Marriott’s masterclass
100 Years Ago: 6 to 9 June 1925
Day 1
Cambridge: Cambridge University v Free Foresters
Bowlers’ Day at Fenner’s
FREE FORESTERS 95 (M W Payne 47, M Falcon 18; R G H Lowe 5/31, S T Jagger 5/29) and 35/0 (R H B Bettington 26*, C D McIver 9*). CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY 193 (T E S Francis 53, H J Enthoven 45, L G Crawley 32, T E Tweed 23*; N J Holloway 2/37, M Falcon 5/65, G H G M Cartwright 2/20).
This was apparently the usual good Fenner’s pitch, but a mixture of good bowling and poor batting saw both teams complete their first innings in one day. Cambridge are without Jack Meyer (a chill) and Benjamin Sherwell and K S Duleepsinhji (examinations—above), while the Foresters have a strong team. The visitors began well with a first-wicket partnership of 42 between Meyrick Payne and Michael Falcon, but when Richard Lowe and Sam Jagger took over the bowling a collapse began. Jagger began it, taking four wickets for 13 runs in five overs, and not another batsman reached double figures. It was especially pleasing for Cambridge as he has been out of form in the last few matches. The Free Foresters were all out for 93.
Falcon is still a superb pace bowler, and he took the first three University wickets for 12 runs among them. However Tom Francis and Tom Enthoven put on 90 runs for the fourth wicket, and with some contributors down the order the University more than doubled the Foresters’ score. The visitors again made a good start in their second innings, though, with a different opening pair, as Reg Bettington and Colin McIver scored 35 runs in the last 15 minutes of the day to show how easy run-scoring can be.
Chesterfield: Derbyshire v Gloucestershire
Two Rescue Partnerships
DERBYSHIRE 197 (E Sykes 50, A Morton 80, J Horsley 19; T W J Goddard 2/40, W R Hammond 5/57, C W L Parker 2/41). GLOUCESTERSHIRE 140/3 (A E Dipper 42*, W R Hammond 73*; A Ackroyd 2 wkts).
No doubt the crowd of about 6000 at Chesterfield were hopeful of seeing a good performance by their team after their victory over Worcestershire at Stourbridge, but they probably had mixed feelings during a day of fluctuations and ended up rather disappointed. Derbyshire made a disastrous start on what appeared to be a good batting pitch. Their first six batsmen were all out for single figures to the pace of Tom Goddard and Wally Hammond for 47 runs on the board. The recovery was started by a young amateur debutant, Eric Sykes, who does not turn 19 until later this month. He played his strokes freely and found a good solid partner in Arthur Morton. They put on 74 together before Sykes was out for a remarkably fine 50 for one of such inexperience in a difficult situation. Morton later began to open out and batted well for two hours and 20 minutes before he was last out for 80.
Gloucestershire also made a very bad start, losing three wickets for 33 runs, but Alf Dipper was still there. When Hammond joined him the pair rescued the innings with a fine partnership, adding 107 in an hour and a half and surviving till the close of play. By this time they had put their team in potentially a strong position at 140 for three.
Manchester: Lancashire v Surrey
Lancashire Grind Out the Runs
LANCASHIRE 296/5 (H Makepeace 72, C Hallows 22, G E Tyldesley 82, F B Watson 68*, J L Hopwood 17*; H A Peach 2 wkts, P G H Fender 2 wkts). SURREY to bat.
Lancashire took no chances when they won the toss on a good batting pitch against Surrey and stayed in all day for less than 300 runs. Harry Makepeace and Charlie Hallows began with a partnership of 54, with Makepeace as usual very sound, but Hallows was not very comfortable and was dropped twice. Ernest Tyldesley was in fine form and kept picking up runs through well-timed strokes between square leg and mid-on very skilfully, until he was caught off a wild hit. He and Makepeace put on 104 for the second wicket before Makepeace was brilliantly caught by Douglas Jardine in the gully after batting for three hours.
Frank Watson has not enjoyed much form or luck so far this season, and he began uncertainly, but survived and began to play with more confidence, although never trusted his attacking strokes well enough. Jack Sharp was bowled for 15 by Alan Peach, who was the best of the Surrey bowlers. Overall, though, the weakness of Surrey’s bowling attack on a good field batting pitch was clear. Surrey fielded well, but missed a few catches in the field. There was a crowd of over 25,000 present today. Lancashire are without George Duckworth for this match due to a hand injury, and Bill Farrimond is standing in for him.
