Day 1:
Despite the bad weather yesterday which caused two adjournments of considerable length, capital progress was made with this three days’ match at Raeburn Place, Edinburgh, and Scotland, it is satisfactory to note, made an excellent appearance. It is not often that a Scottish eleven can put together 215 runs in a first innings, and as that performance was followed up by getting rid of three Notts batsmen for a comparatively small total it would seem that all Scottish cricket is on the up-grade.

The Notts eleven was a strong one, J. Gunn and Hardstaff being the only notable absentees, and the latter had intended to play, but received the sad intimation in Edinburgh, at Raeburn Place, in fact yesterday forenoon, of the death of his mother.

A pleasing feature of the Scottish innings was that six men got double figures. The batting, as a rule, was of a higher class than usual, and the men showed less sign of nervousness than is their custom on such big occasions. Several of them, such as Dickson, Keigwin, Bowie, and Chalmers showed praiseworthy confidence.

There were, of course, some lucky shots, especially through the slips, but the display given by Scotland, both at the wickets, and in the field, was well above average for these representative engagements, and unless there is a serious breakdown in Scotland’s second innings the match seems likely to prove quite a creditable one for Scottish cricket.

It is noteworthy, too, that the Scottish side got their runs at a quicker rate than the Notts men, who throughout treated the game with every seriousness. Unfortunately for the success of the match financially, the doubtful weather in the morning and the rain in the afternoon must have kept many people away, and in the circumstances the attendance of 1200 or so must have been regarded as a satisfactory one.

Scotland made a most unpromising start, for a wicket was down at 12, and another one run later. Taylor and Hallam opened the attack for Notts, and Tait drove the former nicely to the off for 3 in the first over, and he twice got Hallam away for 4’s, one of his strokes being a somewhat risky one over the heads of the men in slips, and had Jones been in the usual place for third man instead of close up in the “silly” position he has made his own he might have got a catch.

Tait, however, soon had to go through cocking a ball up tamely into Branston’s hands in slip. That was from the last ball in Hallam’s first over, and from the first of his next Mannes got in front of his wicket and the bowler had the confident appeal answered in his favour.

Then came together Dickson and Peel and from this partnership much was hoped for. Such hoes, however, were doomed to disappointment, for Peel did nothing, playing late to a straight one from the fast bowler and getting his off stump disturbed, and three good wickets were thus down for 20, a dreary enough state of affairs.

Jupp opened confidently, and, with Dickson getting away an occasional good one to the off, the score rose surely if slowly. The captain was batting as if he could stay all day, but with the total at 43, and after the wicket had put on 23, he touched a fast rising ball, and he was easily taken by the stalwart Branston, who, by the way, has previously been a visitor at Raeburn Place, with the Oxford Authentics.

This was a big disappointment, and another came a dozen runs later when Jupp, who appeared to have got over the critical period for him, was bowled by Hallam just after giving that bowler a hot return which went to the boundary.

Thus half the side were out for a meagre 55, and play had been in progress ten minutes less than an hour. Then, however, Bowie and Keigwin showed great caution at least to begin with, though Keigwin apparently soon felt at his ease with the bowling, and hit about him all round the wicket, scoring faster than his partner, who, however, got 10 in one over from Hallam, two 4’s and a 2.

So steadily did the pair score that 50 runs were added in half an hour. The 100 went up after an hour and a quarter, and at 105 Jones made his first change in bowling. He went on for Hallam for one over before lunch with slows of the “cock-a-doodle” type, and the result of that one over was to increase the Scottish score by 12, Keigwin helping himself to two 4’s and a single, and Bowie to a 3.

That was lively work, and one regretted that the pair had not some more of Jones, and that they, when doing so well, were disturbed by the lunch interval, which arrived with the total at 117, and with Keigwin’s score at 41 and Bowie’s at 22.

After lunch, Wass and Hallam led the attack, and in his first over the former got rid of the Perthshire representative; in his second Jones showed his dexterity in the slips by taking a catch low down with his left hand, and in his fourth Bailey was disposed of.

The sixth partnership, that between Bowie and Keigwin, carried the score from 55 to 120. Both men, if a little shaky through slips at times, did excellently, and Keigwin got his valuable runs in three quarters of an hour, his principal hits being five 4’s and two 3’s.

Eight wickets were down for 136, and it seemed likely that the total would be a modest one, but Bowie was still playing a sound game, and after there had been an adjournment for rain, extending over fifty five minutes, he and Chalmers found the wicket and the bowling so much to their liking that they piled on runs at a fast pace, Chalmers who took risks freely, being particularly severe on Wass, though both bowlers came in for punishment.

