Scotland v Ireland 24, 26 & 27 June 1950 by Cricket Scotland

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Ground:	North Inch, Perth
Scorecard:	Scotland v Ireland
Event:	Ireland in Scotland 1950

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DateLine: 4th February 2013

 

 

Day 1:
When the first of the three days play in the international match between Scotland and Ireland ended at the North Inch, Perth, the Scots were 37 runs behind, but as all their second innings wickets were intact, and they had survived the awkward final half hour, the prospect of an innings defeat had receded.

 

Although five and a quarter hours produced only 199 runs, the fluctuating fortunes experienced by both teams made the day far from dull. Some reputations, notably in batting, were rather tarnished, and one can well imagine that some of the Scots will welcome the chance to-day to show that their form of Saturday was too bad to be true, or, alternatively,-that their indecision about how to play yorkers and full tosses, or forward or back, made the bowling of J.C. Boucher look better than it really was. The wicket seemed made for run-getting.

 

The red-haired Irishman, who made the first of his many international appearances at Aberdeen in 1929 when he was 19-he is very far from the superannuated stage some would have us believe-has more than once wrought havoc among the Scots. A cheerful and energetic performer, he had a field day at Hamilton Crescent a couple of years ago, but, even so, he was not as great a menace then as he turned out to be on Saturday when, in 16 overs, half of which were maidens he had seven wickets for 18 runs.

 

He varied his pace cleverly, and was able to get the ball to turn from the off, greatly to the discomfiture of those who took part in the melancholy procession that started before lunch and ended with the first ball he sent down on the resumption. But despite his eloquent figures and the subtlety of his spinners, it could not be disputed that several of the Scots played themselves out.

 

After Chisholm was out, second, at 46, the resistance was feeble, to say the least of it, and there was not even the vestige of a wag in an outsize tail. To-day may produce better things. If it does not there will be grumbles that the Scottish team to meet Sussex this week-end ought to have been chosen after, instead of before, the meeting with Ireland.

 

Two of the three Edinburgh Academical members of the team, S.H. Cosh and I. A. H. Syme, had the unhappy experience of making a duck on their international debut, but Cosh had the consolation later of hearing his wicket keeping widely applauded. Greatly to the liking of the very big crowd, who got some excitement when Ireland went in to bat, and were given some of their own medicine by the lanky G.W. Youngson, he took every chance that was going and had three splendid catches.

 

When they lost six wickets for a paltry 20 runs, Ireland were in an even worse pickle than the Scots had been, and there was a possibility that the latter might find themselves in the astonishing position of having a first innings lead. The seventh wicket partnership of Martin and the redoubtable Boucher stopped the rot, however, and they took Ireland past the Scots total.

 

Later Hill, who was shaky at the start and hardly looked as if he would last five minutes, improved greatly, remaining long enough to set up a resolute ninth-wicket stand with Gill. It yielded 45 runs, the biggest stand of the day in this somewhat freakish match in which no Scot succeeded in hitting a boundary until Aitchison did so on his second trip to the wicket somewhere around six o' clock.

 

Youngson's seven for 42 was a fine performance in view of all the circumstances, and another who did well in Scotland's fighting come-back was Stewart, the local man who bowls medium-fast. But Henderson, the left-hander, after opening well, was kept on too long after he had lost his length.

 

Day 2:
This year's Scotland v. Ireland match at Perth will-be long remembered for its remarkable, change of fortune. In the first day's play Scotland were skittled out for 58 and it looked as if it would be a miracle if the game lasted three days.

 

To-day, in splendid weather, Scotland staged a remarkable recovery and hit the Irish bowling all over the place. They adopted an attacking front and completely turned the tables on Ireland, who are now left with the task of getting 233 runs to win.

 

Boucher, the Irish spin bowler who did all the damage on Saturday, got some heavy punishment to-day, particularly in a splendid seventh-wicket stand by Henderson and Edward, that realised 176 runs , which is something to write home about in Scottish cricket.

 

On a fast wicket, the Irish bowling was flogged and the Scottish players' mentioned stayed together for 2 hours and 20 minutes in building up the foundation of this, great recovery. Edward, who is captaining Scotland for the first time, was not in a new role in that he was batting when the tide was flowing against his side.

 

As so often before, he rose to the occasion in the most gallant fashion and in a glorious innings hit two 6's and eight 4's. Henderson, the left-hander, who had a duck on Saturday, also was completely, master of any bowling that was sent up to him and had eight 4's in his final innings.

 

It was truly harsh luck that Edward, after surviving the "nervous 90's" so well, should be out when just only one short of his century. It was a real captain's innings, but before all that happened Aitchison, Allan, and Cosh, particularly the last named, had shown the right way to play the Irish bowling, and they went all out for attack, an example that was well followed by their colleagues and greatly to the liking of the vast crowd who went to one of Scotland's most picturesque grounds.

 

Day 3:
The Irish never take their pleasures sadly, and to-day at Perth, when they had to make 233 runs to beat Scotland, they did not sit on the splice; instead they went out boldly for runs, and if there had not been a stoppage of 24 minutes owing to rain, they might well have won.

 

In any event, when time was called they were 43 runs short of victory, but they had put up a very gallant display in one of the best matches that had been played between the countries for many years.

 

Jacobson played a really magnificent innings for Ireland, and in this rather strange match, in which, on the first day batsmen were skittled out, and thereafter recovered to make scores, he really saved Ireland.

 

Jacobson made few mistakes, but just as play was about to end, Allan the young Edinburgh Academical, who was fielding in slips, failed to take a catch. This might well have been the turning point in the game, and though it was a hard chance it might well have made the difference between a win and a draw.

 

Jacobson, who had eight 4s in a really good innings, just took Ireland right through, and he well deserved all the applause he got when he carried his bat. Another who did extremely well was J.C. Boucher, the famous spin bowler, who this time showed how he could bat. He took everything that was coming to him from the Scottish bowlers and gave Jacobson some grand help.

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