MacLaren batted for around 150 minutes to score 88 not out.

In late 1899, Archie MacLaren joined a private cricket tour of America and Canada organised by the cricket-playing Indian prince Ranjitsinhji.

Archie MacLaren ended the 1900 season with 1,554 runs at 36.13.

At a meeting of county captains in December, Archie MacLaren was the only representative to defend the legality of Mold's bowling action, and in 1901, Mold was again no-balled and his career was effectively over.

Archie MacLaren struggled with injury in 1901, and his batting form suffered.

Archie MacLaren frequently dropped low in the batting order, and it was late in the season before he began to score runs regularly.

Archie MacLaren's captaincy was criticised after some tactical decisions which were either unconventional or unsuccessful, and he clashed with the Lancashire committee over the poor state of Old Trafford's pitch.

Sydney Barnes was chosen by Archie MacLaren after playing only a handful of county matches.

Archie MacLaren clashed with authorities in Melbourne over his right to choose an umpire, but he began to bat well at Sydney, where he scored 145 and 73 in a tour match.

Barnes bowled with great success; Colin Blythe and Len Braund, like Barnes chosen by Archie MacLaren and making their Test debuts, performed effectively and England won by an innings.

Archie MacLaren severely overbowled Barnes, who took 13 wickets, in the second Test; the bowler was injured in the next game and took no further part on the tour.

Archie MacLaren scored 92 in the fourth Test, made centuries in the two first-class games played in between the Test matches, and finished top of the batting averages.

Journalists speculated that Archie MacLaren would join the Hampshire team as assistant secretary, as he lived in that county, or even move to Australia.

Lancashire selected a replacement captain, but when Archie MacLaren returned to England, he re-committed to the club, stating the visit to Australia had improved the health of his wife, and he was reappointed.

Archie MacLaren began the 1902 season well and, facing an Ashes series against Australia, began planning for the Tests; he arranged to receive reports on prospective players from both sides.

Archie MacLaren changed the batting order, asking Gilbert Jessop to open the batting.

Jessop scored fifty, and Archie MacLaren scored 63, but England lost by 143 runs.

Archie MacLaren favoured Jessop's inclusion but the selectors considered him unreliable.

Archie MacLaren was angry with Hawke, and when it rained before the match, included Tate in the final eleven at the expense of George Hirst, a leading all-rounder.

Archie MacLaren was criticised for allowing Australia to score so quickly, but claimed that his carefully planned strategy was rendered obsolete when Trumper began to strike the ball out of the ground.

Archie MacLaren received criticism for this, as Tate was unaccustomed to fielding on the boundary.

Archie MacLaren opened the batting, having batted at number four in the first innings, and tried to score quickly, but was caught from a big hit.

Gibson suggests that the implication that only Archie MacLaren could have guided England to victory must have had a demoralising effect on the remaining batsmen, and speculates that he felt guilty over the composition of a team that looked likely to lose.

Archie MacLaren believed that the choices of the selectors had made it impossible to win, and continued to write about the series for many years.

Archie MacLaren finished the series with 198 runs at 28.28, and ended the season with 1,254 first-class runs at 32.15.

Archie MacLaren took a new job with a wine merchant which allowed him to complete a full season in 1903.

Wet weather caused many difficult pitches for batting, and Archie MacLaren was often the only Lancashire batsman able to cope with the conditions.

Archie MacLaren ended the season with 1,886 runs at 42.86, and Lancashire finished fourth.

Newspaper rumours suggested that Lord Hawke played a part in this decision, and that Archie MacLaren's recent paid role for Lancashire counted against him.

In 1904, Archie MacLaren led Lancashire to victory in the County Championship, their only such success under his captaincy.

Archie MacLaren played several big innings, scoring at a rapid pace, as his team began the season with a string of victories.

Ranjitsinhji at the time was pursuing his claim to the throne of Nawanagar, and he remained in India when Archie MacLaren returned to England for the 1905 cricket season.

Archie MacLaren began the season well and played in the first Test.

Archie MacLaren attacked Cotter's bowling, and overcame the defensive bowling tactics used by Australia to slow down the game.

Archie MacLaren scored 140, his highest Test innings and only Test century in England.

Archie MacLaren scored 56 and 79 in the drawn second Test, but did not play in the third owing to injury.

Archie MacLaren played in the final two Tests but accomplished little.

Jackson later wrote that Archie MacLaren was an invaluable tactical aid during the series.

Archie MacLaren later clashed with committee members who were unhappy with his decision to use the money to buy a motor car.

Archie MacLaren missed most of Lancashire's matches in June and July 1906.

Archie MacLaren ended the 1906 season with 599 runs at 20.65.

Archie MacLaren resumed the captaincy of Lancashire, and made a good start with scores of 47 and 92 in his second match, but his form faded.

