100 Years Ago: 21-25 November 1924

MCC's daring chase

On the theory that these match reports will be more easily digested if you get them in their entirety, and in one go, this series is switching from a daily to a (more or less) weekly schedule.

Sydney: New South Wales v M.C.C.

Day 1

Bardsley Bats All Day

NEW SOUTH WALES 242/7 (H L Collins 32, W Bardsley 142*, J M Taylor 51, G E Nothling 4*; M W Tate 6 wkts). M.C.C. to bat.

Although Victoria are the reigning Sheffield Shield champions, the New South Wales Test team contains nine Test players, so M.C.C. took it very seriously.  They were unable to play Jack Hearne, Frank Woolley and Harry Howell due to injury.  The first day’s play was dominated by the magnificent performances of Warren Bardsley and Maurice Tate.  Bardsley batted magnificently throughout the day, although he received surprisingly little assistance from most of his team-mates, with only Herbie Collins and Johnny Taylor reaching double figures.  This was despite some missed slip catches by M.C.C., with Collins missed twice before he was first out after an opening partnership of 81 with Bardsley.  Charlie Macartney, Tommy Andrews and Alan Kippax were all out to Tate without scoring, but Taylor shared a fourth-wicket partnership of 122 with Bardsley.  Jack Gregory scored only 6, but M.C.C. will be wanting to see how he bowls tomorrow — is he still the threat he was in 1921?  Rain and bad light shortened the day’s play, just under four hours’ play being possible.

Bardsley is still there for tomorrow, his reputation as a great fighter against the odds enhanced.  The only chances he gave were two of being run out, as he is not a good runner between the wickets.  Tate, the other great performer of the day, was most successful when bowling from the Paddington end, despite having to use a ball described by Johnny Douglas as being like a bar of soap, and without assistance from the pitch.

In Melbourne Victoria are playing South Australia in a Sheffield Shield match.  Rain also interfered with play here, as South Australia scored only 163 for four wickets.  Arthur Richardson made 81 opening the innings, and David Pritchard was going well at the close with 61 not out.

Day 2

Hendren Stands as Gregory and Mailey Bring Collapse

NEW SOUTH WALES 271 (W Bardsley 160, O E Nothling 12; M W Tate 7/74, R K Tyldesley 3/74) and 0/0 (A A Mailey 0*, O E Nothling 0*). M.C.C. 193 (A Sandham 21, E H Hendren 75*, R K Tyldesley 36; J M Gregory 2/46, J D Scott 2/37, A A Mailey 4/55; J M Gregory 4 ct). Overnight score was: New South Wales (1) 242/7 (Bardsley 142*, Nothling 4*).

New South Wales continued their first innings, and Warren Bardsley survived another near run-out before he was finally caught and bowled by Dick Tyldesley for 160, after which the innings soon ended.  Maurice Tate finished with seven wickets for 74 runs, but unfortunately he had a poor time in the field.  The M.C.C. fielding generally was patchy, even that of Jack Hobbs, although Herbert Strudwick kept wicket very well.

Then M.C.C. began their innings, which was almost a disaster.  Jack Gregory did not worry the Englishmen unduly with the ball today and was not very accurate, but he was outstanding in the slips, catching Jack Hobbs out there brilliantly for 8 before he had Sutcliffe (17) caught at mid-on.  Three wickets were down for 37 before Patsy Hendren joined Andy Sandham and they put on 47 together.  Then Arthur Mailey came on and immediately broke through, removing Sandham and taking the next three wickets too as the score slid to 121 for eight.  It could have been worse, but Gregory actually missed a chance from Hendren in the slips, and he survived to find at last a worthy partner in Tyldesley.  Tyldesley hit out freely, the only batsman able to do so against Mailey, and the pair added 59 runs in 44 minutes before Gregory bowled out Tyldesley.  Hendren never found his best form, but was not out with 75 at the end.  M.C.C. trailed by 78 runs on the first innings, a bad position.  Mailey took four wickets and Gregory four catches.  Altogether the New South Wales bowling and fielding were superb.

