Scotland v Australia 29 July 1882 by Cricket Scotland

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Ground:	Raeburn Place, Edinburgh
Scorecard:	Scotland v Australians
Event:	Australia in British Isles 1882

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DateLine: 31st January 2013

 

 

At the request of the Scottish Cricket Union the Australians on Saturday played a return match with the Gentlemen of Scotland at Raeburn Place. The weather was fine and the prospect of a good day's cricket drew out nearly as large and influential an attendance as on Friday. There were several thousands of people including well known cricketers from all parts of Scotland with many ladies whose vari-coloured dresses made the scene an animated one.

 

In addition to witnessing some grand cricket and one of the greatest surprises of the season, in the substantial defeat of the visitors on the first innings, spectators were entertained to a selection of music by the band of the 3rd Battalion Royal Scots under Herr Mangelsdorff. Bannerman and Beal took the place of Blackham and Horan in the Australian team and A. Asher, F. Sanderson, and R. Macnair appeared in the Scottish eleven in place of W. McCormick, T. Fleming, and A. Pearson.

 

That the Scottish team was strengthened by the changes was early evident among other things by the brilliant fielding of F. Sanderson (long on and cover point), who was again and again cheered by the spectators, and earned the special commendations of the Australian captain. Asher was also very conspicuous in the same fields, the old Loretto boy covering an immense lot of ground, besides playing a good not out innings. Macnair, as often occurs with him in such matches, "came off" in the bowling and the balls with which he took Palmer's and Massie's wickets were rare ones.

 

The fielding all round was the best of the three days. J.G. Walker, Dr Cotterill, and L.M. Balfour at wickets were frequently cheered-the Scottish captain's capture of Bonnor being a treat. The Australian captain did not evidently anticipate the turn the game took, as was obvious from the order in which he sent his team in, putting himself and Massie ninth and tenth men. Considerable comment was made that neither Palmer nor Boyle was tried, but it must be borne in mind that the wicket was not as suitable for either as on the previous two days.

 

The match, so satisfactory from a cricket point of view, has also financially been one of the greatest successes experienced in Scotland, and will yield the Scottish Cricket Union a substantial balance. The arrangements of the committee and their hon. Secretary (Mr. G.L. Crole) with the assistance of Mr R. Black, for the public and the press were unusually complete, the latter for the first time in Scotland having a roomy box provided for them along with the scorers, almost in line with the wickets. The dinner on Friday to the Australians, it should be added, was given by the Edinburgh Australian Club, of which Dr P.A. Young is the president.

 

The game was begun at 12.30 by the Australians going in with Garrett and Palmer to the bowling on Thompson and J. Craig. Runs came so fast that Hay-Brown and Macnair were tried, the latter getting Palmer in his second over at 46. At 51 Garrett was run out, and after this the wickets fell fast so that at lunch time seven wickets had fallen for 83 runs.

 

After resuming, Massie was joined by McDonnell, and was cleverly bowled by Macnair at 86- an operation he repeated on McDonnell at 95. The manager of the team (Beal) kept up his wicket so well that Murdoch was mainly enabled to bring the total to 122.

 

Mr Balfour took Mr Wood in as his partner, Jones and Giffen bowling, and the pair so effectually collared the bowling that 10 and 20 went up rapidly amid cheering, but at 37 Wood sent one softly back to the bowler. When Dr Cotterill came in another great stand ensued, and some splendid batting was witnessed, both batsmen cutting and driving in fine style despite several bowling changes. At 88 Dr Cotterill skied one to the off which was easily held.

 

J.G. Walker next joined Balfour, who continued hitting hard till 119 was reached, when he put a ball of Beal's to square-leg into the Academy field for 6-the hit of the two matches-and thus won the game for the Gentlemen amid great cheering. At 134 he was given out lbw, after a splendidly made 73, which included a 6, six 4's, five 3's, and six 2's. A.G.G. Asher joined his old captain, who was magnificently held at point at 139.

 

The remaining wickets fell at 147, 147 and 154 when time was called leaving Asher not out with an excellent 18 and the total for 154 for seven wickets-the Scotsmen thus winning by 45 runs and three wickets.

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