The incident provoked discussion in the press, but most critics agreed that Archie MacLaren was in the wrong.

Archie MacLaren subsequently scored his first century for two years, but he did little in the remainder of the season, at the end of which he again resigned the captaincy of Lancashire, conscious of his failing form and fitness.

Much of Archie MacLaren's time was now taken up working for Ranjitsinhji, who visited England between October 1907 and December 1908.

Archie MacLaren played just nine matches in 1908; Lancashire were eager for him to play, but he had little impact.

Archie MacLaren was involved in several cases which resulted in either legal action or complaint to the India Office.

Archie MacLaren had a house close to Ranjitsinhji's residence, and claimed in court that Ranjitsinhji rented the house on his behalf, and, as a ruling prince, could not be prosecuted.

Jackson was first choice to lead the England team, but when he was unavailable, Archie MacLaren was appointed captain, to the approval of critics and the public.

Archie MacLaren began the season well for Lancashire, and as Australia struggled in their early tour matches, England began the Tests as favourites to win.

England lost the game; Archie MacLaren's reputation suffered and commentators began to blame him for the defeat.

Archie MacLaren offered his resignation, but the selectors retained him as captain and restored some of the players omitted from the second Test.

Archie MacLaren tried to excuse his position, suggesting in the press that he knew the team would struggle and played "in spite of my personal wishes".

Archie MacLaren implied that the team's selection was out of his hands.

Archie MacLaren was involved in another selection controversy when the fast bowler Claude Buckenham was left out of the England team at his instigation.

Archie MacLaren ended the season with 613 runs at 19.77.

Archie MacLaren played regularly for Lancashire at the start of 1910, but his poor form continued until midway through the season, when he scored centuries in successive matches.

Archie MacLaren played once more for Lancashire and once for the "Gentlemen of England" before withdrawing from first-class cricket for the season, in which he scored 345 runs at 26.53.

Archie MacLaren played for the team of the businessman Lionel Robinson, including some first-class games, over the following seasons.

Archie MacLaren appeared in one county match, without success, although he continued to play in other first-class games for the MCC and other teams.

Pentelow was the owner of The World of Cricket, a cricket magazine, and in 1914 Archie MacLaren joined him in an attempt to improve its circulation.

Archie MacLaren was officially known as the editor of the publication and Pentelow his assistant, but the latter did most of the work.

Archie MacLaren was promoted to captain before leaving the Army on health grounds.

Archie MacLaren advised Robinson on the best way to prepare cricket pitches and to organise matches which might bring about Robinson's greater acceptance in society.

Archie MacLaren was dismissed by critics when he claimed that he could beat the Australian team; prior to the game, the Australians were undefeated on the tour and had won 22 of their 36 games.

Archie MacLaren planned meticulously for the match; he chose an all-amateur team, selecting spin bowlers noted for their reliability and excellent fielders.

Archie MacLaren was unpopular with some players and clashed frequently with the Lancashire committee.

Archie MacLaren was chosen to captain the latter team on account of his experience and his success with young cricketers during his win over the Australians in 1921.

Archie MacLaren was given a good reception by the crowds when he played and press reports praised his tactical awareness.

Archie MacLaren ended his first-class career with 22,236 runs at an average of 34.15.

Archie MacLaren queried the first-class status of Bill Ponsford's record innings of 429, scored against Tasmania.

Archie MacLaren supplemented his wife's income through working as a journalist and a coach.

Shortly before the Second World War, Archie MacLaren's wife inherited a large sum of money which enabled them to live in comfort.

Around this time, on a visit to America, MacLaren made a brief appearance in the Hollywood film The Four Feathers, which starred his friend, former cricketer C Aubrey Smith.

Archie MacLaren was hurt in a car crash and then contracted cancer.

Archie MacLaren died on 17 November 1944, aged 72; his wife died a few months later.

Archie MacLaren always tried to seize the initiative in a game.

Archie MacLaren scored runs quickly, mainly through his ability to score from good length balls.

Archie MacLaren liked to alter the batting order, a tactic which often divides critics, although it frequently succeeded for MacLaren.

Archie MacLaren encountered many difficulties over selection; he often promoted cricketers whom he considered to show potential and consequently railed against committees which did not provide him with the players he wanted.

Down suggests that Archie MacLaren was usually correct, being more experienced and a better judge than most of those who chose the teams.

Apart from his own failings, Archie MacLaren had a reputation as an unlucky captain, both in terms of losing important players to injury and illness before vital games, and in the frequency with which he lost the toss before a match.

Gibson accepts that Archie MacLaren was tactically a good captain, but observes that in his 12 seasons as leader of a strong Lancashire team, he only once won the County Championship.