New South Wales sent in two night-watchmen to open, but it was a wasted gesture as Otto Nothling appealed against the light before a ball was bowled; the umpires agreed and play ended for the day at that point.  The crowd numbered about 34,000.

In the Sheffield Shield match at Melbourne, David Pritchard went on to score 115 in a South Australia total of 288.  Victoria replied with 156 for two wickets by the close.  Bill Ponsford opened the innings and was still there at the close with 62.

Day 3

Andrews Shines in Hard Grind by N.S.W.

NEW SOUTH WALES 271 and 179/8 (H L Collins 32, T J E Andrews 63*, J M Taylor 19, W A S Oldfield 6*; M W Tate 3 wkts, R K Tyldesley 4 wkts). M.C.C. 193. Overnight score was: New South Wales (2) 0/0 (Mailey 0*, Nothling 0*).

Heavy rain on Sunday night had left the pitch and outfield soaked, and 45 minutes’ play were lost before conditions permitted a start.  The pitch was not very easy for batting, although it never became sticky.  The state batsmen were determined to compile the best possible lead without taking risks and the cricket was very attritional — only 179 runs were scored in the remaining time.  The Englishmen bowled and fielded superbly throughout.  Warren Bardsley batted three-quarters of an hour for 14 and suffered several blows on the thigh from Maurice Tate.  Charlie Macartney was bowled by Dick Tyldesley for 4 and has not found his batting form at all this season; his Test place must be in doubt with so many strong candidates in Australia nowadays.  Herbie Collins was an hour reaching double figures and was out for 32 in two hours, but Johnny Taylor was more positive in making 19. 

Tommy Andrews was the one batsman to beat the conditions, and he played a fine innings, to be unbeaten with 63 at the close.  Jack Gregory played a couple of aggressive strokes, but (ironically for one who had caught so brilliantly yesterday) he was himself out for 6 to a magnificent catch, as Arthur Gilligan dived to catch a powerful off-drive left-handed.  New South Wales finished the day with a lead of 258, and with Andrews still batting they could set M.C.C. a very difficult task tomorrow.

More rain in Melbourne interfered with Victoria’s reply to South Australia’s 288.  By the close they had taken their score to 280 for four wickets; Bill Ponsford is still there with 120.

Day 4

Hobbs and Sutcliffe Show the Way in Brilliant Victory

NEW SOUTH WALES 271 and 221 (T J E Andrews 86*, W A S Oldfield 19; M W Tate 3/59, R K Tyldesley 6/83). M.C.C. 193 and 301/7 (J B Hobbs 81, H Sutcliffe 45, E H Hendren 46, A P F Chapman 72, M W Tate 15*, A E R Gilligan 7*; A A Mailey 3/94). M.C.C. won by three wickets. Overnight score was: New South Wales (2) 179/8 (Andrews 63*, Oldfield 6*).

M.C.C. achieved a fine victory today by chasing down the highest total of the match against a team containing many players who will doubtless be playing against them in the Test series.  New South Wales were 257 ahead at the start of play, but Tommy Andrews and Bert Oldfield completed a ninth-wicket partnership of 61 runs before Dick Tyldesley took the last two wickets and M.C.C. were set exactly 300 runs to win.

The stage was set by Jack Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe, who were quickly out of the blocks and hit up the first fifty in 39 minutes just before lunch, running superbly between the wickets.  They put on 91 before Sutcliffe was out, but Andy Sandham and Roy Kilner, next in, were stodgy while Hobbs continued to attack, until he was caught in the slips for 81.  There was a very slow period when Johnny Douglas joined Patsy Hendren, and it took Percy Chapman to get M.C.C. going again.  The crowd encouraged him as he attacked the bowling from the start.  With the score at 273 for six the day’s play was scheduled to end, but it had already been agreed to make up for time lost to rain by playing for two hours before lunch tomorrow, as had happened in the Victoria match.  With a result so close, though, the two captains met briefly and agreed to finish the match today.  Chapman was out just before the finish after scoring 72 runs in an hour, but Maurice Tate and Arthur Gilligan completed the job.  This was a vital victory, as it showed the spirit of the touring team, and another defeat would certainly have lessened Australian interest in the coming Test series.