Chalmers gave a chance off Wass’ bowling when he had 12. The ball went a great height and Jones, who was fielding mid-off, dropped it. It was scarcely expected that a fielder of Jones’ class and reputation would have made such a mistake, The pair continued to take every advantage of the wet ball and easy wicket, and they brought up the second hundred after play had lasted two hours and ten minutes.

At one time Wass had three wickets for 9 runs, but Chalmers soon spoiled his analysis. Bowie left at 214, and his was the best innings of the side. His strokes were good, and always safe, and the only chance he gave was one to Jones shortly before he left. The Notts captain was close up to the batsman, and the ball was hit so hard that the fieldsman did well to guard his body, without thinking of holding the ball.

Bowie and Chalmers had put on 78 runs for the ninth wicket, and Bowie was in while 171 runs were got. In his total of 66 were seven 4’s, and three 3’s, and Chalmers, in his happy go lucky and not out innings had four 4’s and three 3’s. After Bowie’s dismissal only one run was scored. The aggregate thus realised 215, and was compiled in two hours and twenty minutes, which represents pretty fast going.

Notts began briskly enough, for in one over from Ringrose, 11 runs were hit, 10 of which went to Turner’s credit. The Forfarshire professional, however, soon got his revenge; for, with the total at 15, a neat catch in slips by Kerr sent back the Notts amateur. Then J. Iremonger and G. Gunn seemed to be settling down to a big stand, both playing easily, if carefully; but at 27 Gunn was out to a wonderful one-hand catch at point by Mannes, the fielder taking the ball when it was going at, it seemed, almost lightning pace.

Iremonger continued to score steadily, without to all appearance, any great effort, and was very judicious in picking out balls for hitting. He and Payton gave the total a lift to 70, when Peel, who had gone on for Bailey at 57, got the latter out for obstruction. Then the brothers Iremonger played out time.

So far there has been nothing outstanding in the Notts innings, nothing but sound, careful, steady cricket. None of the batsmen took the slightest liberty with the bowling, though, on the other hand, they were seldom in difficulties. The innings lasted an hour and a quarter, deducting half an hours interval owing to rain.

Day 2:
Play in this match was continued yesterday at Raeburn Place, Edinburgh, and though Scotland is almost certain to lose today, there will be no disgrace attached to the defeat, no matter by how many wickets the Notts men are victorious. Scotland did remarkably well to run up a total of 215 in the first innings, but it was an even better performance to dismiss the strong English eleven for 21 runs less, and the only unsatisfactory item from Scotland’s point of view was that in the second venture Scotland could muster no more than 133.

That of course was too small a total to ensure anything like an interesting finish. Dickson gave his side a splendid lead yesterday, and his innings must, in the circumstances under which it was played, be ranked as the best of the game. It was a magnificent effort. Once more he showed how steadily he could bat when the occasion demanded, Chalmers, too, deserves credit for having two not out innings, and it was unfortunate that he was not able to go on batting yesterday, when, as on Monday, he was hitting out in lively style and with confidence.

Then it was unfortunate that two wickets, the first and the last, should have been thrown away by men being run out, and it was doubly unfortunate that a batsman like Mannes should have been one of those to lose his wicket in this fashion.

There was nothing especially noteworthy or distinctive about the batting of the Notts men. It was good without being out of the common. Reference, however, must be made to the successful bowling of Ringrose, who, so far, has taken eight wickets in the match.

It is worth noting that only three bowlers were tried for Scotland in Notts first innings, and that Ringrose and Bailey did particularly all the trundling. Scotland, too, fielded well, and almost all the eleven earned cheers at one time or another. Nothing that could be reasonably called a chance was missed, and only min one or two cases the visitors were given runs that could have been saved.

The wicket keeping of Chalmers was excellent, he has been one of the outstanding successes of the game. The fine weather of yesterday brought a crowd of between 2000 and 3000 people, who followed every turn of the match with keen interest, and though disappointed at the comparative failure of so many of Scotland’s batsmen, they greatly appreciated the fact that a lead had been obtained in the first innings, a thing, it is understood, never before heard of in a match of such importance.

The two professionals, Ringrose and Bailey, were still the bowlers on play being resumed, shortly after noon, and the latter was again asked to face a troublesome wind. J. Iremonger was a little more enterprising than he had been on the previous day, and his brother also scored at a steady rate. Both, however, continued to display great caution.