Leicester: Leicestershire v Nottinghamshire
Matthews Strikes Form
LEICESTERSHIRE 253 (J H King 39, H A Smith 62, T E Sidwell 47*; F C L Matthews 6/81, S J Staples 2/58). NOTTINGHAMSHIRE 82/1 (G Gunn 36*, B Lilley 38*).
Some fine bowling at real pace from Frank Matthews in brilliant weather, well supported by Fred Barratt, had Leicestershire in great trouble early in the match. Les Berry, promoted to open the innings, stayed 40 minutes for 3 runs before being bowled by Matthews. Five wickets went down for 53 runs, three of them bowled out by Matthews, and the two usual rescuers of the innings, Ewart Astill and George Geary, were among those back in the pavilion, for 10 and 12 respectively. Then John King stood up to resist, partnered by the more aggressive Haydon Smith, and by positive batting they put on 106 for the sixth wicket in an hour and 20 minutes. Matthews as he tired now took some punishment, but he came back to take two wickets out of the three that fell at 159. But Leicestershire weren’t finished yet, as Tommy Sidwell came in, immediately hit two sixes and with the last two batsmen, Horace Snary (19) and Frank Bale (13) put on another 94 runs for the last two wickets.
So the home side pulled off two fine recoveries in a single innings. Nottinghamshire in reply batted well when they went in, apart from losing Dodger Whysall for 7; George Gunn and Ben Lilley shared a good second-wicket partnership before the close.
Lord’s: Middlesex v Yorkshire
Middlesex Blown Away
MIDDLESEX 118 (H L Dales 27, C N Bruce 25; E Robinson 5/52, G G Macaulay 3/54, A Waddington 2/4). YORKSHIRE 209/1 (P Holmes 121*, H Sutcliffe 56 retired hurt, M Leyland 20*).
This day at Lord’s saw Yorkshire at their very best, playing like true champions. For once their captain, Major Arthur Lupton, lost the toss. Middlesex began quite well with an opening partnership of 41 for the first wicket by Greville Stevens and Horace Dales, but once that was broken the match went one way for the rest of the day. On 44 Dales was bowled by Emmott Robinson and Jack Hearne by George Macaulay for 1. These two bowlers now took a strong grip on the Middlesex batsmen, Robinson swinging the ball very cleverly with remarkable pace off the pitch in one of the finest performances of his career, and Macaulay overcoming the handicap of an injured thumb to bowl at his best. Patsy Hendren played a dogged and unconvincing innings of 15 while Clarence Bruce tried to dominate, but none of the last six batsmen reached double figures. Robinson and Macaulay bowled 49 overs together without a break until Abe Waddington came on for Macaulay, and whipped out the last two wickets in quick succession. Robinson bowled throughout the innings from the nursery end in a wonderful performance in the hot sun. Roy Kilner didn’t even get on to bowl today; he wasn’t needed. As usual, Yorkshire’s fielding was excellent.
When Percy Holmes and Herbert Sutcliffe opened the batting for Yorkshire they soon showed there was nothing wrong with the pitch, although Sutcliffe played himself in very carefully. Percy Holmes, on the other hand, was in brilliant form from the start, scoring at almost twice the rate of his partner, with the cut his most prolific stroke. They had posted another century opening partnership in just over an hour, before tea. Sutcliffe survived a difficult chance to Hendren in the slips on 47, but Holmes gave no chances, although he did have a couple of lucky snicks past his stumps. He raced to his 50 in three-quarters of an hour. Yorkshire took the first-innings lead without a wicket down. At 140 a ball from Gubby Allen hit Sutcliffe a bad blow on the thumb, splitting it, and he had to retire hurt, ending that partnership. Edgar Oldroyd only made 8, but Holmes sailed past his century with Maurice Leyland as his partner, and Yorkshire were streets ahead by the close of play.
Kettering: Northamptonshire v Warwickshire
Great Northamptonshire Partnership
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 376 (C N Woolley 164, V W C Jupp 25, R L Wright 112; H Howell 5/120, R E S Wyatt 4/92). WARWICKSHIRE 14/1 (J H Parsons 2*, F R Santall 5*).
Northamptonshire is not noted for its strong batting, but this was the day when two fine rare performances aligned. Northamptonshire lost Wilfrid Timms for 1 and Vallance Jupp for 25, both in Harry Howell’s opening spell, but Claud Woolley was still there. At this point Dick Wright, playing on his home ground, joined him at the crease and the pair delighted their supporters with a magnificent partnership of 225 for the third wicket, both men scored centuries. Wright was fortunate to be dropped at slip when he had 1, but gave no further chances, eventually compiling 112 in just over 2½ hours. It was his maiden first-class century. Woolley, having started slowly, later dominated the bowling successfully and was in altogether for over four hours to score 164. The later batsmen, however, were not inspired by this great partnership and not one of them reached 20 as Howell and Bob Wyatt steadily removed them.