Elsewhere in Australia

In the Sheffield Shield match in Melbourne, Victoria were finally dismissed for 357 after South Australia scored 288.  Bill Ponsford was eventually out for 166.

While the Sydney match was going on, New South Wales have been double-dating.  A second New South Wales team completed a match in Brisbane against Queensland, which Queensland won by 152 runs.  Queensland made 125 and 296, while ‘New South Wales’ made 111 and 158.  The match-winning player was Ron Oxenham of Queensland, who took bowling figures of five for 27 and six for 45.  M.C.C. are now continuing their journey up the coast and will start their own match against Queensland this Saturday, 29 November, on the Exhibition Ground at Brisbane.

Durban: Natal v S B Joel’s XI

Day 1

Holmes Leads English Innings

S B JOEL’S XI 154 (P Holmes 62, C A G Russell 35; A F Borland 3/56, D P Conyngham 5/49, A W Nourse 2/22). NATAL 4/0 (I J Siedle 2*, E L Dalton 1*).

Solly Joel’s team are really having a problem with their batting so far on tour.  They batted first in their return match against Natal at the Kingsmead ground in Durban, but only two batsmen scored more than 11.  Percy Holmes became their first specialist batsman to score a fifty on tour, in this the fourth match, and he shared a third-wicket partnership with Jack Russell of 60, but no other partnership reached 30.  The pace bowlers Albert Borland and Dalton Conyngham both bowled very well; MacGregor Billing is unable to play in this match owing to a strain.  The wind was strong and frequently blew the bails off the stumps.  Natal had just begun their reply when Jupiter Pluvius International discovered the whereabouts of the English team and dumped on them again.

Day 2

Marriott and MacBryan Shine

S B JOEL’S XI 154 and 162/3 (J C W MacBryan 99*, E H Bowley 20, G E Tyldesley 24*). NATAL 116 (H W Taylor 49, A W Nourse 15, V C Robbins 21; C S Marriott 6/45, C W L Parker 3/24). Overnight score was: Natal (1) 4/0 (Siedle 2*, Dalton 1*).

Natal continued their innings cautiously, and it never really got going.  As so often, Herby Taylor was the backbone of the innings with a good 49, but when he was the fourth man out at 104 the rest of the batting collapsed completely; Dalton Conyngham (3 not out) was the only one of the last six batsmen to score.  Father Marriott with his leg-breaks and googlies was the main destroyer, but Charlie Parker was not going to be left out of it and bowled out three batsmen; Marriott’s victims were all caught.

The Englishmen went in with a lead of 38, and although Percy Holmes was caught by Dave Nourse off Conyngham for 6, Jack MacBryan found his form.  He had some support from Ted Bowley, but three wickets were down for 70.  Ernest Tyldesley was dropped first ball, and this cost the otherwise excellent Natal fielding side dearly, as he settled in with MacBryan, who became increasingly confident and aggressive.  When play ended he had reached 99 and the partnership was worth 92, of which Tyldesley had 24.

Day 3

Natal Secure Draw

S B JOEL’S XI 154 and 296/9 dec (J C W MacBryan 120, G E Tyldesley 61, L H Tennyson 34; D P Conyngham 5/101, A W Nourse 2/54). NATAL 116 and 172/4 (I J Siedle 24, E L Dalton 34, H W Taylor 34, A W Nourse 36*, V C Robbins 43; C W L Parker 2/32). Match drawn. Overnight score was: S B Joel’s XI (2) 162/3 (MacBryan 99*, Tyldesley 24*).

Jack MacBryan had no difficulty in completing the first century of the tour by the Englishmen, and went on to score 120, his partnership with Ernest Tyldesley eventually realizing 135 for the fourth wicket.  Lionel Tennyson hit an aggressive 34 and he eventually declared to leave Natal 335 to win.  Conyngham bowled an exhausting 39 overs in the innings, but was rewarded with ten wickets in the match.  The Englishmen bowled and fielded well as Natal went in to bat not long before lunch, but their first five batsmen all settled in very well and saw their team through to a comfortable draw.

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