Scotland v Ireland 18, 20 & 21 June 1932 by Cricket Scotland

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Ground:	Glenpark, Greenock
Scorecard:	Scotland v Ireland
Event:	Ireland in Scotland 1932

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DateLine: 3rd February 2013

 

 

Day 1:
Good progress was made at Glenpark, Greenock in the three days' contest between Scotland and Ireland, and at the close of play the Scots had gained a distinct advantage. The Irishmen completed their innings for 242 after batting four hours, and the opposition replied with 78 without loss in seventy minutes. Thus a considerable inroad was made to the Irish aggregate, and, with all ten wickets intact, Scotland is 164 runs behind.

 

The brightest play of the day was shown by J. Kerr, the Scottish captain, who started very briskly, and soon had nine 4's. For the last quarter of an hour or so, however, he was very quiet, and in that time added but one run to his total. He had some delightful strokes, but his partner, J.F. Jones, was not so much at home with the bowling, though he played the ball several times very nicely to square leg to get but one run owing to a well placed fieldsman being there to guard the boundary.

 

Kerr was very aggressive until the idea seemed to take possession of him that it would be well for him and his side to remain not out and to start anew in the morning.

 

Good length bowling by J.C. Boucher, who did so well with the ball in this match last year at Dublin, when he took eleven wickets, helped materially to check the rate of run-getting.

 

There was nothing very outstanding in Ireland's batting, and with the wicket in good order, and with a fairly short boundary, the scoring was anything but fast, though it represented steady going. At the same time if all chances had been taken in the field the visitors' aggregate would have been very much smaller. D.R. Pigot gave Ireland a good set-off, and T.G. McVeagh, a left-hander, batted well and put plenty of power into his strokes. It was a valuable innings J.C. Boucher played, and he took part in three useful stands.

 

The ground fielding of the Scots all round was very sure, and B.R. Tod shone particularly in that respect. Again and again he got a cheer for brilliant work. But the catching was not all that it might have been, and a number of chances were not taken. Some were difficult and others were not.

 

These proved very expensive in the cases of the "lives" given to J.C. Boucher and G. Crothers, the leading scorers of the side. Boucher chipped a ball through the slips when he had made 2, and W.F.M. Whitelaw had an opportunity of securing possession, though it would have been a very fine catch had he taken it, and his partner in the best partnership of the day, Crothers, was badly missed by H.L. Stewart, also in the slips, when he had but one run to his credit.

 

These two scored 67 and 41 respectively, and put on 62 for the eighth wicket. Had they been dismissed as they might have been, over 100 runs would have been saved. Boucher, too, he had seven 4's in his score, gave A.D. Baxter a chance off his own bowling when 19. And A.C. Douglas might have fallen to Baxter at 5, and again he slipped one to J.H. Melville when he had got 8.

 

One of the best things done in the game, however, was the catch which Kerr dismissed Douglas. It was a hard hit ball, and the fieldsman took it low down with his left hand at mid-off. The captain showed his side a splendid example in the field, and he too earned and got many cheers from his own local crowd.

 

Kerr, when batting, gave a hard chance in the slips when the Scottish total stood at 10, and he survived a great and general appeal for a catch at the wicket with his score at 46. It was after that that he lost his freedom in batting, and was content to indulge in stone-walling.

 

The wicket was a batsman's one, and it may be said, that they did not make the most of it. None of the bowlers came out particularly well, but Baxter had far better figures at the close of the day than at one time seemed probable.

 

He was not at his best, and it was well for him that he captured four of the last six wickets. H.L. Stewart, another fast bowler, was given but two overs, and but four runs were scored from him. All the other bowlers had several turns.

 

During the early part of the day the weather was ideal for cricket, and play proceeded in bright sunshine, but later the sky became overcast, and when the Scottish opening pair were at the wicket the light was anything but good, and there was some rain, but not sufficient to cause the players to leave the field.

 

The attendance was disappointing, and on a fine day one would have expected a bigger crowd. All over there would not be more than 1500 spectators.

 

Day 2:
At the close of the second day's play in the Scotland-Ireland international game at Greenock yesterday, the Scottish eleven had more than maintained their advantage they gained on Saturday. They were, indeed, in a strong position, for with both teams having completed one innings Ireland had lost four men and were only 15 runs on.

 

Scotland's total was increased during the day from 78 without loss to 325, and at one time it seemed as if a much bigger aggregate would be secured, and a much bigger lead obtained on the first innings than 83. With only four wickets down, 282 had been made, and there had been two partnerships of over 100 runs, but there was something like a collapse after that, and the last six Scots were got rid of for the addition of but 43 runs.

 

That was largely due to a successful spell of bowling by A.C. Douglas, who did so well on going on again that he captured four wickets at a cost of 16 runs in eight overs. One of his victims was W. Nicholson, who proved to be the outstanding batsman of the match, and had hard luck in failing by three runs to reach three figures.

