Day 1:
When the first day's play in Scotland's last and most important match in London against Surrey at the Oval was entered upon rain greatly interfered with the game, only two hours forty minutes cricket being possible. In that time Surrey, who had won the toss, lost three wickets for a total of 145 runs.

Taking into consideration their position in the championship table, Surrey rested P.G.H. Fender, A. Jeacocke, Hobbs, Hitch, and Harrison. Scotland introduced three new players from the side that met the M.C.C., G.L.D. Hole, S.M. Sturgeon, and D.A. Riddell taking the places of A.E. Sellars, M. Patten, and A.F.M. Morton.

In the hours play before lunch, W.T. Cook and Sandham gave the Surrey innings a good start off, scoring 59 without being separated. W. Anderson and R.W. Sievwright took charge of the attack for Scotland, and kept a fine length, with the result that Surrey's opening pair found runs difficult to get.

When 38 runs had been hit up, J. Kerr tried a double bowling change, G.L.D. Hole and T.D. Watt taking the ball from Anderson and Sievwright. The rain shortly after this change called a halt for forty five minutes, and when play was resumed only fifteen minutes play took place before lunch.

A steady downpour prevented any further play until ten minutes to five, when the not outs proceeded with the Surrey innings to the bowling of Hole and Watt. Runs were even more difficult to get following the rain, but by steady cricket the score mounted up. Cook, however, was badly missed by Kerr when the Surrey amateur had scored 25.

At 85 Sievwright again came on, and Cook mistimed the Arbroath man's deliveries badly. After batting for one hour and forty minutes Cook reached his 50, and Sandham two overs later sent up the 100 with a hit to leg. Watt then took the ball from Hole, and with the Watsonian's fourth delivery he got Cook caught at wicket. Cook hit seven 4's, but he was never too comfortable with the Scottish bowling, his placing being badly at fault.

With the total still at 100, Sandham was smartly taken at extra cover by Kerr. The Scottish bowlers were now finding their feet, Ducat, who followed Cook's dismissal being all at sea with Sievwright's bowling. Other fifteen runs were added, and then Sievwright completely beat Shepherd.

Ducat and Bullock after this played out time. The latter, however, should have been caught in the country when he had scored 9.

The Scottish bowling was excellent, and the Surrey men could take no liberties, and the fielding was very good but for the two mistakes mentioned.

Day 2:
Heavy rain fell in London on Wednesday night and again yesterday morning, and although it stopped about 11 o'clock, no play was possible in this match at the Oval until 3 o'clock. After this an interesting afternoon's cricket was seen, Surrey, in two hours and ten minutes, adding a further 158 runs to their overnight total of 145 for the loss of another five wickets.

With the score at 303 Strudwick declared the Surrey innings closed, and Scotland had, in consequence, forty minutes batting before stumps were drawn for the day. Bad light called a halt at 6.20, J. Kerr and A.W. Angus, Scotland's opening pair, playing out time without a separation being effected. Scotland at the close were therefore 288 behind with all their wickets intact.

The wicket seemed to be dead when the Surrey not outs, Ducat (20) and Bullock (12), continued batting, to the bowling of Sievwright and Watt. Ducat quickly got into his stride, but Bullock, after snicking a ball dangerously near Fergusson, quietened down to play a purely defensive innings.

Ducat, after getting four boundaries in quick succession, got himself out in attempting a big hit off Watt, the fourth wicket having produced 63 runs in forty five minutes. J. Kerr changed his bowling repeatedly, and did not let the Surrey men settle down, with the result that few of them ever were at home with the bowling.

Bullock and Abel were quiet for a time, but the latter showed the more enterprise, and when he lost Bullock, smartly stumped by Sturgeon at 233, Abel had nearly made up on Bullock's score. Bullock took one hour and forty five minutes in compiling his 40. Abel and Peach then took the score to 279, at which figure Peach was out to a great running catch by Alexander, who with Anderson shared the fielding honours for the day.

The Scottish bowlers had done remarkably well up till now, but better was to follow. J.S.B. Gentry got in front of a straight one after six runs had been added, and Strudwick only got one ball, which proved his last, Sievwright getting the Surrey captain caught at the wicket without further addition.

Sievwright had now taken two wickets with successive balls, but Geary denied the Arbroath bowler the hat-trick, and with Abel, who was now playing fine cricket, carried the score to 303, at which total Surrey declared their innings close. Sturgeon kept wicket admirably, and only gave away six byes. The total had reached 222 before he let a ball from Sievwright go to the boundary.

