From the appearance of the mysterious “Mr. Phillpotts” in a 19th century Manhattan Pub to the creation of the K.A. Auty Cup. This is everything about cricket’s oldest rivalry in history, including a comprehensive look at the Auty Cup through the years and the infamous “Robbery at Dusk.”
The Cricket Hoax That Made Sports History
In 1840, a man calling himself “Mr. Phillpotts” arrived in New York with a curious proposal. He invited the Manhattan-based gentlemen of St. George’s Cricket Club to travel north and play a match against the Toronto Cricket Club. The Americans, intrigued by the idea of an international challenge, packed their gear and made the long journey to Canada. There was just one small problem.
When the Americans arrived later that summer, the real secretary of the Toronto Cricket Club, George A. Phillpotts, greeted them with confusion. They’d never met each other before. The “Mr. Phillpotts” who extended the invitation down in New York was an imposter. And no one had any idea who he really was. But instead of the Americans packing up and heading home, they stayed.
Without time to prepare, their Canadian hosts somehow pulled together a local team. The Toronto club found last minute places for their surprise guests to crash and decided to play anyway. The public was invited. Even the Governor of Upper Canada came out to watch.
Both teams chipped in for a total of $250 and the winner would take it all. The visitors won that August 28 match by ten wickets. And just like that, the world’s first ever international cricket match (and cricket’s oldest rivalry) was born.
The Mystery of Mr. Phillpotts
Who was the elusive Mr. Phillpotts who orchestrated this cricketing caper? The real George A. Phillpotts was a respected figure in Canadian cricket. The Real Phillpotts was known for his skills as a wicketkeeper and later serving as president of the Toronto Cricket Club in 1849.
However, the man who invited the St. George’s Club to Toronto in 1840 was not George A. Phillpotts. He was an imposter. When the American team arrived, they discovered that the Toronto club had no knowledge of the match. As a matter of fact, the real Mr. Phillpotts – who was at the club when they arrived – did not extend any invitation.
Despite the confusion, the Canadians showcased their hospitality by organizing a match for their unexpected guests. And the true identity of the imposter Mr. Phillpotts remains a mystery to this day. Was it a prankster with a peculiar sense of humor, or perhaps a cricket enthusiast eager to see an international match come to fruition? Regardless, this curious incident set the stage for a historic sporting and cricket’s oldest rivalry between Canada and the United States.
Cricket’s Oldest Rivalry Receives a Cup (Much Later)
The impromptu match that started as a mix-up would go to become a tradition known as the K.A. Auty Cup decades later in 1963 after its namesake passes. Karl Andre Auty was a devoted cricket enthusiast whose passion for the sport stretched across continents and decades.
According to his obituary in a 1959 issue of Wisden, Auty was swinging a bat well into his late sixties. He still played in New England, British Columbia, and pretty much anywhere in North America until his death. And not only did K.A. Auty keep the sport alive, but in the 1930s he also ran a weekly newspaper called The British American. Auty even published a detailed annual journal covering the cricket scene in Chicago.
And just in case you were wondering what kind of man Karl Auty really was, Wisden made sure to mention that he was “celebrated for his Christmas cards.” No explanation given. Just “celebrated.” Those were some next-level holiday greetings.
The Man Behind the Trophy: Karl Andre Auty
Karl Andre Auty was born in Dewsbury, Yorkshire, England, in 1878. He pursued studies at the Sorbonne in Paris and Victoria University in Nottingham, showcasing his academic dedication. And in 1909, Auty moved to Vancouver, Canada to mark the beginning of his North American journey.
By 1915, Auty settled in Chicago, where he would leave a lasting impact on cricket. Auty worked for Commonwealth Edison Company, eventually becoming a senior sales representative before retiring in 1946. Beyond his engineering career, he was a passionate cricket enthusiast and advocate for the sport. He served as President of the Chicago Cricket Club and the Illinois Cricket Association for 25 years.