Warwickshire had half an hour to bat before the close, in which they lost the wicket of Len Bates, bowled by Philip Wright for 4.
Taunton: Somerset v Essex
Daniell Finds Form
SOMERSET 318 (J Daniell 174*, A S Bligh 24, J J Bridges 20, M L Hill 29; J W H T Douglas 3/70, J O’Connor 3/83, C A G Russell 2/35). ESSEX 22/2 (J O’Connor 1*, A B Hipkin 0*).
John Daniell had seemed like a cricketer in decline, continuing his career at the age of 46 only to do his county a service with his leadership abilities and often unselfishly opening the innings because most other players did not want to. He had not scored a century since 1920 and his highest score this season so far was 30. Then came today. Somerset lost two wickets for 22 runs and a third at 45, though Daniell hit four fours off Johnny Douglas’s first seven balls. There followed two useful partnerships with Algy Bligh and Charles Winter before more failures. His best support actually came from the last three batsmen, who all played useful innings, with the last man Mervin Hill sharing the highest partnership of the innings, 66 runs. The last three wickets added 135 runs. Not only did Daniell carry his bat through the innings in 4¾ hours, but he also made the highest score of his career, a magnificent achievement. He scored 174 without giving a real chance, while the rest of the team and extras managed only 144. The Essex bowling was steady but not particularly dangerous, but they did field very well throughout a hot day.
Essex batted for 40 minutes before the close and made as bad a start as Somerset had done, losing their openers for 22 runs on the board.
Stourbridge: Worcestershire v Sussex
Rogers Boosts Worcestershire
WORCESTERSHIRE 208 (H L Higgins 19, H O Rogers 118, C V Tarbox 17, F A Pearson 28; A F Wensley 5/56, J H Parks 3/35). SUSSEX 160/7 (E H Bowley 43, M W Tate 17, A C Watson 50*, J H Parks 3*; C F Root 3 wkts, F A Pearson 2 wkts, G C Wilson 2 wkts).
Harry Rogers has made a good name for himself as a bowler this season, and now he turned his attention to batting as well. It was an inspired move by Maurice Foster to move him up from No 8 to No 3 in the batting order for this match. He went in to face Maurice Tate when the first wicket fell at 3, and was unbeaten with more than half his team’s runs when the innings ended at 208. It is a remarkable feat to score a century off a bowling attack with Tate in it, although that bowler was not at his best today; Bert Wensley made up for that with some very fine bowling. Rogers did give two difficult chances, but thoroughly deserved them. Only three other batsmen reached double figures, and without Rogers the total would not have reached 100.
Sussex started poorly, but their innings too would have been a disaster had it not been for Ted Bowley, who alone of the first five batsmen reached double figures. The only other batsman to do much was the aggressive Colonel Arthur Watson, who hit a powerful unbeaten fifty before the close, surviving several chances in the field. The match was then quite evenly balanced.
Day 2
Cambridge: Cambridge University v Free Foresters
Cambridge Struggling Against Spin
FREE FORESTERS 95 and 269 (R H B Bettington 26, C D McIver 36, E L Kidd 59, M Falcon 77, G E V Crutchley 22, M W Payne 23; H J Enthoven 3/67, R G H Lowe 2/64, S T Jagger 4/64). CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY 193 and 93/6 (E W Dawson 33, H F Bagnall 30, E J Enthoven 11*; R H B Bettington 3 wkts, C S Marriott 3 wkts). Cambridge University target: 172. Overnight score was: Free Foresters (2) 35/0 (Bettington 26*, McIver 9*).
The highlight of the morning’s batting was a fine third-wicket partnership between Leslie Kidd and Michael Falcon that cleared off the Free Foresters’ deficit. Kidd played a superb innings for 59, but Falcon, although scoring 77, was much less certain in his strokes. 210 runs were on the board when the fourth wicket fell, but after that the innings faltered, mainly against more good bowling from Sam Jagger, and the innings ended at 269.
This left Cambridge University to make 172 to win in the final innings. They began very well, with Eddie Dawson and Hamer Bagnall putting on 58 for the first wicket. But then the two leg-spinners, Reg Bettington and Father Marriott, started bowling in tandem; the batsmen faltered and wickets began to fall. By the close six were down for 93, with Tom Enthoven the only batsman able to stand up against them. He is now the only recognized batsman left and, with another 79 runs needed from the last four wickets, it would appear that the odds are against Cambridge, who so far this season have not been defeated.