 

He put a vim into the batting such as no other player on either side did, and at a time when J.F. Jones was showing great caution and restraint. J. Kerr also batted very carefully, and did not reproduce the bright cricket which he had shown in the early part of his stay on Saturday evening.

 

Kerr and Jones, however, had to face very steady, good length bowling and the keenest and smartest of fielding, and they had undoubtedly taken the edge off the attack before Nicholson arrived. Yet Nicholson's effort was a brilliant one, and the value of the innings of the other two cannot be overestimated. In view of the collapse of the later batsmen, it was well for Scotland that neither Kerr nor Jones took any risks. Both played typical three-days cricket, and served their country's interests in a marked degree.

 

Still, the cricket was dull at times during their partnership, which, all told, realised 106. These three men were largely responsible for placing Scotland in the position she now occupies, which practically means that Ireland has lost four good wickets for 15 runs.

 

The day was again ideal, warm and bright, with a pleasantly cool wind blowing, and a full day's play was thoroughly enjoyed by fully a thousand spectators. The number of runs scored yesterday came to 345, as compared with 320 on Saturday, and there was an extra half hour's play. Thus the rate of scoring was much the same on the two days.

 

There were two hours play before lunch and in that time Scotland lost two wickets and scored 104 runs. It was not rapid going, and it would have been poorer still if it had not been for a lively innings by Nicholson, who got 43 in forty minutes.

 

The Loretto man put much needed life into the play, and was far more enterprising than either Kerr or Jones had been. The Scottish captain, who had 47 overnight, reached his 50 from the first ball he received, a pull to the boundary, but, though he remained at the wicket for about fifty minutes yesterday all he could do was to raise his total from 47 to 59.

 

The bowling was certainly good, and the field was exceedingly well placed, but the batsmen appeared to be ultra-cautious in their methods, and Jones took an hour and a half to take his score from 19 to 50, the latter figure being reached after he had been at the wicket for two hours and three quarters. Almost all the runs were got from cleverly taken strokes on the leg side and behind the wicket. His hits to the off were invariably stopped by an Irishmen.

 

Kerr fell to a poor ball; perhaps it was short pitched deliberately, and if that were so, the Greenock man fell nicely into the trap, for there was a man standing square to leg close in and another deep, almost in a straight line with the wicket. It was the man nearest who got the catch, and the same fielder disposed of H.L. Stewart, though for him he had altered position to a sort of silly mid-on.

 

The Cupar man had but one scoring stroke, and it went for 4 through the slips after he had been at the wicket for quarter of an hour. His next ball, however, was his last, and he sent it very tamely and straight to the catcher.

 

Nicholson played freely straightaway, and having got his 50 in less than an hour, seemed sure to overtake his rival. But urged on by Nicholson's example, Jones became more free in his methods, and displayed a greater variety of strokes. Both appeared to be good for a 100, but the Irish captain sent down a ball which seemed to break from the off, and Jones was bowled.

 

It was a ball well worthy of getting a wicket, and it beat the batsman completely, and surprised him as well. The Old Fettesian was at the wicket for three hours and three quarters, and, like Kerr, had ten 4's, mostly on the leg side.

 

When Nicholson was joined by B.R. Tod, there was a partnership of two Rugby stand-off halves, and they added a very useful 54, of which the newcomer had 20. Tod was not seen at his best, and he had two "lives," one at 4 and one at 12.

 

Nicholson always commanded attention, and it was a big hit from him, a drive to the on, which enabled Scotland to pass the Ireland total with but three wickets down. Both he and Tod fell to fine balls by Douglas, who also got Anderson with a delivery not nearly so good, but which was pitched right up to the batsman, and which should have been well punished. But the Dunfermline man appeared to play at it too easily, and, deceived by its pace, his wicket was spread-eagled.

 

Anderson's was the only duck on the Scottish side. Nicholson, who batted for two hours, hit fifteen 4's, and gave but one chance, a hot one to the man fielding at square leg, when his score stood at 96. A.R. Simpson was ill at ease, and he was the last of the victims Douglas claimed in a period which turned the game around in quite an emphatic way.

 

The others did little, despite the fact that Douglas was taken off when he seemed to be carrying all before him. The change, however, proved effective, and the newcomer, Dixon, got the wickets of both K.W. Marshall and A.D. Baxter, though not before the latter had hit the only 6 of the match, a great straight drive out of the ground into the adjoining street.

 

It was a mighty hit and cleanly taken. Marshall lost his wicket unluckily, the ball striking the wicket-keeper and rebounding on the stumps when the batsman was out of his ground. The rapid fall of the Scottish wickets was disappointing to the crowd.

 

Douglas was easily the most effective bowler for Ireland with his four wickets for 35. The Irish fielding was very good, and few runs were given away. W.F.M. Whitelaw was out to a splendid one-hand catch.