Twenty six had been added in as many minutes when J. Iremonger, the regular member of the Notts team, failed to get hold of one from Ringrose, and skied the ball to cover point, where Keigwin brought off a simple catch. The retiring batsman had played correct but far from stylish cricket. He is not a pretty bat, if an exceedingly useful one. He had six 4’s in his 50, which took him an hour and forty minutes to get. Just before getting out, and at the same total, Iremonger might have been taken by Jupp in the slips, but the ball was just on the ground when Jupp got to it, and the fieldsman got a cheer for the effort he made to bring off the catch.

Captain Jones was the next comer, and something more exciting was then looked for. He opened his account by pulling Bailey to square leg and gaining 4, all run. A, Iremonger had a lively spell at this time, but on forsaking his cautious tactics he soon lost his wicket, for in attempting to drive a curly one from the slow bowler the ball screwed off the edge of the bat, and Tait got a simple catch in slips.

Nor did Jones stay much longer. He had another 4, one through the slips, and one or two minor strokes, and then he fell a victim to Ringrose, he being the first man on the side to be bowled.

Just about this time the Scottish players were repeatedly cheered for good fielding, Tait, Dickson, and Peel having their work recognised, but a little later the two last named gave away boundaries unnecessarily to Branston, on whom, it seemed, had fallen the duty of pulling his side through. Both Oates and Taylor went for next to nothing, and both were out to the cleverness of the wicket-keeper, the dismissal of the Notts stumper being as fine a bit of work off fast bowling as has been seen in Edinburgh for many a day.

On being joined by Hallam, at which point eight wickets were down for 163, Branston gave the finest display of clean hitting that had up to then been seen in the match. He treated both bowlers severely, but he showed a decided partiality for Bailey, though it was off Ringrose that he sent a ball over the ropes among the spectators. The next ball, however, which he also meant to reach the boundary, he missed, and the appeal for leg before was given against the batsman.

Branston had seven 4’s in his 41, and he got his runs in forty five minutes. He gave a hot return to Bailey when 35, but it was from almost too hard a ball to be called a chance. Lunch was then taken, with the score standing at 194 for nine wickets.

On resuming before a good ring of spectators, the last pair gave no trouble. One ball sufficed to finish the innings, for Wass spooned the ball and was taken at cover point at the second attempt by Keigwin. Scotland thus led on the first innings by 21 runs. The Notts innings lasted two hours and forty five minutes.

Scotland second innings opened disastrously, Mannes played the second ball from Taylor and started for a run. Tait, who was at the other end, also made a move, but he afterwards said “No,” and Mannes, who was half way up the pitch made no attempt to get back, and the bowler ran up to the other end and knocked down the wicket.

J. Iremonger was the other bowler at the start, and neither him nor Taylor did Tait display any confidence, and it was not surprising that he played late to one from Taylor and was bowled. The wicket put on 25, but Dickson did almost all the scoring, and included in his strokes were two 4’s, one a pretty glance to leg off Taylor and the other through the slips at the other end.

Peel began by sending a ball up dangerously in the slips, but he then settled down with Dickson to bat well, and runs came steadily, Another lucky one through the slips just between Jones and A. Iremonger brought Peel into double figures, but he did not get much further before he popped one tamely into the safe hands of J. Iremonger at point.

Three wickets down for 41 was not particularly good business, and with Jupp going at 60, four of Scotland’s best bats were down for fewer runs than should have been the rate. Hallam had just gone on, and in his first over Jupp, in attempting a big hit, sent the ball straight up to a great height, and the wicketkeeper made no mistake about getting possession.

Wass then went on at the other end, and with Bowie in, the Clackmannan County man did most of the scoring, but he had only got 14 when, in trying to urge a ball to leg, he got in front of his wicket, and was ruled out.

Five wickets were down for 77, and there was just a chance now, with three hours still to play, that the match would be all over in two days. Dickson, however, was playing with the greatest steadiness, being content simply to play the ball, unless he was absolutely sure of a score. And for a time he found in Keigwin a congenial partner, but when the Perthshire representative had got 18, and the wicket had put on 38 runs, the latter seemed to lose his patience. He lashed out at a tempting one from Hallam, and was caught in deep field.

This was the beginning of the end. The sixth and seventh wickets fell at 115, and the eighth and ninth at 117. There was a tea interval when Keigwin left, and that interval as it has often done before, proved very disastrous to Scotland. Kerr caught in slips off the first ball after resuming, and thus earned a couple of “ducks,” the unenviable “pair,” and two runs later Dickson’s great effort was brought to a close.

