Watch List notes:

The Challenge Tennis Prize 51mm diameter in silver awarded to A.J.Webbe 1888. The medal is inscribed CHALLENGE TENNIS PRIZE with MCC interlinked in the centre 58.57 grammes in silver, Good Fine with some surface residue. Unusual in the fact that in 1888 the Marylebone Cricket Club were in a brief period of control in overseeing changes to the laws of lawn tennis. This was later passed to the newly-formed Lawn Tennis Association in 1888. A.J Webbe was schooled at Harrow College, he went on the Trinity College Oxford where he got a Blue in his first year. He became a cricketer who played for Oxford University and Middlesex, Webbe played for the Gentlemen in the famous Gentlemen vs. Players match where he scored 65 of an opening partnership of 203 with the great W.G.Grace. Webbe first played for Middlesex in his first year at University, at the age of 20. Later going on to captain Middlesex at cricket from 1885-1898, then after retiring as a player, becoming secretary of the club from 1900 to 1922, then becoming President from 1923 to 1936. He also played one Test Match for England in 1879. In 1878-9 he was one of the amateurs who toured Australia with Lord Harris, who led a tour to Australia and played in the early matches between England and Australia prior to the first Ashes test in 1882. A.J.Webbes only Test match was played in 1879, the match was retrospectively awarded Test match status making it only the third Test match ever played. In this match he played against the legendary Australians Charles Bannerman, and fast bowler Fred 'The Demon' Spofforth who were later to feature in many of the early Ashes Test matches. The medal is a true piece of sporting history from a bygone age, and will appeal to collectors of University, Tennis, Cricket, and Historic Sporting Memorabilia. Comes with a copy of internet research showing the interesting links to top cricketers of the age.

Estimate: 200-400 GBP