 

Ireland had two hours batting in the second innings, and lost wickets at 20, 43, 43, and 98, Stewart taking two catches very neatly at mid-on, close in, from successive balls by Baxter. J.C. Boucher, the top scorer in the first innings, was out to the only ball he received.

 

D.P. Pigot and T.G. McVeagh, who both got runs on Saturday, made a fine stand for the fourth wicket, and, putting on 50 runs, looked like playing out time.

 

Captain Kerr tried his five bowlers of Saturday, though Whitelaw had had but one over, and just on time he gave Tod his first chance in the match, and in his second over he got Pigot out for lbw. The fall of that wicket improved Scotland's prospects not a little, and with the opening batsman's dismissal stumps were drawn for the day.

 

Day 3:
There was a surprise result in the Scotland-Ireland match at Greenock, and the Irishmen gained a remarkable victory after being in a forlorn position at the close of the second day's play. They won by 58 runs, and success went their way through all round superiority in the concluding day of the match.

 

The Scots had the better of matters on Saturday, and again on Monday, but they could not stay the course, and crumbled up badly when faced with a big task. The Irishmen on the other hand, fought stubbornly and light heartedly and were clearly on top yesterday in batting, bowling, and fielding.

 

It was so from the start of the day's play. Completely turned were the tables, and from being apparently masters the Scottish eleven came to be the struggling side, and they struggled but moderately well.

 

Their defeat may be said to have been due to lost opportunities in the field and to the presence in a marked degree of a batting "tail." Dropped catches in the first innings meant a lot, and the "life" which T.G. McVeagh got from W.F.M. Whitelaw, late on Monday evening, when he had but two runs at his credit, and the chance was not a difficult one, told a tale which was easy to read.

 

It proved very costly, for the left-hander was the outstanding figure of the closing day and was the one century maker of the match. A splendid innings it was, characterised by sound batting of delightful freedom, and yet without the least suggestion of recklessness.

 

He had a risky stroke through the slips at one, and gave his only chance at two, but that was on Monday, yesterday he made no mistakes and secured his hundred in just over two hours. He hit sixteen 4's, and these came from a fine variety of strokes with plenty of power behind them.

 

Right off the Irishmen asserted themselves, and McVeagh and A.C. Douglas put on 62 runs yesterday forenoon in thirty five minutes. The latter was caught by the wicket-keeper running towards point, and with half the side out for 160, which put Ireland 77 runs on, there was still a good hope for Scotland, especially as other two wickets went cheaply, the Irish captain being run out through a smart pick-up and return by K.W. Marshall near the boundary line.

 

But Ireland's "tail" did well; indeed, it may be said that Ireland had no tail. N.H. Lambert, a son of "R.H.," who was well known in Edinburgh cricket more than a generation ago, and who, has often played against Scotland, had but five strokes in his 16, and then came a last wicket stand by F.J. Reddy and R.W. Alexander, which added 58 runs to the total, and, be it noted, was by that figure Scotland was defeated.

 

Both men batted quite soundly, with no suggestion of flukiness, and Reddy in particular showed good strokes. He had a 5, 4 from an overthrow to the ropes, and six 4's.

 

Baxter again bore the brunt of the Scottish bowling, and took most wickets, but at a heavy cost, and all the other trundlers were expensive. The Scottish captain was handicapped in that Whitelaw was suffering from a strain. The Scottish ground fielding was again good, and splendid work in the outfield was done by K.W. Marshall, J.F. Jones, and W. Nicholson, who saved many runs.

 

There seemed to be a want of life, however, about the attack, and notably during Irelands' last wicket stand. At that time the Scotsmen looked as if they had lost their Test, and as if they felt that the battle was going strongly against them.

 

Scotland was left with three hours top bat, and almost succeeded in holding out. There were hopes at times of a victory, but the Irishmen gave little or nothing away. There was always a danger in their attack, and the fieldsmen were ever on their toes.

 

A 100 was scored in about an hour and a quarter, and there was still a chance, but when J. Kerr went at 50, after having a "go" and Jones followed 4 runs later, it seemed almost as if the end were in sight. While these two were together the position remained favourable. And H.L. Stewart and W. Nicholson also did their parts in a small way.

 

W. Anderson, too, playing a game foreign to him, stayed for about an hour, for by that time a draw was Scotland's only hope, and the order had evidently been given to play a purely defensive game. Nor did that style of batting suit Baxter, who was ill at ease all the time. Marshall had a life at the wicket, and Anderson one in the slips. It was all round a poor show the Scots made, and unlike the opposition there was a pronounced "tail." The last four men did not contribute a run to the total. The Irishmen won the match with quarter of an hour to go.

 

There would be about 500 spectators, and the attendance was more than doubled when the public were admitted free in the afternoon. The drawings on Saturday came to £51, and on Monday to £37, and it is understood that these sums were sufficient to cover the expenses of the match.

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