Editing Archie MacLaren (section)

==Early life==
MacLaren was born on 1 December 1871 in [[Whalley Range, Manchester|Whalley Range]], a fairly prosperous district of [[Manchester]],<ref>Down (1981), p. 9.</ref> the second of seven sons to James MacLaren and Emily Carver.<ref name=ODNB>{{cite ODNB | last = Down | first = Michael| title = MacLaren, Archibald Campbell (1871–1944) |edition = online | year = 2004 | doi = 10.1093/ref:odnb/34775| url = http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/34775?docPos=1 | access-date =3 November 2012}} </ref> His father, a cotton merchant and cricket enthusiast, served as honorary treasurer to [[Lancashire County Cricket Club|the Lancashire team]] from 1881 until his death in 1900. MacLaren senior encouraged his sons to play cricket. With the aim of improving their ability in the game, MacLaren senior sent Archie and his older brother [[James MacLaren (cricketer)|James]] to [[Elstree School|Elstree]], a school well-regarded for its coaching.<ref name=ODNB/><ref name=D9>Down (1981), pp. 9–12.</ref>

MacLaren's cricket instruction was supplemented during the holidays at [[Old Trafford Cricket Ground]], where his father paid professional cricketers to [[Bowling (cricket)|bowl]] at him. He was soon selected for the school's cricket team, scored his first [[Century (cricket)|century]], and was the captain by his final year. From Elstree, MacLaren went to [[Harrow School]] in 1886 where he joined James; [[Geoffrey MacLaren|Geoffrey]], their younger brother, followed them but financial difficulties prevented any other family members attending the school. MacLaren had little success in intra-school cricket during his first year there but in 1887, success in trial games resulted in his promotion to the school [[First 11|first eleven]]. A century in an early match ensured his selection for the important fixture against [[Eton College]] at [[Lord's]]. Although an inexperienced Harrow team was easily defeated, MacLaren top-scored in both [[Innings#Cricket|innings]] with scores of 55 and 67, and in praising his batting, critics suggested he had a bright future.<ref name=D9/> He came top of the school [[Batting average (cricket)|batting averages]] for the 1887 season.<ref name=D12/>

Wet weather in the following two years affected playing conditions, making the [[cricket pitch]]es slow-paced and difficult to bat on. With little experience of such conditions, MacLaren had a succession of failures. His technique, based at the time on playing [[Batting (cricket)#Forward and back|forward at the ball]], was unsuited to wet pitches and it was only late in 1889 that he made the required technical adjustments and learned to play off the back foot (i.e. stepping backwards to play a shot). During 1890, his final year at Harrow, he captained the team and had his most successful season, scoring over 500 [[Run (cricket)|runs]] at an average of 42.54. In the match against Eton at Lord's, MacLaren once more succeeded when others struggled, and he scored 76 on a difficult pitch. In his four years at Harrow, MacLaren was twice awarded the prize for the school's best batsman, and received awards for his fielding. MacLaren also played [[Association football|football]] successfully: he captained his [[House system|House team]] and played in the school first eleven in 1888 and 1889 before a knee injury forced him to miss the 1890 season.<ref name=D12>Down (1981), pp. 12–14.</ref> Unlike many of his fellow [[Amateur status in first-class cricket|amateur cricketers]] in this period, MacLaren did not attend [[Oxford University Cricket Club|Oxford]] or [[Cambridge University Cricket Club|Cambridge]] Universities, where he would have played a high level of cricket; his father could not afford to send him or his brothers there. On leaving Harrow, MacLaren found employment with the [[District Bank|Manchester and Liverpool District Bank]].<ref>Down (1981), pp. 15–16.</ref>