Cricket Archive

Ireland lose to I Zingari by Gerry Byrne

Scorecard:

Ireland, as in 1859, lost this match – the bowling of Arkwright and McCormick being too much for them. I Zingari had 5 players of the 1859 team – J.McCormick (who again played as J.Bingley) Hon. E.C.Leigh, Capt. F.Marshall, W.Creyke and Hon. J.Leigh. Of the 6 newcomers, 5 were noteworthy. Henry Arkwright was a Cambridge Blue in 1858 and in 3 matches for I Zingari until his tragic death in 1866 he took 23 wickets. C.G.Lane was a splendid batsman who played for Surrey. He was an Oxford Blue in 1856, could not get his place in 1857, was back again in 1858 and was captain in 1859 and 1860, when Cambridge won both games. Lane was also a rowing blue in 1858 and 1859, thus emulating the all round feat of J.McCormick. R.H.B.Marsham was an Oxford Blue in 1856 but was not as well known as his younger brother C.D. G.R.Johnson was a medium paced round arm bowler. He was captain of Cambridge in his first year on the team in 1855 – an unusual happening. He was the father of P.R.Johnson who got a blue at the turn of the century. G.R.Johnson lived to be 86. H.W.Fellows was a very well known Amateur fast bowler for a few years in the late 1840’s but quickly lost his skills. He was also a hitter of note.

Despite the low scores the Irish team played well and Lawrence must be praised for his pains in collecting the team and for his contribution to the bowling and fielding. All the wickets in the I Zingari first innings fell to Lawrence in one way or another. He took 8 wickets himself and caught the other two batsmen. G.F.Barry’s 43 in the second innings was by far the best Irish innings of the Match and he was presented with a new bat by I Zingari in token of their admiration of his splendid play. Brenan also did well to reach double figures in each innings.

For I Zingari, Arkwright and McCormick “were to their opponents fiends in the field – and the former was bully with the bat”. Indeed but for his 32 in the second innings I Zingari might well have lost. Johnson also batted well and Creyke “cautious and crafty, obeyed orders as usual at a critical moment in the first innings but even he crushed a crooked one”. Arkwright took 11 wickets in the match and McCormick 7. “I Zingari were not as good in this match as on former occasions. This, without wishing to detract from good bowling opposed to them, we attribute to their having largely encroached upon the matin hours. Their excuse was a fair one – fair forms and affairs at a ball given by the Lord Lieutenant”.

The visitors played three other matches on their tour, each of which they won by an innings. C.G.Lane got 83 v Phoenix and 55 v Military of Ireland. Marshall got 54 against the latter. Against Carlow Johnson made 72 and Marshall 49. Arkwright took a large number of wickets in all the matches.