E. J. Sanders led an English Amateur XI on a tour of North America in 1885 and suffered the ignominy of a first-class defeat against the Gentlemen of Philadelphia in the first of two fixtures in that city. The English managed to win the second of the two matches to level the series and later a member of the party commented: " Although we were the first English team to suffer defeat in America, we do not regret it, as it had done much to encourage cricket in that country than anything that has happened there." He also said that should they have a chance to return to play cricket in America again they would certainly go. That chance arrived one year later and this is the story of that tour. This time the English were determined that they would get the better of Philadelphia and two more first-class matches had been arranged; revenge was in the air.