In the 1930s, Auty edited the Illinois Sports Review, focusing on cricket and rugby. He also published a cricket annual, documenting the sport’s developments in Illinois. Auty’s dedication helped sustain cricket’s presence in America during challenging times. Also, in the 1930s Auty donated a trophy for the annual USA and Canada match that sparked cricket’s oldest rivalry.
In 1963, the Auty Cup trophy and tournament was officially named in his honor, celebrating his contributions to cricket. Auty passed away in Chicago on November 30, 1959, leaving behind a legacy (and library) cherished by cricket enthusiasts.
The Cup That Couldn’t Keep a Schedule
The K.A. Auty Cup was supposed to be an annual tradition. Emphasis on supposed.
Despite the best intentions, it never quite stuck to the yearly plan. Life and cricket had other ideas. The first “official” match between the US and Canada happened in 1844, even though Auty himself wasn’t born until 1878.
This match, Canada came to the Big Apple and $1000 was up for grabs. A crowd of 20,000 came to watch (yes, 20,000 Americans watching cricket) for that first official international affair and the start of cricket’s oldest rivalry. Strangely enough, that 1844 sell-out match was actually rescheduled from a game that was supposed to happen in 1843.
The year before, the Canadian team arrived ready to play, but the American side was filled with a hodgepodge of players from random cities. The squad included players from New York, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., but it was not a proper team. So, Toronto turned around, went home, and waited until the next year. In 1844, St. George’s showed up with only actual club members and 20,000 fans. And the match was on.
A List of Cricket’s Oldest Rivalry Matches Throughout the Century
The last K.A. Auty Cup happened in 2017. The United States won the three-game series.
A 2018 match never came together, and a 2021 match was canceled due to Covid-19. Currently, there are no plans for a future K.A. Auty Cup match. However, below you can find highlights of every major encounter between teams USA and Canada.
Cricket’s Oldest Rivalry | Matches in the 19th Century
• August 28,1840: The St. George’s Cricket Club from Manhattan arrives at the invitation of a stranger called “Mr. Phillpotts” and defeats the Toronto Cricket Club by ten wickets in Canada.
• September 24-26, 1844: In the first recorded international cricket match, Canada defeated the United States by 23 runs in Manhattan, New York.
• July 30-31, 1845: Canada won this home series by 61 runs at McGill University in Montreal.
• August 27-28, 1846: This next match, taking place in Harlem, ended controversially when Canada forfeited after a dispute during their second innings. They walked off the field after scoring just 13 runs.
Cricket’s Oldest Rivalry | Matches in the 20th Century
• 1963: Four years after the death of K.A. Auty, the United States and Canada officially recognize the K.A. Auty Cup as the prize for their quasi-annual event.
• September 3-4, 1983: Canada wins at Woodley Park, in Los Angeles, by an innings and 28 runs. This same year, the K.A. Auty trophy was re-dedicated in Calgary by cricket officials Jack Kyle and Naseeruddin Khan.
• 1999: After a 6-year-long hiatus, the Auty Cup is announced to return in 2000 by USA Cricket CEO Parth Kadakia and Cricket Canada President Jack Tunney.
The 2000 K.A. Auty Cup
• July 19-23. 2000: The first test match between Canada vs United States at Quebec Cricket Federation Ground in Verdun resulted in a Canada win by 149 runs.
• July 27-31, 2000: The second test match between Canada and United States at Toronto Cricket, Skating & Curling Club, in Toronto resulted in a drawn match.
• August 4, 2000: The Canada vs United States ODI at Assiniboine Park, Winnipeg resulted in a Canada win by 1 run.
• August 6, 2000: The second ODI between Canada vs United States at Tea Hill Park, Stratford resulted in a United States win by 4 wickets (with 29 deliveries remaining).
• August 8, 2000: The final ODI between Canada vs United States at Toronto Cricket, Skating & Curling Club in Toronto resulted in a United States win by 47 runs.
(A Few) K.A. Auty Cup Match Scores
• June 23-27, 2003: Canada won this test match by an innings and 54 runs in Staten Island.
