Cricket - the Philadelphia story . UK tour of 1903

In 1903, the Philadelphians undertook their second first-class tour of the UK. After securing just two victories on their 1897 tour, they were hoping for a marked improvement. Once again, some of their first-choice players were unable to take a three-month unpaid sabbatical from work, but a team of fifteen was finally settled upon. Fifteen first-class fixtures against the MCC, Oxford and Cambridge Universities, the strongest English counties and an amateur select XI captained by Plum Warner were arranged. It soon became clear that Philadelphia had made enormous strides since its first trip seven years previously. By the end of the tour, many were wondering whether Philadelphia should be afforded the honour of Test status and thus join England, Australia and South Africa in that unique club.