M.C.C. v Scotland 7, 8 & 9 June 1922 by Cricket Scotland

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Ground:	Lord's Cricket Ground, St John's Wood
Scorecard:	Marylebone Cricket Club v Scotland
Event:	Scotland in England 1922

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DateLine: 30th January 2013

 

 

Day 1:
Glorious weather favoured the meeting between the M.C.C. and Scotland at Lord's Cricket, London. This is the first of a series of two three day matches arranged by the Scottish Cricket Union in London, and it is officially announced that the match will rank as first class. The attendance was poor, and did not exceed 500 at any part of the day.

 

On a bone dry wicket the Scots fielded the whole day, the M.C.C. running up the huge total of 576 for six wickets. There were three century makers, Russell of Essex scoring 138, his fifth century of the season. Russell also completed the first four figure aggregate this year. C.H. Titchmarsh made 139, and A.W. Carr got 135. J. Kerr used the services of all his bowlers, seven in all, only A.F.C. Morton, A.W. Angus, Captain G.W.A. Alexander, and the wicket-keeper not having a turn. J.W. Sorrie, who was unable to travel, had his place filled by D.C. Stevenson of Stirling County.

 

The M.C.C. fielded a strong eleven, including the Notts captain, Carr, Russell (Essex), and Hardstaff (Notts), the London side being captained by Colonel J.C. Hartley.

 

J. Kerr, the Scottish skipper, lost the toss for choice of innings, and O.H. Titchmarsh and Russell were the opening batsmen for the ground team, W. Anderson (Dunfermline) and R.W. Sievwright taking up the bowling for Scotland. Runs came at a steady pace from the outset, Russell doing all the scoring, while his partner was content to sit on the splice.

 

Russell had made 48 before he gave a hard chance to Patten, the ball rising quickly off the Essex player's bat. It proved a costly mistake. The score reached 212 before the first wicket fell, Russell, in having a "go" being caught by Alexander at deep point for a beautifully played 138. It was not a faultless innings, but it showed the Essex bat a master of off-driving and pulling to leg. Russell hit twenty 4's.

 

The fall of the first wicket gave the Scots a new lease of life, and when D. Roberts was bowled for the addition of 2 runs things began to take on a new aspect. The entry of A.W. Carr, however, meant another great stand, a further 156 being added before Titchmarsh was caught and bowled by Kerr, who as a last resort had put himself on to bowl slows. The Herefordshire amateur had shown remarkable restraint, but it was a great effort, and was without blemish. He batted for three and a half hours, and included in his score were twenty 4's.

 

Scotland's troubles were not over yet, and though Hardstaff made a short stay, another hundred went up before Carr had to retire, Sellars getting him caught at backward point with the scoreboard showing 486. Carr played forcing cricket all the time, and was missed at 56 and 86. He drove with great power to the on, and his score took but two hours and a quarter to complete. He hit one 6, one 5 (from an overthrow), and fifteen 4's.

 

N.J.D. Moffatt played a valuable innings, and E.H.D. Sewell and Colonel J.C. Hartley played out time. The fielding of the Scottish eleven was keen, but several palpable chances were missed, Kerr, Alexander, and Anderson being remarkably smart in their pick up and return.

 

Day 2:
The weather was much cooler when the second day's play in this match was entered upon at Lord's, the M.C.C. having applied the closure with the overnight total unaltered. Scotland entered upon their big task at 11.30. They batted until close on 5 o'clock for a total of 229, and but for a supreme effort by J.A. Fergusson, of Perthshire, Scotland would have made a very poor show.

 

The fast wicket no doubt took the Scots by surprise, the ball rising very quickly off the pitch, especially from Capt. R.D. Busk, who bowled at a great pace early in the innings. Fergusson, who came in at the fall of the third wicket, was the saviour of his side, but he could get no one to stay with him except D.C. Stevenson, who, in scoring 25, was the only other batsman to play the bowling with confidence.

 

Fergusson hit with great power along the carpet, being particularly strong in driving, while some of his pulls to leg were well time. It was a great innings, and showed the Perthshire player at his best. The Scottish second innings was not quite a repetition of the first, but as matters stand at present they have little chance of avoiding an innings defeat, being still 271 runs in arrears, with six wickets standing.

 

The opening pair of batsmen for Scotland were J. Kerr and A.W. Angus, and the latter did not survive the first over. Capt. R.D. Busk, who opened the attack, proved much too fast for the Watsonian, who was completely beaten by the fifth ball sent down. Scotland's troubles had only started with the dismissal of Angus, as Capt. G.W.A. Alexander, from whom much was expected, got a quick dispatch, the second ball he received proving his last.

 

With two wickets down and two runs on the scoring board matters looked pretty black from a Scottish standpoint, but with D.C. Stevenson's arrival the score steadily mounted to 37. Then Scotland received another set-back. John Kerr who had never been too comfortable, got in front of a straight ball from Roberts, and was out for obstruction.

 

J.A. Fergusson, who was playing so well this season, was the new arrival, and he settled down to play himself in. In company with Stevenson runs came steadily, though not quickly. With the addition of 44 runs, however, Stevenson was smartly snapped at second slip.

 

A.F.M. Morton made a prolonged stay for his 7 runs, and with the arrival of the lunch interval the score had mounted to 107. Fergusson meantime had been doing most of the scoring, his contribution being 42.

 

Morton did not add to his total after lunch. T.D. Watt, who followed, was quickly dismissed for a "duck." W. Anderson, of Dunfermline, stayed till the score had reached 152, his contribution being 9, and then he was dismissed by Colonel Hartley.

 

Fergusson's score was then 69, and he was playing so steadily that a century seemed in the making if only he could find a partner to stop with him. M. Patten contributed the fourth "duck" in the innings, and it was left to R.W. Sievwright and A.E. Sellars to see the Perthshire player through, and right manfully did they do their share.

 

Fergusson was still 26 short of the century when the last man came in, but so well did Sellars play that the score rose from 178 to 229 before the Carlton bowler was beaten. When three short of his 100, Fergusson hit a ball hard, and Sellars was placed hors de combat for a time, but in the interest of Fergusson he pluckily continued, to see his colleague reach the century.

 

Fergusson batted for 2 hours and 45 minutes, and his effort was one of the pluckiest a Scotsman has ever made against a representative side. During his stay at the wicket he hit one 5, seven 4's, seven 3's, nine 2's, and 31 singles. His batting was the one bright feature of the Scottish innings.

 

Still 347 runs in arrears, Scotland followed on, and the start of the second innings was more auspicious than the first. Kerr and Angus again opened the batting. The score board, however, had only reached 20 when the Scottish captain made a shockingly bad stroke into slip, which Hardstaff snapped at.

 

Alexander and Angus then indulged in safety tactics, though the Aberdeenshire man showed a glimpse of his true form with some pretty strokes to the off and leg. Hardstaff, however, beat him with a fine length ball, and then with Fergusson's advent Angus had the mortification to be run out.

 

This was a disaster for Scotland, as the Watsonian was playing steadily and with great care. Fergusson ran and Angus tried to send him back, but the Perthshire man was well up, and then Angus made a desperate to reach the other end, but without avail.

 

The light was steadily getting bad, following a slight shower at the tea interval, and stumps were drawn for the day at 6.20, Fergusson and Morton being the not outs.

 

Bowling for the M.C.C. Capt. Busk took four wickets for 60 runs. He was never kept on for any length of time, but his pace was much faster than anything the Scots have to play. Col. Hartley bowled well with three wickets for 35, and Russell, of Essex, claimed two for 21.

 

Day 3:
An hour and a half's play sufficed to finish off the Scottish second innings when the third day's play was entered upon at Lord's yesterday morning, the end coming at one o'clock with the dismissal of Sellars, and Scotland retired beaten by an innings and 183 runs.

 

The M.C.C. paid the Scots a great compliment by fielding such a strong side, and this fact rather eases the heavy defeat sustained by the Scots. The fast wicket, too, did not favour the Scots' eleven, but the experience may stand them in good stead for their match with Surrey next week. In the interim they play Eton, and the practice on the fast wickets may improve the batting strength.

 

The sun broke through just as the overnight not outs, J.A. Fergusson and A.F.M. Morton continued the Scottish innings against the bowling of Major the Hon. E.G.F. French and Capt. Busk.

 

In the third over sent down Morton was bowled. T.D. Watt and Fergusson then held the fort for 30 minutes, and the score was improved to 29 when Fergusson's wicket was spread-eagled by D. Roberts, who had taken the ball from Busk.

 

With the retirement of Fergusson it was then only a question of time. Watt played steadily, only scoring off any loose bowl sent down, and they were not many, but he lost W. Anderson at 113, after the Fifeshire man had scored 2, and although M. Patten hit merrily for 15 minutes and Sievwright kept his end up, the finish was but delayed, and Scotland had to acknowledge defeat by an innings and 183 runs. Watt defended gamely for 65 minutes for his 23 runs.

 

The Scots should have got more runs on a wicket which throughout was playing well, but for the reasons stated, and coupled doubtless with the bigness of the occasion , they failed in the team's strongest asset, batting.

 

Hardstaff, who bowled six overs, had 5 runs hit off his bowling for one wicket.

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