• August 15-16, 2011: Canada won this first-class match by 34 runs in Toronto.
• November 14-17, 2012: This variation of the tournament took place in Lauderhill, Florida. The series included one first-class match, one ODI, and two T20 games. The first-class match was drawn with Canada winning the first innings. Canada won the ODI and both teams split the T20 games.
• October 13, 14 & 16, 2016: This series took place in Los Angeles and included three ODI matches. Canada won the first two matches, while the USA won the third ODI.
• September 12-14, 2017: The United States took this series in King City by winning two of the three scheduled ODI matches. This was the last K.A. Auty Cup before taking another hiatus.
Cricket’s Oldest Rivalry | Matches in the 21st Century
• August 25, 2019: In the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Americas Region final, Canada defeated the USA by four wickets.
• November 11, 2021: Team USA wins a stunning last minute instant classic dubbed “The Robbery at Dusk.” Read more about that below!
• April 7-14, 2024: The USA dominated the T20 series against Canada, winning all five matches from April 7 to 13.
• June 1, 2024: In their first-ever T20 World Cup match, the USA defeated Canada by 7 wickets in Dallas.
Instant Classic! How USA Pulled Off the Robbery at Dusk
The oldest rivalry in international cricket just got its wildest chapter yet. And it felt like a scene straight out of American sports. USA vs. Canada. Americas Qualifiers for the 2022 Men’s T20 World Cup. November 11, 2021.
Neither team had ever made it to the big dance. So yeah, this one mattered—a lot. Both squads were undefeated. Only two teams from this tournament would move on. So when they met in the group stage, all eyes were locked in.
And the match? Absolute mayhem.
Tense. Back-and-forth. Pure drama.
Then came the final ball.
USA needed two runs to tie. Three to win. Canadian bowler Jatinderpal Matharu had one job: seal the deal. He bowled it. Ali Khan swung and missed. Cue the Canadian celebration. Game over, right?
Not so fast.
Rusty Theron—yes, Rusty, because this couldn’t be more American—decided he wasn’t done. He took off running anyway. Let’s pause here. Picture a baseball player swinging and missing…
But the runner on third decides to steal home. Bold. Risky. Kinda insane. And very, very American. The Canadian wicketkeeper, Hamza Tariq, collected the ball and hit the stumps.
But Rusty had already made it.
Safe.
Still, Canada thought they had it in the bag. They started celebrating. But here’s where it all goes off the rails. The umpire never signaled a dead ball. The play wasn’t over. The ball just sat there in the field. Live. In play. The umpire even stepped aside so he wouldn’t interfere. That’s your clue, folks.
Rusty saw it.
He yelled at Ali Khan, who looked like he was already planning his postgame snack.
Khan snapped out of it, and they ran again.
Second run completed.
Match tied.
‘Canada Celebrated Too Early and You Should Never Celebrate Too Early’
Just like that—we had ourselves Super Over. That’s cricket’s version of overtime. Or, as we like to call it, extra chaos. The USA came out swinging. Scored 22 runs. Canada? Managed only 14.
Game.
Set.
Robbery.
The cricket world exploded. The moment went viral. Fans dubbed it The Robbery at Dusk. Was it controversial? Absolutely. Was it legal? You bet. Canada’s mistake? They didn’t play to the whistle. Or in this case, the umpire.
In American sports, you never assume. Just ask any NFL team that celebrated early—only to get burned. Just ask the Falcons. Canada might want to borrow a classic coaching quote:
“It doesn’t come down to one play.”
But this time? Yeah, it kind of did.
Cricket just got its most American moment yet. And somehow, it involved a guy named Rusty. Welcome to the show, Canada. And to the rest of the world: This is how we play ball.
How Significant Was the First West Indies International Cricket Tour
When the West Indies decided to get into the North American cricket craze and head out on their first international tour to America and Canada during the dog days of summer in 1886, it should come as no surprise that their uneventful excursion has been all but lost to history. Here’s the story.