It was a loose ball, too, that he was out to. It was pitched well to leg, and probably had a big spin on it, and in trying to hit it to the boundary the Scottish captain drew the ball round into slips, and was easily taken. His most praiseworthy innings occupied him two hours and fifty minutes, and included in it were six 4’s and one 3. He played the soundest of cricket, but the great feature of his game was undoubtedly the extraordinary patience he displayed, and it might well be claimed that it was a faultless innings, though, when 20, A. Iremonger, fielding in slips, just got his hand to a ball from Dickson’s bat as it touched the ground. It could hardly be called a chance.

Bailey went at the same time, but, thanks to some hard hitting by Chalmers, the last wicket added 16.

Requiring 155 to win, Notts were left with fully forty five minutes batting, and they made no attempt to force the pace. They started with the same pair as in the first innings, and the bowling was again entrusted to Ringrose and Bailey.

Turner gave what appeared to be a chance to the wicket-keeper early in his innings, but the shout of appeal was a premature one, for Chalmers did not hold the ball, and in the same over Turner hit three 4’s, and Ringrose was loudly cheered for stopping another drive which would certainly but for his intervention have found the ropes.

With the total at 33, made in half an hour, Turner got under a ball from Ringrose, and was secured by Dickson at cover point, and then Gunn and J. Iremonger who was pursuing his quiet and even course as in the first innings, played out time, when Notts had still 106 to get to win with nine wickets in hand, a task which should be well within their powers. A double change was made at 43, Peel and Keigwin going on.

Day 3:
This match was brought to a close yesterday at Raeburn Place, Edinburgh, and resulted in a win for Notts by six wickets. The weather continued fine, but as was only to be expected from the state of the game overnight, the Englishmen only requiring 106 with nine wickets in hand, the attendance was small. About a couple of hundred, however, would be present, which in the circumstances, was fairly satisfactory, for in all there was not more than an hour and twenty minutes play, the visitors hitting off the runs before the lunch interval for the loss of other three wickets.

Financially the engagements cannot have proved a success for the Grange. In fact, it is almost certain that they will lose money over the venture. The wet weather of the first day meant a serious loss, and though the attendance on Tuesday was satisfactory, the early closing yesterday meant that only a few pounds would be drawn then. From, however, a cricket point of view, the engagement was altogether a gratifying one.

Scotland, of course, was defeated, but only by six wickets, and but for the misfortunes of the Scottish second innings, and the comparative failure then of some of the batsmen, the result would have been even closer. As it was, the display in all respects, batting, bowling, and fielding, must be reckoned as one of the best ever given by a Scottish side in a representative match.

Turner was the only man overnight in the Notts second innings, and the total when play was resumed yesterday stood at 49. J. Iremonger and Gunn, the not outs, continued to the bowling of Ringrose and Bailey, and only five had been added when the latter was beautifully bowled by the Forfarshire professional, the ball just nipping the bails.

Two wickets were thus down for 54, but on Payton joining the elder Iremonger a long stand took place, and runs came along at a steady pace, though at no time did either batsman take any risks. Still the score mounted up. Payton being by far the livelier batsman, and the 100 was hoisted after play had been in progress half an hour.

A double change in the attack was tried at this time, Keigwin and Peel going on for Bailey and Ringrose, but the batsmen continued to bat with confidence, and to get runs with ease, though Chalmers missed a chance of stumping Iremonger off Peel’s bowling by failing to take the ball.

Ringrose resumed at his old end when the score stood at 137, and ten runs later, when it seemed almost certain that the pair would remain together to the end, he met with further success, Payton playing one of his deliveries into the slips, where the ball was smartly secured by Peel. The wicket had put on 93 runs.

Nor did Scotland’s and Ringroses’s successes end there, for with only three wanted for victory, J. Iremonger pulled a ball from the off on to his wicket. Payton had seven 4’s, and Iremonger six, and the former got his runs in little more than an hour, while the latter took two to get his.

Payton’s display was the neater and brighter of the two, but there is no denying that Iremonger has a splendid defence and unlimited patience. He could not have treated the bowling of Brearley or Hirst more seriously than he did that of Scotland’s trundlers.

Jones filled the vacancy and he soon hit off the three runs that gave Notts their six wickets victory. It was just before half past one, the usual lunch hour, that stumps were drawn. Ringrose got all the wickets that fell in the second innings, and during the match had eleven for 146 runs.

It was an excellent performance for the Yorkshireman, and it was a lucky hit on the part of the selectors to choose him, especially as he has been doing little for his club, Forfarshire, this season.

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