Chesterfield: Derbyshire v Gloucestershire
Parker Bowls Gloucestershire to Winning Position
DERBYSHIRE 197 and 178 (L F Townsend 58, G R Jackson 35, J M Hutchinson 36; E G Dennett 2/44, C W L Parker 8/56). GLOUCESTERSHIRE 278 (A E Dipper 74, W R Hammond 76, D C Robinson 45, B S Bloodworth 32; J Horsley 6/94, A Ackroyd 2/61, A Morton 2/34) and 8/0 (A E Dipper 1*, P T Mills 5*). Gloucestershire target: 98. Overnight score was: Gloucestershire (1) 140/3 (Dipper 42*, Hammond 73*).
Wally Hammond was out very soon this morning after a partnership with Dipper worth 111, but Colonel Douglas Robinson came in and played a positive innings while Dipper defended grimly, batting for almost four hours altogether for his 74. There was a useful innings from Bernie Bloodworth, and when the innings closed Gloucestershire were 81 run in the lead. Jim Horsley’s fine bowling made sure the middle order did not get away with too many runs.
Going in again, Derbyshire soon lost their openers before Les Townsend and Guy Jackson came together and added 81 for the third wicket. When Townsend was fifth out at 149, though, Charlie Parker broke through and took two more wickets in the same over as the Derbyshire innings went into decline. Parker had not done much in the first innings, but now he quite dominated most of the Derbyshire batsmen, taking eight wickets for 56. Derbyshire were all out leaving Gloucestershire 98 runs to win, a task they should be able to achieve tomorrow.
Manchester: Lancashire v Surrey
Surrey Crash to McDonald
LANCASHIRE 371 (F B Watson 120, J L Hopwood 22; H A Peach 3/71, P G H Fender 6/86). SURREY 71 (A Sandham 18, H A Peach 13; C H Parkin 3/17, E A McDonald 4/30, R K Tyldesley 3/7) and (following on) 210/5 (J B Hobbs 30, A Sandham 97*, J W Hitch 31, P G H Fender 19*; E A McDonald 3 wkts, R K Tyldesley 2 wkts). Overnight score was: Lancashire (1) 296/5 (Watson 68*, Hopwood 17*).
Lancashire continued their first innings this morning, and Frank Watson soon showed much better form and fluency than he did yesterday. He did not get much support from the tail, but he moved smoothly to his century, scored 52 of the 75 additional runs that his team scored today in less than an hour. Percy Fender wrapped up the tail, once again carrying the Surrey bowling on his shoulders. Alan Peach was very accurate, taking three for 71 off 45 overs, but he never really troubled the batsmen, while Stanley Fenley has not shown the form of last season, having lost much of his spin and accuracy.
Then Lancashire unleashed Ted McDonald on probably the strongest batting line-up in county cricket with startling effect. For the first time this season McDonald had a hard fast pitch to bowl on in warm weather, and the Surrey batsmen were unable to handle it, even Jack Hobbs struggling. Cecil Parkin took the first wicket, as Hobbs was superbly caught at the wicket by Bill Farrimond for 3 after 25 minutes, and none of the other middle-order batsmen reached double figures. The top scorer was Andy Sandham with 18 before another brilliant catch by Farrimond off McDonald removed him; Peach made 13 but the team was all out for a shocking 71, with Dick Tyldesley whipping out the tail. Even the best Surrey batsmen had little idea how to play a bowler of both the pace and class of McDonald — the day of Tom Richardson, Bill Lockwood and Charles Kortright in English cricket is long gone.
When Surrey followed on exactly 300 runs behind, we saw a fine battle as Hobbs took on McDonald and tried to hit him off his length, almost recklessly. Even Hobbs did not find that easy, but he was just beginning to look as if he was winning the battle when he made a mishit and was caught low down at mid-off for 30. Sandham again played very well, surviving the best that the Lancashire bowlers could hurl against him until they tired in the heat, and with Bill Hitch masquerading as a solid No 3 batsman, the score reached 123 before the second wicket fell. Tom Shepherd and Douglas Jardine again did not last long, and Fender had to come in for the last half-hour, when he concentrated on survival for the good of his team. Having defied the best of the Lancashire bowlers with increasing ease, Sandham finished the day on the verge of a century. But Surrey, still 90 runs behind with only five wickets left, still have a huge uphill task to save this match tomorrow.
