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A G Steel

Allan Gibson "AG" Steel (registered at birth as Alan Gibson Steel) (born 24 September 1858 in Liverpool, died 15 June 1914 in London) was a Lancashire and England cricketer, who was reckoned by some in his day to be the equal of the legendary W G Grace.

His was a stalwart in the Cambridge University side. According to HS Altham, "it was unquestionably A.G. Steel's bowling that made the difference between a good and a great eleven".

Steel, who was known by his initials, captained England on four occasions, winning three times and losing once. His highest Test score of 148 was the first Test match century scored at Lord's. He was president of the Marylebone Cricket Club for 1902.

Three of his brothers Ernest, Douglas and Harold, also played first-class cricket for Lancashire, and his son Allan Ivo Steel played a handful of first-class matches for MCC and Middlesex.

Steel took part in the original Ashes match and is commemorated by the poem inscribed on the side of the urn:

When Ivo goes back with the urn, the urn;

Studds, Steel, Read and Tylecote return, return;

The welkin will ring loud,

The great crowd will feel proud,

Seeing Barlow and Bates with the urn, the urn;

And the rest coming home with the urn.

References

• Cricinfo page on A G Steel
• CricketArchive page on A G Steel

See also

• History of Test cricket (to 1883)
• Test matches in the 19th century (1884 to 1889)