100 Years Ago: 21 August 1924
by John Ward
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Day 2
Harrogate: Yorkshire v Hampshire
No Play — Rain
YORKSHIRE 164/2 (E Oldroyd 60*, M Leyland 44*). HAMPSHIRE to bat.
There was much rain during the night and throughout the morning, and when it finally stopped the pitch was so saturated that it was obvious no play would be possible today.
Chesterfield: Derbyshire v Essex
No Play — Rain
ESSEX 29/1 (J R Freeman 9*, J O’Connor 16*). DERBYSHIRE to bat.
Further rain soaked the ground and made play tomorrow unlikely as well unless there is a significant improvement in the weather.
Cardiff: Glamorgan v Somerset
No Play — Rain Again
More heavy overnight rain, more morning showers, and this time it took no longer than 11.30 to abandon play for the day.
Manchester: Lancashire v Gloucestershire
No Play — Rain Again
Heavy night rain left the pitch almost under water again at Old Trafford, and after an early lunch it was again obvious that play today was impossible.
Lord’s: Middlesex v Kent
Great Woolley, but Middlesex Fight Back
MIDDLESEX 133 and 271/4 (H L Dales 100, E H Hendren 79, G T S Stevens 26, G O B Allen 15*, F T Mann 26*; G C Collins 2 wkts, C S Marriott 2 wkts). KENT 165 (F E Woolley 95; N E Haig 3/35, G T S Stevens 2/58, J W Hearne 3/34). Overnight score was: Kent (1) 53/4 (Woolley 12*).
A glorious single-handed innings from Frank Woolley gave Kent the first-innings lead in this match, although not one of his partners today reached double figures. He was tested early on for a ball or two by Jack Hearne, who bowled superbly with plenty of spin, but he quickly had the pace of the pitch and played a brilliant innings with all his characteristic grace and power, so Kent took the lead with six wickets down. He reached 95 in less than two hours before he tried to bring up his century with a six off Nigel Haig, but was well caught by John Guise at long-on. His ten team-mates managed a mere 64 runs among them. Thanks to Woolley alone, Kent led by 32 runs on the first innings.
When Middlesex batted again, it was soon obvious that the roller had made the pitch much easier now. This allowed for the second outstanding innings of the day, played by Horace Dales, although he had an easier pitch to play on than Woolley. However it should not detract from his innings, especially in the way that he, as a left-hander, dominated the bowling of Tich Freeman, driving him superbly time after time as he ran to his century in 2¼ hours. He even dominated his partnership with Patsy Hendren, after Jack Hearne had retired hurt. Greville Stevens replaced him and also chased the runs as Middlesex, much more confident than in their first innings, pushed the score along quickly and with great determination, looking for a big score. At the close they were well placed, 239 ahead with six wickets in hand, to push for victory tomorrow — weather permitting, of course!
Lakenham: Minor Counties v South Africans
Titchmarsh and Chapman in Fine Partnership
MINOR COUNTIES 196 and 272 (C H Titchmarsh 80, A G Doggart 21, A P F Chapman 68, R J O Meyer 30, J M Coldham 20; S J Pegler 2/74, J M Blanckenberg 4/56, C P Carter 3/42). SOUTH AFRICANS 149 (D J Meintjes 26*, C P Carter 19; M Falcon 3/48, R J O Meyer 6/60) and 66/1 (G A L Hearne 38*, M J Susskind 25*). Overnight score was: South Africans (1) 103/9 (Meintjes 3*, Carter 4*).
The South Africans’ woes continued at Lakenham today, although it was a relief that their last pair in the first innings, Douggie Meintjes and Claude Carter, fought hard to add 52 runs altogether for their last wicket, much their highest partnership. This kept the deficit down to 47.
The Minor Counties made a steady start in their second innings, reaching 72 for three, but then came a superb fourth-wicket partnership between their opener Charles Titchmarsh and Percy Chapman, who quite mastered the tourists’ bowling and added 104 together in just over an hour. As would be expected, Chapman was the dominant man, hitting brilliantly to score 68 in that time before he was finally bowled by Jimmy Blanckenberg, who also got rid of Titchmarsh a few overs later, but the damage was done. The later batsmen did not bat too well, although Jack Meyer again hit well for 30, but they were able to set the South Africans 320 to win, much the highest total of the match, in the fourth innings. Meyer struck again before the close, bowling out Bob Catterall for 3, but then George Hearne and Fred Susskind batted well together, giving the tourists some hope for tomorrow. But they will have to pull out an outstanding performance — or a lot of rain — if they are to avoid defeat to the Minor Counties in this match.
Nottingham: Nottinghamshire v Northamptonshire
Notts Struggle Against Murdin
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 242. NOTTINGHAMSHIRE 153/6 (G Gunn 46, W Walker 42, B Lilley 37*; C N Woolley 2 wkts, J V Murdin 3 wkts). Overnight score was: Nottinghamshire (1) 10/0 (G Gunn 5*, Whysall 5*).
George Gunn batted in good style when Nottinghamshire continued their innings, but his partners crumbled against a good spell of bowling from John Murdin, who removed Dodger Whysall for 11, and John Gunn and Arthur Carr for a single each. Wilf Payton fell to Claud Woolley for 9, and when George Gunn was bowled by Jupp Nottinghamshire were in trouble with five wickets down for 73. Willis Walker was joined by the wicket-keeper Ben Lilley, standing in for the indisposed Tom Oates, and although interrupted several times by showers they put on 80 runs together before Walker was bowled by Woolley. Before he had even left the field a downpour burst over the ground and ended play for the day at about 3.30, with Nottinghamshire in danger of falling behind on the first innings.
Hove: Sussex v Surrey
Sussex Almost Out
SUSSEX 148 and 153/9 (E H Bowley 57, M W Tate 34, T E R Cook 21, J H Parks 4*; H A Peach 3 wkts, S Fenley 2 wkts). SURREY 358 (A Sandham 71, T F Shepherd 111, P G H Fender 50; M W Tate 4/61, H E Roberts 5/51). Overnight score was: Surrey (1) 171/4 (Sandham 42*, Shepherd 28*).
The match continued to go all Surrey’s way today. Andy Sandham continued his solid anchor rôle this morning, while Tom Shepherd showed what a brilliant strokemaker he can be when he allows himself, racing to his fifty in 45 minutes. Sandham was finally prised out after batting for almost 3½ hours, having made 71 out of 261 runs on the board, with just one four and 41 singles. Shortly afterwards Shepherd left after scoring 111 in under two hours. Percy Fender then smacked the Sussex bowling around to score 50 in 40 minutes, while Henry Roberts mopped up most of the later batsmen to finish with five wickets.
Sussex batted again 210 behind, and with Ted Bowley playing soundly they reached 93 with only two wickets down. Maurice Tate was then out after another hard-hitting innings of 34 in 35 minutes. But then wickets began to fall steadily, with Bowley himself seventh out at 143, having shown once again he is in a class above any of his team-mates, who tried to play a careful game without success. Tommy Cook was out to Fender with the last ball of the day, and to the annoyance of the crowd the umpires drew stumps. So the teams will have to return tomorrow morning for the formality of taking the final wicket, barring remarkable cricket or a day of rain. Jim Parks will be joined at the wicket by Roberts needing to score 57 between them to avoid an innings defeat.
John Ward is an ACS member and a long-serving Zimbabwean cricket statistician. If you would like to contribute to this newsletter, please either respond to the email in which you received it, or leave a comment below.