Archie MacLaren

Archie MacLaren

Archibald (Archie) Campbell MacLaren (1 December 1871 – 17 November 1944, Bracknell, Berkshire) as an English cricketer, who played for England and Lancashire. Born in Whalley Range, Manchester, MacLaren was a right-handed batsman and very occasional right-arm fast bowler. He attended Harrow prior to commencing a first class cricket career with Lancashire, and later England, which would run from 1890 until 1923. This included two stints as the national captain, between 1899 and 1902, and again in 1909.

Praised in his Wisden obituary as having "a brilliant game that made him splendid to watch from the ringside", MacLaren's 424 against Somerset in 1895 stood as a record high score for thirty years until overtaken by Don Bradman and Bill Ponsford. It is now the eighth highest score by a batsman in first-class cricket. Taking to coaching in later life, he was also outside of the sport a businessman and author.