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The inaugural Gentlemen v. Players first-class cricket match was played in 1806, subsequently becoming an annual fixture at Lord's between teams consisting of amateurs (the Gentlemen) and professionals (the Players). The key difference between the amateur and the professional, however, was much more than the obvious one of remuneration and went to the very heart of English class structure. The great Yorkshire player, Len Hutton, for example, was told he would have to go amateur if he wanted to captain England. Gentlemen and Players focuses on the final ten years of amateurism, starting with Charles Williams' own presence in the (amateur) Oxbridge teams that included future England captains such as Peter May, Colin Cowdrey and M.J.K. Smith and concluding with the abolition of amateurism in 1962 when all first-class players became professional. The amateur innings was duly declared closed and a cricketing revolution was underway.