James Lillywhite — First England Test Captain and Tour Promoter, 1877

Lillywhite came from a famous Sussex cricket family. His uncle William Lillywhite was the great roundarm bowler of the 1830s; his cousin John published the cricket annual that became Wisden's main competitor in the 1870s.

The Australian XI's challenge was accepted at short notice. Lillywhite chose his eleven from a touring party of twelve, leaving out Henry Charlwood from the rematch only.

Lillywhite was 35, a left-arm slow-medium bowler from Westhampnett, Sussex, and the cousin of John Lillywhite the cricket publisher. He had organised the 1876-77 tour as a private commercial venture, recruiting eleven professionals from northern and southern English counties. The party travelled by P&O steamer, played fifteen-a-side fixtures around Australia and New Zealand, and arrived in Melbourne in March 1877 expecting another colonial fixture. The eleven-a-side challenge from the Australian XI was accepted partly because the gate was guaranteed. Lillywhite top-scored with 10 in England's second innings of 108. As captain he was outmanoeuvred by Gregory's bowling changes and lost the match. He won the rematch in early April but lost his strongest professional, Pooley, to the Christchurch jail incident. Lillywhite played only two Tests — both in 1877 — and finished his career as a publisher of cricket annuals and tour promoter.

“Lillywhite was the steadiest of bowlers and the soundest of judges.”

Lillywhite returned to England having lost money on the tour but having helped invent international Test cricket. He partnered with Alfred Shaw and Arthur Shrewsbury in promoting subsequent tours, including the 1881-82 trip. He published Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual until 1900.