100 Years Ago: 26 November to 3 December 1924

Queensland's historic draw

Brisbane: Queensland v M.C.C. (three-day match)

Day 1

Hendren Comes Good

M.C.C. 391/5 (J B Hobbs 51, H Sutcliffe 24, A Sandham 64, E H Hendren 153*, A P F Chapman 80, W W Whysall 13*; P M Hornibrook 2 wkts). QUEENSLAND to bat.

Queensland are eager for admission to the Sheffield Shield competition, but their performance today did not enhance their prospects. Their bowling and fielding were generally weak, and the M.C.C. batsmen had a good day out. Their attack was opened by Percy Hornibrook, the medium-pacer who is said to be one of the best left-arm bowlers in Australia. He did take two wickets and bowled some good deliveries, but he was not at his best and also took quite a pasting. Queenslanders have been promoting him for a Test place, but he certainly didn’t look the part today. Jack Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe put on 64 for the first wicket, with Hobbs going on to a graceful fifty, but Jack Bryan failed, being well caught and bowled by Hornibrook for 4.

There was a steady fifty from Andy Sandham, while Patsy Hendren always likes to take advantage of weak bowling and was aggressive from the start. The most entertaining cricket of the day was his partnership of 134 for the fifth wicket with Percy Chapman, which took only 71 minutes. Chapman thrilled the crowd with his powerful hitting, with a six and 10 fours. One of his fours from a drive actually hit the umpire, who incorrectly signalled four. Hendren was still there at the close and will no doubt be hoping for a double-century tomorrow. For the first time on tour the tourists are experiencing traditional Australian conditions, with a hot sun and a hard dry pitch. The crowd figure was not far off 12,000.

Day 2

Queensland Show Fight

M.C.C. 522 (E H Hendren 168, W W Whysall 46, M W Tate 20, R K Tyldesley 39, A P Freeman 21*; P M Hornibrook 5/210, R K Oxenham 2/114). QUEENSLAND 218/8 (L P D O’Connor 29, E C Bensted 40, W Rowe 32, F C Thompson 39, R K Oxenham 26, W Cain 18*, P M Hornibrook 5*; M W Tate 4 wkts, R K Tyldesley 2 wkts). Overnight score was: M.C.C. (1) 391/5 (Hendren 153*, Whysall 13*).

Patsy Hendren didn’t really get going again this morning, but was out for 168, the highest individual score ever made by an Englishman in Brisbane, in three hours and ten minutes. There were some runs further down the innings, and a spirited last-wicket partnership of 54 between Dick Tyldesley and Tich Freeman, who hit out gaily in festival style, surviving several dropped catches. Percy Hornibrook bowled rather better today and finished with five wickets in the innings, but at an awful cost of 210 runs. Remarkably, out of the long innings of 522, there were only two extras, both byes.

Queensland showed good fight with the bat, and all the first five batsmen scored at least 25 runs. None of them could go on to a big score, though, and then Maurice Tate, although not at his best, broke through the middle order, sending the score from 161 for three at one stage to 185 for seven. As this match is limited to three days, M.C.C. will need to make Queensland follow on, which seems almost certain, and take 12 wickets tomorrow to win.

Day 3

O’Connor and Oxenham Save Queensland

M.C.C. 522. QUEENSLAND 275 (W Cain 39, P M Hornibrook 36; M W Tate 4/64, R K Tyldesley 2/67, A P Freeman 3/79) and (following on) 131/3 (L P D O’Connor 66*, R K Oxenham 45*; A P Freeman 2/49). Match drawn. Overnight score was: Queensland (1) 218/8 (Cain 18*, Hornibrook 5*).

With a bit of help from the weather, Queensland succeeded in drawing their match against the M.C.C. with honour. They began the day needing to make a score of 373 to save the follow-on, who obviously would be beyond their capabilities. However, William Cain and Percy Hornibrook hit out gallantly and added 59 together for the ninth wicket, the highest partnership of the innings, before Tich Freeman finished off the innings with an eventual deficit of 247.

The weather was very hot and humid. M.C.C. enforced the follow-on and took three wickets for 43 before Ron Oxenham joined his captain, Leo O’Connor, at the wicket. These two settled in with great determination and the M.C.C. players began to struggle in the field. Finally Jupiter Pluvius located their whereabouts and a heavy downpour drove them from the field just before tea. They were able to go out again later, but after only four more overs had been bowled bad light ended the match. O’Connor and Oxenham had held out for more than an hour and a half. This is the first time in six matches played between the two teams that a Queensland team has avoided defeat by M.C.C.

Pretoria: Pretoria v S B Joel’s XI (two-day match, not first-class)

Day 1

PRETORIA 255 (L C A Newnham 58, V H Neser 35, M K Inman 31; A S Kennedy 4/81, C W L Parker 4/72). S B JOEL’S XI to bat.

Overall Pretoria could be said to have put up quite a good batting performance against the tourists. Lewis Newnham at No 4 batted best for Pretoria, scoring a steady fifty. Most of the bowling was done by Alec Kennedy and Charlie Parker. The former Oxford wicket-keeper Vivian Neser batted well with Newnham in a sixth-wicket partnership worth 60 runs, the highest of the innings. Pretoria were all out at the tea interval, during which Jupiter Pluvius caught up with the tourists and a heavy storm prevented any more play.

Day 2

PRETORIA 255 and 50/2. S B JOEL’S XI 199 (P Holmes 33, J C W MacBryan 20, E H Bowley 23, F H Nicholas 54, A S Kennedy 29; A L Fielding 4/25). Match drawn. Overnight score was: Pretoria (1) 255 all out.

