Ireland v Scotland 19, 21 & 22 June 1937 by Cricket Scotland

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Ground:	Ormeau, Belfast
Scorecard:	Ireland v Scotland
Event:	Scotland in Ireland 1937

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DateLine: 31st January 2013

 

 

Day 1:
Fielding errors cost Scotland dearly in me first day of the three days match against Ireland at Ormeau, Belfast, and at the close of play the visitors found themselves in a bad position.

 

Ireland batting first on an easy-paced wicket, sustained an early shock when Shearer was out lbw with only 4 runs on the board. Then Ingram and McKibbin, aided by several amazing errors in the field, got runs so rapidly that they put on 81 by lunch time.

 

Ingram was particularly aggressive, an d pulled and drove with power, although, when 30, he gave an easy catch which Melville dropped. McKibbin presented a chance to Farquhar when he had scored only 4, and both the wicketkeeper and Melville missed an easy catch when he had scored 21.

 

After lunch four Irish wickets fell for 9 runs, but Lambert and Mellon stopped the rot, again with some assistance from the fielders, and for the seventh wicket they put on 61 runs, bringing the Irish total to over 200 runs.

 

At 180 Lambert, with his score at 52, was fortunate when Jones, at cover-point, dropped a rather easy catch, but that was the only blemish in an innings distinguished for its variety of strokes, and particularly for its on-driving.

 

When Ireland were all out they had compiled a more formidable total than at first promised. The dead easy pitch did not help, the Scottish medium-paced bowlers, and Melville, with his slows, was the only one who could make the ball do things, although he was unlucky.

 

Scotland, opened their innings confidently, and 20 runs were on the board in fewer minutes. The pitch, however, showed signs of liveliness, and Billingsley made the ball kick up awkwardly.

 

Scotland lost Ballantyne at 21, a victim to Billingsley, and with his next ball, the Irish fast bowler clean bowled Oliphant with a delivery that rose sharply. At the other end Boucher, in the next over, bowled Jones, and thus three of Scotland's best wickets fell for a paltry 2 runs.

 

McTavish, the captain, then looked like retrieving a sorry position. He put on 35 runs in half an hour before being bowled by Morgan. It was a valiant innings, marked by powerful off-side strokes and including five boundaries. Heggie was dogged, and his 7 runs not out occupied him a full hour.

 

Scotland, whose fielding was poor, need 1 run to avoid a follow-on.

 

Day 2:
With seven wickets in hand, Scotland require 174 runs to beat Ireland at Ormeau Belfast, and they seem to have little chance of victory.

 

Scotland resumed yesterday 151 runs behind on the first innings, and on a pitch that was again easy they did not find runs difficult to obtain. J. A. Stevenson and W. R. Heggie batted brightly, and put on 35 runs for the sixth wicket before Heggie got in front of a fast ball from J. C. Boucher.

 

G.T. Forbes, coming in at the eighth wicket, used the on-drive to great advantage, but the remaining batsmen offered little resistance, and Scotland were all out by-lunch time for 163.

 

This gave them a fighting chance of snatching the match out of the fire but, when Ireland batted a second time E.D.R. Shearer and D. G. R. McKibbin, the opening pair, soon dimmed any hope they had.

 

Shearer, who lost McKibbin at 43, was not troubled by the bowling, and, while he exercised fine strokes in all-round cricket, he was particularly strong in pulling. He scored six 4s, and did not give a chance. A. McFarlane proved his best partner.

 

A. Paris was the only Scottish bowler who obtained much success, and his six wickets at a cost of only 5 runs apiece was a splendid achievement on turf that gave him little assistance.

 

Now and again he managed to make the ball rise awkwardly and swing out.

 

The fielding of Scotland was very much better than on Saturday. Stevenson, on the boundary, earned repeated applause for smart following up and returns.

 

Shearer was the only Irish batsman who could find a way regularly through -the fielders.

 

Going in for the second innings after tea, Scotland were faced with a comparatively formidable task, and they made a disappointing beginning. D. Ballantyne's stumps were spread-eagled by H. R. Morgan with only three runs on the board, and five runs later W.R. Heggie went, finely caught by C. W. Mellon at cover. P. J. Oliphant threatened to restore his side's fortunes, but when he had made a confident 15 he was beaten by Boucher.

 

While showing signs of wear, the pitch did not appear to be very difficult, and Scotland's bad start was surprising.

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