Leicester: Leicestershire v Nottinghamshire
Double-Century for Notts
LEICESTERSHIRE 253 and 28/1 (G H S Fowke 10*, S S Coulson 12*). NOTTINGHAMSHIRE 509/7 dec (G Gunn 67, B Lilley 51, A W Carr 206, S J Staples 28, W Walker 78, T W Oates 30*, F Barratt 23*; A Skelding 3/140, G Geary 2/114). Overnight score was: Nottinghamshire (1) 82/1 (G Gunn 36*, B Lilley 38*).
Leicestershire have quite a strong bowling attack, even without Ewart Astill, who was hit on the cheekbone near his right eye early on by a fierce cut from George Gunn and had to be helped off the field, injured. But their attack was quite brutally put to the sword by Nottinghamshire today. Gunn and Ben Lilley put on 87 for the second wicket before they were separated, and then Arthur Carr came in and hit them for a powerful double-century. George Gunn perhaps might have done the same had he been in the mood, for he showed complete defensive mastery in ambling to 67 in over three hours. The scoring rate sped up greatly when Sam Staples joined Carr and they added 78 together in 40 minutes. But Carr’s best partner was Willis Walker, with whom he shared a stand of 201 for the sixth wicket in two hours. When he was finally out lbw to George Geary he had scored 206 in less than four hours, including no fewer than 8 sixes and 24 fours. He was dropped in the deep on 118. It is his second double-century, as he made 204 against Essex at Leyton in 1921.
He declared with the total past 500 and first-innings lead of 256, leaving Leicestershire a short time to bat before the close. They lost the wicket of Les Berry, again bowled by Frank Matthews, for 4.
Lord’s: Middlesex v Yorkshire
A Great New Lord’s Record
MIDDLESEX 118 and 106/1 (G T S Stevens 51*, J W Hearne 50*). YORKSHIRE 538/6 dec (P Holmes 315*, H Sutcliffe 58, M Leyland 61, R Kilner 37, G G Macaulay 21*; G O B Allen 2/106, G T S Stevens 2/89). Overnight score was: Yorkshire (1) 209/1 (Holmes 121*, Leyland 20*).
Never before has a batsman scored a triple-century at Lord’s. The record before today was 278 by William Ward way back in 1820, although three years ago Patsy Hendren nearly beat it when he scored 277 against Kent. The honour of the highest individual score and first triple-century at Lord’s now belongs to Percy Holmes in his magnificent innings of 315 not out today. He batted for almost seven hours and hit 38 fours, but the cold statistics hardly do credit to his innings. He did not give a single chance or play any wild or careless shots throughout his monumental innings. He kept the score moving along at a steady speed of about 45 runs an hour, showing amazing concentration and stamina. The most characteristic feature of his innings was his brilliant cutting.
He began the day with a partnership with Maurice Leyland that eventually realized 166 runs, Leyland also playing an impressive innings. Wilfred Rhodes came in at 319 for two, but was caught without scoring from the most lethal delivery of the day, an unexpected lifter from Jack Durston — and no doubt returned to ribbing from his team-mates about failing the team in a crisis. Herbert Sutcliffe gamely tried to resume his innings, having retired hurt on 56 yesterday, but was obviously in pain and managed only another two runs. Roy Kilner helped to add 85 for the fourth wicket and finally George Macaulay an unbroken 100 before Major Arthur Lupton declared at the tea interval with the score 538 for six. Holmes has always enjoyed batting at Lord’s, whose officials ignore him for representative matches, and this is his fourth century there.
There was more outstanding batting to come today. A lethal first over from Macaulay saw Horace Dales bowled out without scoring, but then Greville Stevens and Jack Hearne played with tremendous skill and resolution to defy the superb Yorkshire bowling for the rest of the day. They had put on 104 runs together, both reaching their fifties just before the close, and gave their team a slight hope of managing to force a draw after what has so far been a humiliating match for Middlesex.
Kettering: Northamptonshire v Warwickshire
Northamptonshire Win in Two Days
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 376 and 5/0. WARWICKSHIRE 122 (F R Santall 28, W G Quaife 21, E J Smith 24; P A Wright 5/65, V W C Jupp 4/16) and (following on) 256 (J H Parsons 61, E J Smith 50, B W Quaife 42, H Howell 26*; A E Thomas 6/77). Northamptonshire won by ten wickets.
Winning the toss turned out to be a very important factor in this match, as the pitch had deteriorated today, with the ball bouncing awkwardly from one end. However, the Warwickshire batsmen put up a poor show in their first innings and were bowled out before lunch. Philip Wright, a cousin of yesterday’s century-maker Dick, and Vallance Jupp both bowled very well and did most of the damage after Jack Parsons, although never comfortable, and Reg Santall had taken the score to 49 before the second wicket fell. The later batsmen collapsed badly and Warwickshire had to follow on after lunch.