Pretoria did very well to lead the tourists on the first innings in this drawn match. Solly Joel’s team slid from 75 for one wicket to 98 for six, but Fred Nicholas then enjoyed his first good innings of the touring team and hit a fine fifty, putting on 64 for the ninth wicket with Alec Kennedy. They still fell 56 runs behind on the first innings, but there was never any chance of an outright result. Pretoria began their second innings quite well, but then another typical highveld afternoon storm came on and the match had to be abandoned.

Kimberley: Griqualand West v S B Joel’s XI

Day 1

Steady English Batting

S B JOEL’S XI 272 (P Holmes 30, J C W MacBryan 26, A S Kennedy 29, G E Tyldesley 45, E H Bowley 37, C W L Parker 28, E L D Bartley 24; C M Francois 3/76, J L Daly 2/40, F J Farrelly 2/32). GRIQUALAND WEST 116/2 (L E Tapscott 61*, W V S Ling 52*).

Griqualand West are one of the weaker South African provinces, but they do have some fine players in their ranks. The Jolly Souls team, as they are popularly known, batted first and gave a steady rather than inspiring display with the bat, although there were some very entertaining patches. Percy Holmes and Jack MacBryan put on 48 for the first wicket, and Ernest Tyldesley and Ted Bowley 68 for the fifth, with Tyldesley playing the soundest innings of the day. Lionel Tennyson played a brief whirlwind innings of 19 in eight minutes, but eight wickets were down for 216. Some positive batting from Carpenter and Edward Bartley saw the last two wickets add 56 runs. Griquas lost both openers with only 2 runs on the board, but then William Ling and Lionel Tapscott, both of whom played in the Test matches against England on their tour two years ago, produced the best partnership of the day before the close, adding 114 together with good forceful play.

Day 2

Griquas Lead, but Jolly Souls Fight Back

S B JOEL’S XI 272 and 216/2 (P Holmes 23, J C W MacBryan 55, G E Tyldesley 81*, C A G Russell 51*; W Dickens 2 wkts). GRIQUALAND WEST 293 (L E Tapscott 102, W V S Ling 91, F D B Edmunds 27; A S Kennedy 3/59, C S Marriott 2/77, C W L Parker 4/80). Overnight score was: Griqualand West (1) 116/2 (Tapscott 61*, Ling 52*).

Batsmen from both teams enjoyed a day of superb weather and excellent batting conditions, and the spectators enjoyed the free flow of runs. Lionel Tapscott and William Ling took their third-wicket partnership to 188 before Ling was the first to go, just before Tapscott reached his century and then lost his wicket. The remaining wickets did mot add very much, but a stand of 22 for the last wicket gave Griquas the lead on the first innings.

Solly Joel’s team went in again 21 runs behind, but by the close had batted so well that defeat for them looks most unlikely. Percy Holmes and Jack MacBryan gave them another good start with 59 together, but they were outshone by Ernest Tyldesley and Jack Russell, whose stand so far has been worth 124. Tyldesley in particular showed the natural brilliant strokeplay he so rarely displayed for Lancashire last season, playing with such great skill, power and freedom that at one stage he hit 6 fours off 7 balls. This is the real Tyldesley at last, the great strokeplayer rather than the dogged grinder, and cricket today was all the better for it. Old Trafford, eat your heart out!

Day 3

Great Tyldesley, but Mackay and Dust Storm Save Griquas

S B JOEL’S XI 272 and 362 (G E Tyldesley 174, C A G Russell 59; W Dickens 4/66, F J Farelly 3/57). GRIQUALAND WEST 293 and 246/8 (C D Mackay 111*, W V S Ling 75; G Geary 4/57, C W L Parker 2/54). Match drawn. Overnight score was: S B Joel’s XI (2) 216/2 (Tyldesley 81*, Russell 51*).

Solly Joel’s team continued to bat in attacking style this morning, and the overnight pair put on 139 altogether before Jack Russell was out for 59. Ernest Tyldesley continued to hit brilliantly, while the remaining batsmen, trying to hit out, came and went. Tyldesley was eventually out for 174, an innings that contained 5 sixes and 20 fours and was memorable for his brilliant strokeplay. Unfortunately no time can be found for his innings.

Griqualand West were set 342 to win, but lost four wickets for 65. Charles Mackay hung in at the crease, batting steadily, but William Ling was more aggressive and hit an attractive 75. The pair added 129, but after Ling went none of the later batsmen reached double figures. The tenth batsman was at the crease with Mackay when the match was ended early by a great duststorm that probably saved the home team from defeat. It had been an excellent match in good conditions, and most of all Tyldesley’s true brilliance will be remembered by all who saw his great innings.

Bombay Gymkhana: Europeans v Hindus

HINDUS 438 (J G Navle 61, P Vishal 94, C K Nayudu 135, D B Deodhar 79; L S Lloyd 6/100) and 152/4 dec. EUROPEANS 378 (A L Hosie 200, F G Rogers 93; L Ramji 4/111) and 59/3. Match drawn.

The above three-day first-class match between the Europeans and the Indians ended in a draw, with the Indians leading on the first innings. CK Nayudu and Dinkar Deodhar put on 192 for the fifth wicket in their big first innings, while the rest relied on a big seventh-wicket partnership of 166 between Alex Hosie, who played for Hampshire, and Francis Rogers, who has just returned to India after a good season with Gloucestershire. After all these runs, there was no chance of any outright result.

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