The light, which had never been of the best, was gradually getting worse when J. Kerr and A.W. Angus opened the Scottish innings, to the bowling of Peach and J.S.B. Gentry. Runs came slowly, and both batsmen showed no desire to throw away their wickets. They played the proper game, a waiting game, and after Strudwick had tried a change of bowling, they still showed no desire to take liberties, though all loose balls were promptly dealt with.

At 6.20 Kerr successfully appealed against the light, and stumps were pulled for the day. If the weather becomes no worse, Scotland may yet have a chance of making a fight of it.

Day 3:
The weather was completely changed from Thursday, when the third day's play in this match was commenced at the Oval, and there was a full day's cricket. In contrast to the previous day, the sun shone with all its brilliance, when J. Kerr and A.W. Angus, who overnight had scored 15 without loss, went on with the Scottish innings against the Surrey total of 303.

The opening batsmen, by careful batting, took the score to 69 before Angus lost his wicket, and the total had been increased to 91 when J. Kerr was caught. At the luncheon interval the score stood at 119, but then came a sudden collapse, four wickets falling in quick succession for the addition of 7 runs.

Capt. G.W.A. Alexander was out for obstruction from the first ball he received after lunch, and then D.C. Stevenson, J.A. Fergusson, and D.A. Riddell were out for but a few runs. G.L.D. Hole, T.D. Watt, and W. Anderson improved matters following these disasters, and stopped the rot, but following the dismissal of these men Scotland again did poorly, and the innings closed for a total of 173.

The Scots managed to save the follow-on, and Surrey went in with a lead of 130 to get runs as quickly as possible. The Scottish bowling, however, was excellent, and two wickets were down for 70 runs. The cricket was not fast enough for Surrey to force a win, and the game ended in a tame draw.

The Surrey bowling after lunch was excellent, Peach troubling the Scots a lot. Geary, however, proved the most successful by getting the Scots' tail, his analysis reading four wickets for 24 runs. Abel came next with two for 15, while Peach and J.S.B. Gentry each had two for 31 and 34.

It was 11.35 when Kerr and Angus commenced batting, and they both played the waiting game to perfection. Kerr, however, had some pretty hits, whilst Angus defended, and twice Kerr took the ball beautifully to leg for 4. Bowling changes were frequent, but they met with no success for an hour, when Angus was smartly caught by Strudwick.

Capt. Alexander helped his captain to take the score along slowly till it reached 91, at which figure Kerr was caught in the slips off Peach, with whom he was never too comfortable after the Surrey man had changed ends.

Last week it was J.A. Fergusson who saved Scotland, but on this occasion it was Kerr. He promptly punished all the loose bowling that came along, but showed a great defence to the good ones. He was batting altogether two hours, and hit seven 4's and three 3's. Alexander and D.C. Stevenson remained together till lunch, after which came the series of disasters for Scotland.

Alexander, although he did not get a big score, made some delightful hits to the off and on the leg side, and was unfortunate in being out lbw. T.D. Watt, however, made amends for his predecessor's lapse, and steadied up the batting, seeing 46 runs scored before the Scottish innings was brought to a close, of which total the Watsonian claimed 16.

Hole had a few good strokes to fine leg, and Anderson quickly collected four 4's and a single before being beaten by Geary, who quickly finished off the Scottish innings. In the over and five balls Geary took the last three Scots' wickets for no runs.

Surrey commenced their second innings at four o'clock with W.T. Cook and Sandham, and the professional scored the faster. At 34, following a bowling change, in which Hole took the ball from Sievwright, and after Sandham had cut a ball for 5, the first wicket fell, Cook being beaten with a good ball from Hole.

Previous to this Fergusson in attempting to hold a sharp snick split a finger, and had to retire for a time. Angus did not field during the Surrey second innings, having strained a side badly.

After scoring 44 out of a total of 70, Sandham was caught by Anderson. A further 65 were quickly hit up before Ducat was stumped by Sturgeon, to be followed 19 runs later by Shepherd, who also had quickly got 44.

The fifth wicket fell at 196, but by this time all interest had vanished. Riddell who caught Abel, made a brilliant catch from an on-drive by the Surrey player. With Bullock caught by Kerr at mid-off the game ended drawn.

Sievwright was the most successful of the Scottish bowlers, taking four wickets for 72 runs. Scotland, however, in the end took the game no more seriously than Surrey.

(Article: Copyright © 2013 Cricket Scotland http://cricketscotland.com)