In their second innings the Warwickshire batsmen generally adopted a more aggressive approach, and they did better. Jack Parsons and Tiger Smith both scored fine attacking fifties, while Bernard Quaife played successfully with a steadier game. Even so they seemed likely to lose by an innings until the last man Harry Howell hit out boldly and in the end left Northamptonshire with just three runs to make in their second innings for victory. This time most of the damage had been done by the pace of Albert Thomas.
Taunton: Somerset v Essex
Daniell Does it Again
SOMERSET 318 and 294 (J Daniell 108, C C C Case 59, A S Bligh 71; M S Nichols 3/55, A B Hipkin 2/80, R H Sharp 5/66). ESSEX 132 (J O’Connor 27, P A Perrin 32*; G E Hunt 3/52, J C White 6/36). Overnight score was: Essex (1) 22/2 (O’Connor 1*, Hipkin 0*).
Somerset continued to dominate this match and finished the second day in an impregnable position. Their first hero was Jack White, who held a grip on all the Essex players and steadily worked his way through the order. Jack Hobbs and Percy Perrin were the only batsmen to make much of a fight — although Johnny Douglas stayed three-quarters of an hour for one run — and Essex were all out soon after lunch. White took six wickets for 36, had several chances missed in the field, and he bowled 32 overs.
Somerset did not enforce the follow-on on another hot day, and went in again. They began with a fine opening partnership of 117 between John Daniell and Cecil Case, who scored at a good pace, although Case was not impressive. Daniell remarkably went on to score his second century of the match, although this was not as good as his first one, as he was dropped five times as he chased runs quickly. Only Randall Johnson has achieved this feat for Somerset before. Essex fielded well in the first innings, but they were poor today. Algy Bligh also played a good innings, but the innings finished off quickly as the later batsmen went for quick runs. The medium-paced Robert Sharp took five wickets. Somerset were all out at the close, and Essex need 480 to win tomorrow, a virtually impossible task. Daniell might have done well to have declared earlier, with a lead of perhaps 400, and put Essex in to bat tonight, but he allowed the innings to last its course.
Stourbridge: Worcestershire v Sussex
Sussex on the Ropes
WORCESTERSHIRE 208 and 174 (R H Williams 23, M K Foster 61, C F Root 20, T Clare 25; M W Tate 6/56, E H Bowley 2/26). SUSSEX 179 (A C Watson 51; C F Root 5/64, F A Pearson 2/49, G C Wilson 3/31) and 144/7 (E H Bowley 48, J Langridge 25, A F Wensley 22, A C Watson 26*, J H Parks 3*; C F Root 5 wkts, F A Pearson 2 wkts). Sussex target: 204. Overnight score was: Sussex (1) 160/7 (Watson 50*, Parks 3*).
Worcestershire took the first-innings lead of 29 early this morning when they finished off the Sussex first innings fairly quickly, with Fred Root taking two of the three wickets to fall. But Sussex, in particular Maurice Tate, struck back by removing the first three Worcestershire batsmen with just 7 runs on the board, including Harry Rogers for 1 in this innings. As usual, much depended on Maurice Foster, and after being out first ball in the first innings he now came good with a dashing innings of 65, sharing a fourth-wicket partnership of 87 with the more cautious Richard Williams. Thereafter wickets fell quickly, apart from an eighth-wicket stand of 44 between Fred Root and Tim Clare. The main destroyer was Tate, who cast aside his poor day on Saturday and took six wickets.
Sussex were left to get 204 to win, no simple matter for a fragile batting side against a team including Fred Root. The innings so far has gone in fits and starts, with only four men reaching double figures and four out for 11 runs among them. As so often Ted Bowley held the innings together early on, and Sussex suffered a severe blow when he was sixth out at 122, with John Naumann following a run later. Their last three wickets needed to score another 82 runs. Colonel Arthur Watson was still there at the close, and probably only a major innings from him tomorrow can deny Worcestershire victory.
Day 3
Cambridge: Cambridge University v Free Foresters
Enthoven and Marriott in Close Finish
FREE FORESTERS 95 and 269. CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY 193 and 152 (H J Enthoven 57*, T E Tweed 8; R H B Bettington 3/73, C S Marriott 7/40). Free Foresters won by 19 runs. Overnight score was: Cambridge University (2) 93/6 (Enthoven 11*, Roberts 0*).
