Dreamcricket has a post on the very first tour made by an English team to North America in 1859. This was the second international tour ever, the first being a 1844 between USA and Canada. This was even before the Ashes or the first tour of Australia. It is amazing how cricket has declined in both USA and Canada that you have to explain cricket in baseball terms for someone to understand the game.

A crowd of 3,000 roared their approval for the first match in Montreal between September 24-26, 1859. A crowd of several thousand spectators including 1,000 ladies witnessed the proceedings on the last day of the tour. Sporting tours became a way of life with this event.

The 1859 tour was the brainchild of Robert Waller and WP Pickering. Mr. Pickering had captained Eton before emigrating to Canada in 1852. He represented Canada in the USA vs Canada match of 1853.

The article has an amazing scorecard between the English and the Americans. The latter fielded 22 (Twenty-Two) members against the standard 11 of the English team. And they still lost by an innings and 64 runs! The second match was not too bad, the Twenty-Two losing by “just” 7 wickets. You can also see some strange bowling figures with one English bowler taking 16 wickets in a single innings.