Ernest Steel, youngest of the four brothers who played for Lancashire, died on July 14 at Southport, aged 77. After doing well in the Marlborough XI, 1880 and 1881, as free batsman and slow bowler, he appeared occasionally in the county side, but poor health and absence abroad prevented him from playing much first-class cricket. In 1901, after an interval of thirteen seasons, he reappeared for Lancashire and proved useful. Next season his deceptive flight bowling earned 44 wickets, his average of 18.93 being second to S. Webb's, though Barnes was the most destructive bowler for Lancashire. In 1904 he scored 62 for Gentlemen against Players at the Oval, but he never approached the special standard of A. G. Steel, of high fame for Cambridge, Lancashire and England. Nor was E. E. so good as D. Q., the senior and first of the brothers, who got Cambridge Blues; A. G., the other Blue, followed two years after D. Q., and was captain in 1880 when Cambridge gained their third consecutive victory over Oxford. Each helped in three wins, twice being in the same eleven.
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack