Ireland v Scotland 21, 22 & 23 June 1923 by Cricket Scotland

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Ground:	College Park, Dublin
Scorecard:	Ireland v Scotland
Event:	Scotland in Ireland 1923

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DateLine: 31st January 2013

 

 

Day 1:
The annual match between Ireland and Scotland was started at College Park, Dublin, yesterday, in dull weather, but the rain kept off, and a full day's cricket was witnessed.

 

Ireland played as selected, but the Scots made five changes from the side originally chosen. They had the fortune to win the toss, and taking advantage of a grand wicket, kept possession all day, and had put together 320 for five wickets when stumps were drawn. The home bowling was much of a sameness, and the side suffered from want of a good fast bowler.

 

The feature of the day's play was the splendid innings of J. Kerr (Greenock), who, going in first, was not out at the finish, with 141 to his credit. He has been batting five hours and ten minutes, and played his usual sound game, only going for the loose ball, but he was as nippy between the wickets as ever, and in his long stay never threw away a run. He gave a chance to Jackson at first slip when 45, off Pollard, and another very difficult one, which glanced off the wicket-keeper's glove to Lambert in the slips when 82. He took two hours to get his 50, and was four hours and ten minutes for his century.

 

D.A. Mackay, who opened the innings with his captain, gave a sparkling display, and when he was run out as the result of a smart throw-in from Ganly, in midfield, he had scored 68 out of 98 in an hour and a quarter. He gave only one possible chance, a hard one in the slips, off Lambert. He drove through the covers and hit hard to the leg side, and had ten boundaries in his fine innings.

 

Lawson and Phillips gave little trouble, but the sterling left-hander, Stevenson, helped Kerr to add 66 for the fourth wicket before being caught off a pull stroke. Hole was in an hour and forty minutes for 28, the fifth wicket adding 78, when Hole fell to a fine catch at cover-point by Heaslip running hard from extra cover. The first 100 took an hour and twenty five minutes, 200 appeared in three hours, and 300 in five hours.

 

Day 2:
The weather was again favourable at College Park, Dublin, yesterday, and Scotland left off with a big advantage, Ireland wanting 158 runs to save an innings defeat. The visitors displayed better cricket both in bowling and batting, while their fielding was also first-class.

 

On Thursday evening Scotland had scored 320 for the loss of five wickets. The remaining five wickets, however, fell in an hour and a quarter for 52, the first three falling for 5 runs.

 

Kirk stayed with Kerr while 41 runs were added, and with Christie not remaining long Kerr carried out his bat for 178. He was at the wicket six hours and twenty five minutes, and with the exception of one chance in the slips at 45, he scarcely ever made a bad stroke.

 

He got most of his runs turning the ball to leg, and his footwork was an object lesson. He never seemed to be in trouble, and hit eighteen 4's, Sproule, with four for 67, and Lambert, two for 47, proved the best of the home bowlers.

 

The Irish innings was a disappointing affair, the side being all out in less than three and a half hours for 170. With the score at 9, Pollock was beautifully stumped by Cranston, off Kirk, but Ganly and Heaslip batted well, the two Trinity men bringing the score to 65, when the former pulled a ball from Reid on to his wicket.

 

Kelly and Jackson gave little trouble, but Lambert was playing in quite his best form. He lost Heaslip at 96, Phillips yorking the Trinity captain when he had scored 49, for which he was batting for two hours.

 

After this Lambert and Bookman added 30, when Bookman fell to a grand "caught and bowled" by Christie, who took the ball in one hand while falling. With the exception of Pemberton, who was last man in and knocked up a useful 17, Lambert found no one to stay with him.

 

Reid, who kept a good length and made the ball get up awkwardly, got four wickets for 29, and Christie, keeping up a fine pace, secured three for 35. Watt, though getting no wickets, was in excellent form, and only 15 runs were hit off him, and once he sent down five maidens in succession.

 

Three quarters of an hour remained for play, and Pollock and Lambert knocked up 44 without being separated.

 

Day 3:
Contrary to general anticipations, Ireland drew with Scotland at Dublin, the visitors requiring 42 to win with four wickets to fall when stumps were drawn at 5.30 to enable the visitors to catch their train. That Ireland was lucky there is not the smallest doubt, and up to a couple of hours before the finish, it looked a certainty for a Scottish victory, as with nine home wickets down, they were only 23 runs on.

 

Pemberton and Jackson, however, added 69 runs for the last wicket, and in going for the runs, the visitors threw away four or five wickets.

 

The outstanding features of an interesting day's cricket were the batting of Pollock and the great stand for the last wicket between Jackson and Pemberton. Pollock played a great innings for 81. He was batting three hours, and gave no chance, and hit nine 4's.

 

The innings defeat was saved with three wickets in hand, but with Sproule and Pigot giving no trouble, nine wickets were down for 225. The last partnership, however, gave considerable trouble, and despite frequent changes in the bowling, the batsmen hit out in brisk fashion.

 

Both found the boundary frequently, Jackson getting two fine drives to the pavilion rails. Not till the score had reached 294 was a separation effected, Pemberton being then bowled off his pads. He had made 31 out of the 69 put on for this wicket, and hit four 4's, Jackson was unbeaten with 62. He was batting for just two hours, and hit eight boundaries. The innings was in progress altogether four and three quarter hours. Christie had three wickets for 31, Hole three for 36, and Watt two for 36 runs.

 

Left with 93 to get to win in an hour and a quarter, the visitors lost Mackay, Phillips, and Stevenson for 11 in going for runs. Lawson and Kerr made a short stand, but both fell in forcing the pace, and then it was a case of saving the situation.

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