XXII of Scotland v All England XI 15, 16 & 17 September 1851

XXII of Scotland v All England XI 15, 16 & 17 September 1851

GREAT CRICKET MATCH

THE ELEVEN OF All ENGLAND v TWENTY TWO OF SCOTLAND

This great match, which has been looked forward to with much interest during the last few weeks, commenced on Monday on Sparkes' Cricket Ground, Grove Street. The weather was highly favourable, though a thick fog settled down towards evening.

The spacious park was thronged throughout the day by a large assemblage of ladies and gentlemen, and several marquees were fitted up on the ground. The band of the 33d Regiment was also in attendance; and played a selection of music at intervals during the play.

The Eleven consisted of N. Felix, Esq., A. Marshall, Esq., W. Caffyn, J. Wisden, W. Martingell, T. Box, G. Parr, J. Guy, F. Pilch, Julius Caesar; and G. Anderson. The twenty-two of Scotland (who were set down as “eighteen noblemen and gentlemen, with four players given") were—the Earl of Dalkeith, Lord Dupplin, Sir Thomas Moncrieff, Captain Hutchinson, Mr W. Moncreiff, Mr H. W. Campbell, Mr J. Nunn, Sir B. M. Kenrick, Mr H. J. Wylie, Mr D. Buchanan. Mr A. Young, Mr D. Dickson, Mr G. Redgrave, Mr D. Buchanan (Edinburgh), Mr W Horsburgh, Mr J.G. Glassford, Mr H. Glassford, Mr J. Furnell, George Armitage, Sopp, A. Crossland, and Usherwood.

The Scotch players were selected from within a more limited range than those of last year, owing to the other match at Glasgow in the end of the week.

The match began about half-past eleven, by Wisden and Caffyn going to the wickets—Armitage and Caffyn bowling. The stay, however, of the two first "Englanders" was short, both being caught out cleverly by Mr Glassford and Mr Furnell—two wickets down for a score of only two (by Wisden).

Box and Martingell now handled the bats, and these two steady players were long of being separated, though there was no great addition to the score, the bowling being straight and the fielding smart.

The hitting of Martingell we suspect was to a certain degree impaired by two severe blows on the arm from the balls rising sharply to his wicket. He was at length caught by Mr Horsburgh, off Armitage, after making a score of eleven, and Box was shortly after caught at the slip by Armitage, off Crossland—his score being also eleven. Three at least of the best of the English players had now been got rid of—and the game stood four wickets down for thirty five runs.

Guy and Parr succeeded. Parr made one of his usual leg hits for four, for which, however, only two were got the ball being well fielded. Soon afterwards, however, he made four by a “lost ball." Armitage found out Guy’s timbers after he had added only two to the score.

Felix, of happy name and temper, now went in, and after scoring a single, made a first-rate forward hit for four, amidst loud cheers. This he speedily followed by another which promised a similar addition, but it was finely caught by Mr Nunn.

The celebrated Pilch, "the Lion of Kent," then went in, and played for some time with care and caution, as did also his colleague Parr, four or five maiden overs having been bowled. At length Pilch was caught by Mr Wylie, mid-wicket, having added only three to the score.

Those who had at first laid five and six to one on the Eleven, now began to have misgivings. Mr Marshall showed next, but, after scoring two, was caught by Mr Furnell. Caesar, who succeeded him, was given out, first ball, leg before wicket; and Mr Anderson, the last of the Eleven, was caught out by Mr Buchanan at mid-wicket, off Crossland—the innings closing with a score of only sixty-three.

It will be noticed that only one man was bowled out, eight being caught, one leg before wicket, and one (Parr, with a score of fifteen) not out. The extraordinary number of catches must be ascribed to the great strength of the Scotch field (the whole twenty-two being out), and also to the Scotch players having, by the admission of their opponents, greatly improved in the department of fielding.

The Scotch began by sending in Lord Dupplin and Mr Redgrave to the bowling of Wisden and Martingell. His Lordship, after scoring either two or three (disputed), was disposed of by a ball from Martingell. Mr Campbell then appeared, but was shortly afterwards run out.

