When the ninth Eton wicket fell in their second innings, they led by only four runs, and Harrow's eventual target was just 55.
Wisden stated that: "In the whole history of cricket, there has been nothing more sensational"[1] and The Times said that "A more exciting match can hardly ever have been played", continuing effusively, with a reference to the inaugural Ashes Test at The Oval in 1882, "to boys the bowling of Fowler was probably more formidable than Spofforth's to England".
The game made national newspaper headlines, and was attended by schoolboys large and small, their elder brothers and fathers, accompanied by their ladies and other members of London society.
His father, Robert Henry Fowler, had served as an officer in the King's Shropshire Light Infantry and played cricket for Cambridge University against the MCC in 1876.
[4] Fowler attended Mr Hawtrey's prep school in Westgate-on-Sea, and was influenced at Eton by his housemaster, Cyril Wells, a gentleman cricketer who played for Middlesex.
Harrow won easily in 1908,[5] and the 1909 fixture was drawn, although Fowler's eleven wickets for 79 runs had given Eton a fighting chance.
Harrow came to the match unbeaten in 1910, having beaten the Free Foresters, Harlequins, Quidnuncs and the Household Brigade earlier in the season.
[8] The Times also noted that an outbreak of measles threatened the Harrow team, but only Wilson succumbed, and he recovered before the match.
The teams included one schoolboy who would become a field-marshal (Alexander), another an air vice-marshal (Blount), and a third an attorney-general (Monckton), together with various sons of nobility.
Harrow won the toss and batted first, but progressed slowly due to steady bowling and smart fielding by Eton, reaching 61/1 at lunch.
Fowler bowled his off spin well, with bad luck, often beating the batsman but failing to take the edge and then missing the wicket.
The Times described Eton's overnight position as "almost desperate",[1] and the somewhat partisan coverage in the Daily Mirror, written by Wilson's brother, reported that "Harrow should win pretty easily.
The crowd anticipated an easy win for Harrow, and many departed – some to the last day of a closely fought Gentlemen v Players match being held at The Oval.
Eton erased the first-innings deficit, to the delight of their supporters, but Fowler was eventually out for 64 runs, the highest individual innings in the match, with 8 fours, a three, 10 twos and 9 singles.
Fowler opened the bowling from the Pavilion End, obtaining prodigious turn immediately, and taking the wicket of Wilson with the first ball of the innings.