Scotland v United All England XI 23, 24 & 25 June 1887 by Cricket Scotland

---

Ground:	Hamilton Crescent, Glasgow
Scorecard:	Scotland v United Eleven
Event:	United Eleven in Scotland 1887

---

DateLine: 2nd February 2013

 

 

Day 1:
For the first time in several years a representative English eleven visited Scotland to meet an equal number of Scotsmen. The match was another instance of the enterprise of the West of Scotland club, and deserved better support than it received yesterday-the opening day. The Scottish team was one of the best that could be chosen, but unfortunately their opponents team was exactly the reverse.

 

The originally chosen was none of the strongest, but for a variety of causes it was still further weakened ere the commencement of play. Diver, the Surrey ex-amateur, got his thumb broken and was incapacitated from taking part in the match; Selby, the Notts veteran, was requisitioned at the eleventh hour by his county to play against the Marylebone club at Lord's; while Chatterton, Pougher, Jesse Hide, and Humphreys were also absent. Harrison the Yorkshire bowler, and Hudson, the Lancashire colt, were called on at the last minute, and did not arrive till too late to take part in the day's play. Morris, West of Scotland also took part in the match along with Quaife, Sugg, and Wood-Sims.

 

The wicket was in fine run-getting order, and the weather of the most brilliant description, if anything too hot. The best performance of the day was undoubtedly the batting of Mr L.M. Balfour, who was in his best hitting form. This he showed by twice hitting the ball out of the ground for six in addition to numerous fours. For the visitors, Sugg and Wright showed good cricket for their respective scores.

 

The English captain was very fortunate in winning the toss and elected to bat with Quaife and Cropper, Messrs R. Scott and R Macnair bowling. Quaife hit the first ball of the match to leg for 4, and in the same bowler's (Scott's) next over he cut him for 3., 20 appeared from an off-drive by Quaife to the boundary for 4, while Cropper got a pretty boundary to square leg off Macnair, and in his next over he got him through the slips for 4.

 

Singles prevailed for several overs, but ultimately Cropper, who was now doing most of the scoring, brought out 30 by a cut past point for 4 off Scott, who at 31 took Macnair's place at the pavilion end. W. Thompson bowled at the far end, and in his first over a smart return of "Hopes" from cover-point enabled Balfour to run out Quaife at 31.

 

Lee was next, and opened by putting the Brunswick bowler to leg for 4. He followed this up with a flukey couple through slips and an on drive for 3, both off Thompson. Scott knocked a hard return of Lee's on to the wicket and appealed for a run out against Cropper, but the umpire gave not out. In the same over, however, Lee hit one of Scott's high to mid-off where it was secured by J.S. Carrick-two for 40.

 

Balfour cleverly threw out Cropper at the Same total. Sugg was joined by Wright, who cut Thompson for 4, while Sugg realised a couple for a hit to mid-off off Scott. Wright snicked Scott in the next over for 4, and got a lucky one off the same bowler two overs later through slips for 3.

 

Wright got Macnair who had relieved Thompson at 52 square for a couple, while a like number was credited to Sugg for a hit to the off from the Drumpellier man's bowling. Sugg off-drove Macnair for a brace, and at 69 Scott resigned in favour of "Hope" after bowling 29 overs. Wright cut the slow bowler for a couple, and Sugg repeated the operation for 4. In the same over the Notts batsman again cut him for 4 to the boundary, and just afterwards the lunch bell rang.

 

After lunch Scott and Thompson were the bowlers. A hit of Wright's was converted into a five by an overthrow to the boundary. Wright then cut Thompson for 4, and Sugg brought out the three figures by driving Scott straight for 2. Wright got Thompson square for 3, and at 103 J.S. Carrick came on in his place. Sugg off-drove Scott to the boundary for 4, and in one over to long on and to leg for 4 each.

 

At 124 "Hope" was tried for Scott and after Wright had cut Carrick (who had relieved Thompson) for 4, Sugg got "Hope" to leg for a like amount. After 141 Sugg was cleverly stumped after contributing 51. Another smart bit of fielding by Hope at cover point enabled Balfour to run out Wright at 149, and Davidson joined Wood-Sims.

 

The new-comer in successive overs hit Hope to long off twice for four, and at 167 Carrick gave the ball to Macnair. An over later Hope gave up in favour of Scott, and Wood-Sims got the new bowler square for 3. Thompson relieved Macnair at 190 and Davidson got him to leg and the on for 2 and 3. After Davidson had brought out 200 by off-driving Scott to the boundary, Thompson was displaced by Hope. The separation, however, came from the other end, as at 202 Scott dislodged Wood-Sims middle wicket-six for 202.

