Scotland v Ireland 16, 17 & 19 July 1938 by Cricket Scotland

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Ground:	Hamilton Crescent, Glasgow
Scorecard:	Scotland v Ireland
Event:	Ireland in Scotland 1938

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DateLine: 4th February 2013

 

 

Day 1:
Beautiful weather conditions prevailed for the first of the three days' play in the match between the amateurs of Scotland and Ireland at the ground of the West of Scotland Cricket Club at Partick, Glasgow, and about 3000 spectators were present.

 

The Scots did not come out of the day's play, at all well, and, although there is still a chance of their winning, they seem likely to be considerably behind on the first innings with a present deficit of 71 runs and only one wicket to fall. The side were not let down by the bowlers and their work in the field was always first-rate, at times even brilliant, but the batting was deplorably weak for the most part. Even while taking into account that the Irish bowling was of a good length on a pitch that was giving some assistance in its responsiveness to spin, the Scots could only be said to have batted badly as a whole. B. R. Tod was the one batsman who combined sound defence with an ability to select the ball to hit. Having made his choice, Tod then made his offensive strokes with power and certainty, and was shaping for a big score when J. C. Boucher beat him with a fine off-break at 23. W. Nichol and A. K. McTavish each made one or two good strokes, but neither attacked the bowling as he can and the latter was the victim of another beautiful delivery by Boucher.

 

The bowling and fielding of the Scottish team form a more pleasing subject. The four bowlers called upon all did well, and McTavish handled them judiciously, though it seemed that a good few runs could have been saved by the transferring of one of S. J. Thomson's leg side fielders to long-off, where a wide gap was often successfully exploited by the Irish batsmen. A. Paris, though failing to take a wicket, kept a better length than any of the others and several times beat his opponents without hitting the stumps or getting a "touch." The fielding was uniformly good, with Tod, at cover, J. A. Stevenson, at short leg or in the outfield, and H. F. Sheppard, in any position near the wicket, perhaps outstanding. McTavish " kept" safely and without fuss and had the satisfaction of taking an excellent catch and bringing off a smart piece of stumping. Apart from E. D. R. Shearer and F. G. Connell the Irishmen batted no better than the Scots. The former, who is also an amateur internationalist at association football, played much the best innings of the day, nearly always seeming to have plenty of time in making his defensive strokes and having a ready eye for a gap in the Scottish field when going for runs. A well-timed off-drive was perhaps his best stroke and earned him four 4s in a stay of one and three quarter hours. Connell also shaped well when the Scottish attack was at its freshest, though he never seemed so confident as Shearer and had several streaky strokes through the slips. He also reached the boundary four times in an innings lasting an hour.

 

C. W. Billingsley was a definitely hostile fast bowler for Ireland, a speciality of his seeming to be an in-swinger which straightens at the last moment. Two of these deliveries secured him lbw victims, and so far he has taken three wickets for 19 runs in ten overs. J. R. Graham (one for 7), Boucher (three for 16), and J. Macdonald (two for 27), all bowled steadily and turned the ball appreciably on the slowish turf, though they were distinctly flattered in their figures by the indeterminate Scottish batting. Up to the present the four Irish bowlers have been allowed to send down fifty overs, including nineteen maidens, at a cost of 69 runs off the bat. Boucher has actually had only 16 hit off him in fifteen overs.

 

The Irishmen's fielding, like that of the Scots, was first class in every respect, never a run being given away. The all-round work in this respect was, in point of fact, the best feature of the day's play, which was thoroughly interesting, not, however on account of the number of good strokes made, but because of the falling of so many wickets.

 

Scotland's failure to push home the advantage they had gained at lunch time, when they had seven Irishmen back in the pavilion for 88 runs, may well cost them the match.

 

Day 2:
The second day of the three days match between the amateurs of Scotland and Ireland look place at the West of Scotland Cricket Club ground at Partick, Glasgow, yesterday, before an attendance of about 3000. The Scots began the day in an apparently losing position, being 71 runs behind with only one wicket in hand, and. after dismissing the Irishmen for 187 in their second innings, they still seem the likelier losers, as, with five wickets down for 99 runs, Scotland still require 160 to win, with only two of their recognised batsmen still there.

