100 Years Ago: 20 October 1924
WA's survival, NSW's domination
The latest in the ACS’s planned series of auctions kicked off last weekend. It closes at 22:00 tomorrow, and has plenty to interest those who follow cricket in Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. The auction also contains some statistical material, a small selection of narrative books by EW Swanton, and a tranche of 35 lots on women’s cricket. Register now to avoid missing out.
Day 3
Perth: Western Australia v M.C.C.
Western Australia Hold Out
M.C.C. 330/7 dec. WESTERN AUSTRALIA 57 (W E Miller 14; A E R Gilligan 4/12, M W Tate 2/9, R K Tyldesley 2/13) and (following on) 157/7 (F H Taaffe 71, R J Bryant 24; R K Tyldesley 2/25, J W Hearne 2/59). Match drawn. Overnight score was: M.C.C. (1) 330/7 dec.
As was anticipated, Arthur Gilligan declared at the M.C.C. overnight total, and then the home side had to face the fearsome bowling of Gilligan and Maurice Tate. The pitch was slow and easy, so one shudders to think what damage these bowlers might have done on a helpful pitch. The first seven wickets went down for 18 runs. At 25 Gilligan made a double bowling change — he himself seemed to tire after bowling four overs — which gave the later batsmen some degree of respite, so they could reach a total of 57 in just over an hour and a half. The highest scorer was William Miller with 14 at No 10.
Western Australia followed on, but Gilligan, perhaps in a gesture of chivalry, did not open with himself and Tate, and the home side were able to put up a more confident display. The innings was held together by their opening batsman, Frederick Taaffe, who batted through almost to the close of play for 71 in just under three hours before being caught by Gilligan at mid-off off Frank Woolley. Gilligan and Tate came on again after tea in an attempt to win the match, but the home side held out. At the close Western Australia had three wickets in hand and were still 116 runs behind. The English fielded excellently all day, with Percy Chapman and Herbert Sutcliffe the best of all, together with Herbert Strudwick behind the stumps.
Sydney: New South Wales v Australian XI
Mailey Ten Wickets
NEW SOUTH WALES 645. AUSTRALIAN XI 310 (A T Ratcliffe 161, P M Hornibrook 25; C Kelleway 3/52, A A Mailey 5/97) and (following on) 142/8 dec (L W Gwynne 33, J T Murray 24, A J Richardson 31, V Y Richardson 25; A A Mailey 5/72, T J E Andrews 2/19). New South Wales won by an innings and 193 runs. Overnight score was: Australian XI (1) 240/7 (Ratcliffe 132*, Hornibrook 4*).
Andrew Ratcliffe, batting for more than four hours, eventually scored more than half the runs of the Australian XI, which finished 335 runs behind New South Wales and had to follow on. He did not bat in the second innings (neither did Clem Hill), and his team-mates again put up a poor show. It was no sort of entertainment for the crowd, and in a remarkable finish it was decided to end the match by a declaration with eight wickets down, in effect a concession, and for New South Wales to bat again in an unofficial second innings. This was done, and the crowd enjoyed watching an unbeaten fifty from Jack Gregory, along with Tommy Andrews. In the match proper, Arthur Mailey took ten wickets for 169 runs, the only bowler to return noteworthy figures. He seems to have regained his best form after a dip last season. The takings for the match, Bill Howell’s benefit, brought him £1238.
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