 

Davidson, after being joined by Morris cut Hope to the boundary for 4 and hit Scott to the on for a like amount. At 213 Morris was clean bowled, and one run later Davidson was caught at long-on. As Harrison and Hudson had not arrived the innings closed at 214.

 

Messrs L.M. Balfour and J.S. Carrick opened the Scottish innings to the bowling of Walter Wright and Davidson. The Grange crack on-drove Wright into the pavilion for 4, but the third ball of Davidson's first over sent back Carrick-one for 4.

 

Mr H.J. Stevenson followed and put Davidson prettily to leg for a couple, while Balfour hit Wright to square leg for 4. This he seconded with a brace to leg off Davidson and a cut of 3 off the Notts bowler. Balfour next drove Wright to long-on for 4, and in the same bowler's next over he hit him to square leg out of the ground for 6. When he had 31, Wright missed a hot one from Balfour in the slips.

 

At 34 Cropper came on for Wright, and Balfour hit his first ball to square leg out of the ground for another six. At 40 Stevenson was caught at the wickets, and Mr T Anderson came in. Balfour cemented the partnership by hitting Cropper to leg for 4, but in the same over he was caught at mid-on-3 for 44. Off the next ball, Mr J Carrick jun. was caught in slips low down, and in the following over a yorker dismissed Anderson-4 and 5 for 44. Stumps were then drawn.

 

Day 2:
When play was resumed at 12.20 yesterday in this match at Partick, the heat was again intense. T. Johnston, the overnight not out, was joined by W. Thompson-Cropper and Davidson bowling. Only four off a bye had been recorded when Davidson scattered Thompson's stumps-six for 48. A "Hope" joined Johnston only to see him bowled at 53, while he himself was well caught at mid on in the following over without addition-eight for 53. R Macnair, who had joined C.W. Dunlop, got 4 for a hit to the off, which was misfielded, while his partner got a 5 to leg, of which 4 was an overthrow. The Grange batsman cut Cropper prettily through slips for 4 (all run), but in that bowler's next over he sent a beauty which clean bowled Macnair-nine for 71. R. Scott brought up the rear, and saw Dunlop cut Davidson prettily for 4 to the boundary. The next over, however, closed the innings, as with his last ball Cropper bowled Scott's leg stump out of the ground. This left the Scotsmen in a minority of 130 and a follow on was therefore necessary. Messrs L.M. Balfour and T Johnston began the Scottish second innings to the bowling of Cropper and Davidson. Cropper's first ball Balfour hit almost square to the boundary, and his second he put to leg for 3. After being missed at mid-off in Davidson's first over, Balfour off drove the next ball to the boundary-a hit which he repeated in the following over, in addition to an on drive for a brace. The University man sent Cropper to square leg to the boundary, and in the following over Balfour had a grand off drive off Davidson out of the ground for 6. Cropper was next sent to the long-leg boundary by Balfour, and at 42 Harrison bowled vice Davidson. The change was successful, Harrison disturbing Johnston's off stump with his second ball, and H.J. Stevenson joined Balfour. Each batsman cut Cropper for 3 and in the same over Balfour had an off drive to the boundary. This brought on Wright at 55 and off him Stevenson had three cuts for 4 each. At lunch the score was 79 for one wicket. After resuming, Balfour and Stevenson were opposed by Harrison and Cropper. Balfour off-drove Harrison to the boundary and sent him to leg for 3, but in Cropper's next over he was bowled at 90. T. Anderson who succeeded, hit Harrison to leg for 4, but saw Stevenson's leg stump bowled out of the ground, when the score wanted one to the hundred. C.W. Dunlop in one over off Harrison cut him, put him through the slips, and hit him to leg-each going to the boundary for 4. This brought on Wright at 115, and off his bowling Dunlop was caught at cover one later. J. Carrick jun., who came next, hit Cropper square to the boundary, and then played on at 121. W. Thompson was out leg before one later-six for 122; and at 123 Hope was clean bowled. Macnair opened with a square-leg hit to the boundary off Cropper, but in the following over saw Anderson grandly caught in slips at 127. Another good catch in slips dismissed Macnair one later, and as J.S. Carrick was hurt and unable to play the English eleven won by an innings and 11 runs.

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