Father Marriott bowled Cambridge University to their first defeat of the season today, despite heroic resistance from Tom Enthoven. In fact, the period of play was almost a private battle between the two. Marriott was never able to dismiss Enthoven, but in the end he succeeded in taking all the other four wickets to fall and win the match for his side. The target was 172, and after three quick wickets, nine were down for 112 when the last man Sam Jagger joined Enthoven. Enthoven monopolized the bowling magnificently, but he could not face every ball himself, and after he had scored 36 of the 40 runs of the partnership, Marriott managed to get Jagger in his sights and bowled him out to end the match. Marriott finished with the excellent figures of seven wickets for 40 runs.
Cecil Bennett as the Cambridge University captain has awarded Sam Jagger his blue ― for his bowling ― while the Oxford University captain, John Guise, has awarded blues to Geoffrey Legge and Ivor Gilliat.
Chesterfield: Derbyshire v Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire Creep Home to Victory
DERBYSHIRE 197 and 178. GLOUCESTERSHIRE 278 and 98/7 (A E Dipper 35, W R Hammond 12, D C Robinson 18; J Horsley 2/23, A Morton 3/41). Gloucestershire won by three wickets. Overnight score was: Gloucestershire (2) 8/0 (Dipper 1*, Mills 5*).
Gloucestershire’s target of 98 runs in the final innings turned out to be more difficult than it was thought. The pitch was crumbling, and in the first over of the day Jim Horsley removed Percy Mills and Harry Smith with the score still on 8. Bernie Bloodworth and Wally Hammond scored 10 and 12 respectively, but the fourth wicket went down at 38. Alf Dipper and Douglas Robinson steadied the ship with a determined partnership of 40 in 50 minutes before Dipper went for an invaluable 35. When Robinson ran himself out with victory in sight the score was 93 for seven with five runs needed. The George Dennett hit Arthur Morton for four and a single, and Gloucestershire were home just before lunch.
Manchester: Lancashire v Surrey
Sandham Century Cannot Save Surrey
LANCASHIRE 371. SURREY 71 and (following on) 283 (A Sandham 117, P G H Fender 27, H Strudwick 14; C H Parkin 2/88, E A McDonald 6/102, R K Tyldesley 2/48). Lancashire won by an innings and 17 runs. Overnight score was: Surrey (2) 210/5 (Sandham 97*, Fender 19*).
When play began, Surrey’s only realistic aim was to avoid the innings defeat by passing 300 and make Lancashire bat again, but even this they were unable to do. Much depended on the overnight pair of Andy Sandham and Percy Fender, but Ted McDonald in his opening spell removed them both, and then it was only a matter of time — an hour, to be more exact. Sandham alone of the Surrey players in this match has been able to stand up to the pace of McDonald, and his 117 stands out against the 31 of Bill Hitch as the next highest score by a Surrey batsman in this match. It was scored at a good pace, too, taking only 2¾ hours. McDonald finished with ten wickets in the match for 132 runs and Lancashire maintain their position at the top of the championship table.
Yorkshire, however, are close behind. According to Neville Cardus (‘Cricketer’ of the Manchester Guardian), Wilfred Rhodes has admitted that at present Lancashire are the strongest county team in the country, but added, “You will not stay the course, and Yorkshire will.”
Leicester: Leicestershire v Nottinghamshire
Richmond Finishes off Leicestershire
LEICESTERSHIRE 253 and 101 (J H King 23, T E Sidwell 22; F C L Matthews 3/26, T L Richmond 5/37). NOTTINGHAMSHIRE 509/7 dec. Nottinghamshire won by an innings and 155 runs. Overnight score was: Leicestershire (2) 28/1 (Fowke 10*, Coulson 12*).
With Ewart Astill out of the match injured, Leicestershire had little fight to offer and went down to an innings defeat before lunch. The overnight score of 28 for one became 33 for four, with George Geary brilliantly caught at slip first ball by Arthur Carr off a hard cut. Then came the only real stand of the innings, again by John King and Haydon Smith, who put on 37 for the fifth wicket. After that only Sidwell made any runs of note. All the batsmen were troubled by the leg-spin of Len Richmond, who bowled superbly, with a very good length, taking five wickets in 15 overs.
Lord’s: Middlesex v Yorkshire
Yorkshire Romp to Innings Victory
MIDDLESEX 118 and 271 (G T S Stevens 65, J W Hearne 91, C N Bruce 42*, N E Haig 32; E Robinson 3/64, G G Macaulay 4/94, R Kilner 2/56). YORKSHIRE 538/6 dec. Yorkshire won by an innings and 149 runs. Overnight score was: Middlesex (2) 106/1 (Stevens 51*, Hearne 50*).
