Catalogue for the auction of
Cricket, Wisden Cricketers’ Almanacks,
Football & Sporting Memorabilia

Frank Carroll Cobden. Harrow, Cambridge University & M.C.C. 1870-1872. Very early cricket ball stamped in gilt with the inscription:- ‘Presented by an Old Harrow Captain to F.C. Cobden Esq for his admirable bowling in the Harrow v Eton match at Lord’s July 13th and 14th 1866. Cobden was playing for Harrow in the traditional Eton v Harrow match of 1866 and having scored 29 runs batting at number ten out of a Harrow total of 302 all out, he then proceeded to take five wickets for 37 runs from 33 overs in Eton’s first innings and when Harrow followed on having made 124 helped to bowl them out for 42 in their second innings, Cobden taking three wickets for 10 runs off 22 overs. Harrow won the match by an innings and 136 runs. Cobden went on to even greater achievements when he took a famous hat-trick in the last over for Cambridge against Oxford in the Varsity match of 1870. This feat led to the 1870 match becoming known as ‘Cobden’s Match’. An historic cricket ball a most memorable and early Eton v Harrow match at Lord’s. The ball was presented to Cobden a few days after the match by I.D. Walker, the former Harrow Captain. Sold with full printed details of the match and confirmation that the ball was presented to Cobden. Some loss of the gilt inscription to ball otherwise in good condition