Ireland v Scotland 4, 5 & 6 August 1921 by Cricket Scotland

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Ground:	Observatory Lane, Rathmines, Dublin
Scorecard:	Ireland v Scotland
Event:	Scotland in Ireland 1921

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DateLine: 31st January 2013

 

 

Day 1:
This match was begun yesterday on the Leinster Cricket Ground, Dublin. There were two changes in the Scottish team, Mackay and Sellars declared off, and Watt and Cullen took their places.

 

Heavy rain prevented play in the forenoon, and it was decided to lunch before making a commencement. The remainder of the day was fine, but the wicket was very slow.

 

Kerr won the toss and opened for Scotland with Angus. When Kerr had scored 11 he got in front of a ball from Allen. Campbell filled the vacancy, but before he had time to settle down he was badly run out.

 

Cullen then joined Kerr, and their partnership yielded 20 runs. At 41, Harrington went on for Allen, and four runs later Cullen was badly beaten by the new bowler.

 

Riddell and Kerr did not stay long together, and half the side were out in fifty minutes for 47. Scoring continued slow, and Cockburn and Hole took the total to 66.

 

After the tea interval, Cockburn was leg before to Harrington. The truly good stand was that of Hole and Fraser for the last wicket, the pair adding 28 in twenty minutes. The innings closed for 109.

 

Ireland, after twenty minutes batting, lost Heaslip at 13, but Kelly and Kidd played out time, when the score was 26 for one wicket.

 

Day 2:
No play was possible.

 

Day 3:
Rain on Thursday and Friday completely spoiled the annual match at Dublin between the Gentlemen of Ireland and the Gentlemen of Scotland, only two hours and fifty minutes play being possible on the first day, while Friday was blank, not a ball being bowled.

 

In all there were only eight hours actual cricket in the match, but the finish was withal exciting, and, likely as not had play gone on to 6.30 on Saturday evening the Irishmen would have gained victory. As it was, when stumps were pulled at up 5.15 so as to allow the visitors ample time to get away, they were still 35 runs behind with four wickets to fall.

 

That the whole side had not been put out before then was due to the splendid defence put up by John Kerr, the Scottish captain, who, going in first with Angus, and facing a deficit of 77 with an hour and three quarters left for play, and on a pitch that obviously suited the home bowlers, kept his end up to the close, and carried his bat for 22.

 

From the start it was plain that the Scotsmen had no intention to force the pace, and they succeeded admirably in their tactics. The first 30 were scored for the loss of Angus, J. Reid Kerr and Riddell, who took an hour and twenty minutes to collect their runs, Riddell being at the crease for thirty minutes for 8.

 

Eventually the crowd became impatient at John Reid's stonewalling, and every time he tapped the ball back to the bowler, or sent it half-way down the crease, his stroke was applauded all round the ground. He, however, as stated, played the correct game for his side, and it may be that he alone prevented the Irishmen from securing a win.

 

When the match was resumed on Saturday Ireland's score in reply to the visitors' total of 109 was 25 for one wicket. The pitch had been affected by the continuous rain of Friday and the wind and sun which succeeded it on the third day; nor was it made any better by the couple of sharp showers that fell after lunch.

 

The Irishmen's batting was by no means brilliant, and that they scored 186 was largely due to Kidd and Power, who for the fourth wicket added 81. Kidd, an old Cambridge University bat, was at the crease an hour and twenty five minutes for his chanceless 66, and hit seven 4's, while Power was batting one hour for 30, and S. Lambert a similar period for 24.

 

Hole and Watt bowled right well, but the Scottish fielding was not as smart as the work of the home team in the field.

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