Middlesex needed their last nine wickets to last out the final day against the top-class Yorkshire bowling, a rather unlikely job. As usual this season, George Macaulay and Roy Kilner were right in the forefront of the attack, with Kilner deadly accurate, but not quite as dangerous as Macaulay. The overnight pair of Greville Stevens and Jack Hearne added another 38 runs, but in the end the relentless bowling attack wore them out and got the better of them. Stevens was beaten for pace and played on in trying to force a shorter ball off the back foot after a three-hour partnership, while Hearne uncharacteristically was bowled for 91 attempting a pull, both off Macaulay; he batted for three hours and 20 minutes. In the meantime the same bowler had had Patsy Hendren caught at third slip for 7.
Clarence Bruce was playing well, positively and showing discrimination, but the rest of the batsmen seemed to decide that defeat was inevitable and they might as well hit out. Only Nigel Haig managed such a suicidal policy for long, as he launched into the bowling, especially Macaulay, to smash 32 in less than half an hour before Abe Waddington came on and bowled him with the second new ball. Then the tail crumbled, the last three batsmen managing only 15 runs among them (including a six to George Mann) before perishing to poor strokes. Bruce retained his wicket and dignity to the end for a stylish 42 not out as Yorkshire won a great victory by an innings and 149 runs, having lost only six wickets themselves in the process. The ninth wicket fell on the stroke of lunch, but with urging from the crowd play was extended a few minutes until the last man Jack Durston was quickly out within five minutes. Percy Holmes, who also had to keep wicket as Arthur Dolphin had injured a finger, scored more runs himself than the entire Middlesex team in either innings. The Yorkshire team was very well received by the Lord’s crowd.
Taunton: Somerset v Essex
Russell and Perrin Save Essex
SOMERSET 318 and 294. ESSEX 132 and 251/4 (J O’Connor 27, C A G Russell 111, P A Perrin 48*; J J Bridges 2/61). Match drawn (Somerset 3 pts, Essex 1 pt). Overnight score was: Somerset (2) 294 all out.
This match will be remembered for the Somerset captain John Daniell’s wonderful feat of scoring a century in each innings, but also for his serious misjudgement in failing to declare on the second afternoon, batting on for an unnecessary lead of 480 and failing to give his team enough time to bowl out their stubborn opponents. It was a great achievement for Essex to secure a draw, but Somerset no doubt regret their decision not to have a bowl at them on the second evening.
This morning Essex lost both their openers for 36 runs, and then Jack O’Connor went at 79. That was Somerset’s last success for almost three hours, as Percy Perrin joined Jack Russell and they shared a fighting defensive partnership of 137 for the fourth wicket. Both in the end batted for 3½ hours, with Russell passing his century in that time, but the dogged Perrin still finished short of his fifty. Johnny Douglas had his part to play, batting out the last 50 minutes with Perrin. Somerset were handicapped by only using three regular bowlers, almost all the overs being bowled by Jim Bridges, George Hunt and Jack White. The score of 251 for four was made off 111 overs in the day.
Stourbridge: Worcestershire v Sussex
Watson the Sussex Hero
WORCESTERSHIRE 208 and 174. SUSSEX 179 and 205/8 (A C Watson 70*, J H Parks 9, W L Cornford 4*; C F Root 5/78, F A Pearson 3/85). Sussex won by two wickets. Overnight score was: Sussex (2) 144/7 (Watson 26*, Parks 3*).
When the last three Sussex wickets were set 81 runs for victory yesterday afternoon, it seemed clear that their only realistic hope lay in Colonel Arthur Watson. And he did not fail them. He reduced that deficit to 60 runs by the close of play yesterday, and then this morning completed the job, Fred Root and all, in one of the finest innings of his life. Jim Parks made 9 before he was bowled by Dick Pearson at 168, which brought in Tich Cornford. Cornford just stayed there, holding his end up, while a nervous debutant Reg Hollingdale was waiting to go in last. Watson made 32 of the last 36 runs, ending it all with a magnificent drive for six off Dick Pearson. He hit altogether 4 sixes and 5 fours, batting altogether about an hour and a quarter, and this morning’s play lasted only 40 minutes. The Worcestershire fielding was weak. The local Stourbridge crowd gave Watson a great ovation as he left the field after achieving victory.
***
Lancashire and Yorkshire both won by innings victories against powerful opponents today, so the position at the top of the County Championship table remains the same, with Lancashire maintaining their small lead over Yorkshire. Of their eight matches, Lancashire have won six outright and gained a first-innings lead in their two draws. That situation should remain the same after the next round of matches, weather permitting, as both teams will expect to win against weaker opponents. This week’s matches will as always be interesting, but none are crucial.
WEATHER FORECAST: The hot, dry weather is expected to continue.