The Authors XI played the Wisden XI in Vincent Square yesterday to mark the 150th anniversary of the cricketers’ almanack.
Jeffrey Archer, often an auctioneer at charity events, was an umpire — to ensure unfair play.
In a warm-up match in Victorian dress, Lord Archer declared the first ball, delivered underarm, a wide and then he gave a batsman out LBW. “Absolutely disgraceful,” protested Authors skipper Charlie Campbell.
“Of course he wasn’t out but we needed to speed things up,” Archer told me afterwards.
The authors’ team included Sebastian Faulks and William Fiennes and ex-England cricketer Ed Smith. England women’s cricketer Claire Taylor played for Wisden. The main game was rained off after Wisden scored 170. Just as well, perhaps, or else Archer might have found himself embroiled in another scandal.