Mr Kendrick (of 33d Regiment) was bowled out by Martingell without increasing the score. Then came Crossland, who played very steadily, having added three to the score when the wickets were drawn. Redgrave was then caught by Caffyn, off Martingell, and was succeeded by Mr D. Buchanan, who was speedily stumped out by Box without scoring.

The stumps were then drawn for the night, with five wickets down for eight runs. .

The following is the score for the first day;—

ALL ENGLAND FIRST INNINGS

SCOTLAND-FIRST INNINGS

TUESDAY SECOND DAY
Batting was resumed by Crossland and Mr Young —the latter of whom was bowled by Martingell without adding to the score. The luck of his successor, Sir T. Moncrieff was not much greater, caught by Parr, after having contributed only 1.

Crossland was at last got out by a ball from Martingell, but not till he had run up to 15. Messrs Wylie and Moncreiff were now at the wickets, and hope grew that they would stop the downward tendency of the Scottish cause; but the battle is not always to the strong.

Neither of these usually successful players laid their country under much obligation. Mr Wylie had only made 1 run, when he was disposed of by a shooter from Wisden. He was succeeded by Armitage, who played boldly, and was given out leg-before-wicket, after scoring 9, including a very fine 4 hit. Mr H. Glassford now joined Mr Moncreiff, who, though not adding much to the score, had shown his usual tenacious attachment to his wicket.

Several overs were now bowled, producing only one bye, and a hit for one by Moncreiff, who had previously made 3 by a cut. This was fated to be his all —he fell to a ball by Martingell; and Wisden performed the same kindness for Glassford, whose sum also amounted to 4.

The Earl of Dalkeith and Captain Nunn, after scoring 1 each, were bowled by Martingell; and Mr Horsburgh, after achieving the same small result, was caught by Parr. Mr Nunn, who had outlived several colleagues, had only reached 2, when the too obliging Martingell released him from further attendance.

Some longevity was expected from Mr Buchanan, who then went in, but his first ball was beautifully picked up at point by Parr. Sopp, who had succeeded Mr Horsburgh, had scored 6 before he was bowled by Wisden; and Mr Dickson, who had succeeded Mr Buchanan was got rid of for 2, by another of Parr's fine catches.

Mr J. G. Glassford and Mr Furnell each went out, for 0— the former bowled by Wisden, the latter caught by Marshall; and Usherwood (who, however, had no time given him) carried out his bat, with only the same meaningless appendage to his name.

Up to the four last wickets, it was pretty confidently expected that there would be a tie on the first innings, and the backers of the Twenty-two waxed jubilant; but the awfully sudden fate of the last four or five men had a very depressing and sobering effect —although some of the more thoughtless spectators indulged in unseemly laughter.

Even with these calamities, however, it will be seen that the minority was only 7. The completed score of the Twenty-two was as follows:-

The Eleven commenced their second innings with Caesar and Andersen. Crossland played Brutus to the Emperor, after he had risen to 7; Anderson was caught by Mr D. Buchanan, for 5; and his successor, Guy, by Nunn for 6. The formidable Parr run up his score to 11, including a 4, when he was bowled by Crossland; and his colleague Mr Marshall , was not got quit of under 7.

Box, to the dismay of his party, was bowled at the first ball, by Armitage. Caffyn and Martingell then made an obstinate stand—but made runs too; Martingell making 8 before Usherwood reached him, and Caffyn 13 before his stumps fell to Armitage.

Mr Felix was so infelicitous as to be caught by Nunn for 1. Wisden was still more unfortunate, being caught by Sir T. Moncreiff for 0; and Pilch carried out his bat for a score of 3. The total was 63—precisely the same as the first innings—divided as follows:-

ENGLAND SECOND INNINGS

It will be seen that the Twenty-two go in to-day with 70 to beat. On their first innings, they fell short of that figure by 16; but several of their best players were much more than ordinarily low in their score, and may naturally be expected to have better luck next time. On the other hand, we can hardly hope for another 15 from Crossland, and another 9 from Armitage. On the whole, the result may be considered doubtful, and is naturally looked to with much interest

We shall probably be able to give the conclusion in our second edition.

WEDNESDAY THIRD DAY
The Scotch commenced their second innings at twelve o’clock, and after four hours playing (including three-quarters of an hour for lunch), were out for 50 runs, leaving them in a minority of 20.

The following is the score:-