John Lillywhite

1826 - 1874

John Lillywhite (10 November 1826 - 27 October 1874) was an English cricketer and umpire during the roundarm era. A member of the famous Lillywhite cricketing family-his father William, brother Fred, and cousin James all played at high levels-he was also connected to the family sports outfitters, Lillywhites, established in 1863.
An all-rounder, Lillywhite batted right-handed and bowled right-arm roundarm, both slow and fast. Over a career spanning 1848-1873, primarily with Sussex and occasionally Middlesex, he scored 5,127 runs at 17.43, including two centuries, and took 223 wickets at an average of 11.56, with best figures of 8/54. He also claimed 94 catches. At the end of the 1859 season, he was among the 12 players on cricket's first overseas tour to North America, led by George Parr.
Lillywhite umpired 29 first-class matches between 1856 and 1873. Notably, on 26 August 1862, during an All-England Eleven v Surrey match at The Oval, he no-balled Edgar Willsher six times for overarm deliveries, prompting Willsher and teammates to abandon the match. The incident triggered debates that led to the legalization of overarm bowling in 1864.
He also competed in Cornish wrestling tournaments in the mid-1800s. Lillywhite died after a lingering illness at his home in Seymour Street, Euston Square, on 27 October 1874, aged 47, and was buried at Highgate Cemetery on 31 October.

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