in 1888, a summer as wet as 1887 had been dry, lohmann took full advantage of the dreadful pitches on which most matches were played, taking 209 wickets for only 10.90 each (including 143 in 14 county matches). in the three tests against australia, briggs, bobby peel and billy barnes did so well that lohmann had to do little bowling at the oval and old trafford. however, he took eight wickets at lord's and made his only test fifty at the oval. in 1889, lohmann again took over 200 wickets (115 for 1485 runs in purely county matches) and took nine wickets in an innings for the first time against sussex.