It was their third season in the County Championship and they came fourteenth after failing to win a match, though they were exceptionally unlucky in losing by a single wicket to power clubs Lancashire and Yorkshire and being robbed by time of victory over Leicestershire late in the season.
They were missing two key bowlers: John Hulme, who had taken most wickets in 1896, did not play at all during the season; and George Porter, who underwent surgery in 1896 and retired from the game.
Levi Wright was top scorer, overtaking Bagshaw's lead in the Championship with a good performance against MCC.
Frank Davidson, Joseph Hancock and William Wilmot each played over several more seasons but more or less occasionally.
Cross and Steeples filled in for the lack of bowling, while Bostock achieved a high average in his three games.