 

A. K. McTavish, the Scottish captain, however, is still in partnership with W. Nichol, the former Gala player, who is now associated with Poloc, and, with the four remaining Scots all capable of making runs, the Irishmen may still have to fight hard for victory.

 

The Scots' outstanding wicket of Saturday fell to the first delivery of the day, and Ireland therefore led by 71 runs on the first innings. The second and third Irish wickets increased their side's lead to 208 after F. G. Connell had fallen to a brilliant catch in the gully by H. F. Sheppard with only one run on the board, and, at this stage, Ireland seemed to be heading for a very safe position. E. N. Larmour and J. Macdonald had made useful scores, while E. D. R. Shearer had even improved on his fine form of the first innings. Beautifully timed hitting all round the wicket earned him seven 4s as his main scoring strokes during a stay of an hour and a half for 67 runs.

 

J. C Boucher was run out as the result of a grand piece of fielding by W. R. Heggie, and, although N. H. Lambert made a few good strokes, the remainder of the Irish innings was more or less a procession to and from the wickets.

 

S. J. Thomson bowled his leg breaks very cleverly towards the end and deserved his five wickets. All the Scottish bowlers, in point of fact, kept a good length, and sent down the ball with lots of life off the pitch. Only the fine batting of Shearer was responsible for Ireland's reasonably good totals. He was seldom in the least difficulty in making either defensive or offensive strokes, and his fine timing - was in narked contrast to the generally laboured efforts of his team-mates.

 

R F. Sheppard played a most useful innings when Scotland began their attempt to make the 259 runs necessary to win, his 26 including several excellent strokes and only one weak effort ,which, unfortunately for him resulted in a return catch to the bowler. J. A. Stevenson shaped well until an extra good ball by C W. Billingsley got past his guard, and T. Spowart, when batting very confidently, was the victim of an error of judgment in attempting a short run.

 

B. R. Tod soon fell to an lbw decision, and TV. R. Heggie was bowled by Boucher before Nichol and McTavish started their promising partnership, during which the latter hit the first 6 of the match, a beautifully timed on-drive clearing the pavilion rails. The ball eventually finished its career inside the pavilion amongst the other Scottish players. So far, Macdonald has taken two wickets for 28 runs, Billingsley one for 20, and Boucher one for 32.

 

Day 3:
Scotland, with five wickets down for 99 in their second innings, still needed 160 runs in order to beat Ireland when the third of the three days match between the amateurs of the two countries began on the ground of the West of Scotland CC at Partick, Glasgow, yesterday, but were all out for 149 and beaten by 109 runs.

 

With W. Nichol, of Kelburne, and A. K McTavish, of the Royal High School (F.P.), the Scottish captain, in possession when play was resumed, there was still some slight prospect of a Scottish success, but H.R. Morgan, coming into the Irish attack for the first time during the match, soon dissipated the Scots' hopes.

 

In successive overs he claimed the wickets of McTavish, via the inside edge of the bat and then the batsman's pads, and Nichol, who, in slightly mistiming an attempted on-drive , only sliced the ball hard into his stumps.

 

A. Paris was badly run out, and the last wicket only lessened the severity of the Scottish defeat to the extent of 27 runs before R.S. Hodge mishit J. C Boucher to afford the easiest of chances to cover-point S. J. Thomson was left not out with 27 runs to his credit made in a manner that suggested a higher place in the batting order.

 

No doubt it is easy to be "wise after the event" and to suggest that "attack is the best form of defence " but the failure of Scotland's recognised batsmen to-pull their full weight in a match that could have been won by a side showing more aptitude to pick the ball to treat with respect, was their undoing.

 

In fielding and bowling the Scots were fully the equal of their Irish opponents Sheppard, Tod, and Stevenson vying with Lambert, Boucher, and Macdonald in ground work and celerity in returning the ball to wicket-keeper or bowler, and the Scottish attack was every whit as hostile and clever as the Irish.

 

Shearer's batting was the decisive factor in a match that was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone concerned. His stroke play, footwork, and timing were definitely the best of the game. No Scot could emulate him in any of these aspects, and the side could not complain at losing.

(Article: Copyright © 2013 Cricket Scotland http://cricketscotland.com)