in late august 1884, somerset county cricket club had just lost to kent to record their fourth loss in five matches during 1884. most of the team travelled from tunbridge wells, where that match had been played, to manchester to play the next day. they were due to be met in manchester by three members of the somerset team that had not been able to make it to kent; john challen, bill roe and herbert fowler. unfortunately for somerset, fowler was taken ill and had to withdraw from the match. newspaper reports on the first day's play either listed ten players, omitting fowler, or included him as 'absent'; no mention was made of stanley.