Day 1:
The South Africans had a full day’s batting yesterday in their match with Scotland at Raeburn Place, Edinburgh, and, needless to say, they put on a big total, and at the same time provided a treat for the spectators.

They got 443 in rather less than four hours and a half, but the Scottish eleven may be said to have done remarkably well, to have dismissed such a powerful batting side in that time, though the fact that all the Colonials’ wickets were captured will make it all the harder to keep the match going over the three days.

To do so, as matters stand, will try the home eleven severely, and they have a stiff task set them even to save the innings defeat, They, however, acquitted themselves well in the field yesterday, and perhaps they will do likewise with the bat today, and they will, if only they can forget that it is Kotze who is thumping the ball down on the stumps, with an occasional short one whizzing past their ears, and that Schwarz and Vogler are the conjurers at the other end, with “googlies” and all sorts of cunning devices.

Yesterday’s match was ahead of that at Partick in many respects. The cricket shown by the visitors was brighter, and from a Scottish point of view, the state of affairs was much more satisfactory, for in last week’s match the close of play on the first day saw the South Africans with 466 for five wickets, while yesterday they got 23 less for a completed innings.

The bowling yesterday was better and so was the fielding, and if three possible chances were missed, two by Webster, and one by Mannes at point, they were all hard; indeed, had the Drumpellier representative not been smart enough to get his hand at the ball, no one would have thought of crediting him with giving a “life.”

Among those who did good work on the field were Mannes, Tait, Keene, and Peel, and notwithstanding the long outing they had, few runs were given away at the close of play. Dickson had a good catch, which dismissed Shalders, and Tait took Vogler in great style, though he let the ball perilously close to the ground before he secured it. A word of praise is also due to the wicket-keeper for his consistent work.

From the analysis, which are well worth a perusal and consideration, it will be seen that Peel bore the brunt of the attack, and from the Press-box, which is situated in just about the worst place for seeing what a bowler is doing, it seemed that he was trundling in good form, and, besides two misses off him, he got four wickets.

That these included three of the last four that fell may be taken as a justification for his captain persevering with him so long. Broadbent, however, was much less expensive, and Keigwin, who did not have a trial until 203 had been made, had the best average of the lot, and was the only bowler who had any maidens in his analysis.

Broadbent, it may be pointed out, was played for his bowling, and, though he got as many wickets as Peel, he was not on nearly so long, and 117 had been scored before he was called on. The captain could not be charged with not changing his men often enough; indeed he changed some of them so quickly that one wondered what he was about.

Webster, for instance, started the attack with Keene, and only had two overs. The reason for that, however, was that his bowling arm was troubling him, and it was at his own request that he was taken off. Tait, however, who had wickets at Glasgow in both matches, also had but two overs, and, though not expensive, was shunted for good, and Bowie had four, and was compulsorily retired, Tait getting his chance when the total was 312, and Bowie not until 375.

Still another curiosity was the Keigwin had but one over at one end, and was at once crossed over to the other. These things are pointed out simply as incidents of the game worthy of notice.

The fact that the visitors were all out for 130 less than at Glasgow, and on a wicket as true as steel, suggests that the home attack was not so badly managed after all. Indeed, the Scottish captain may be said to have had too many bowlers on his side. The colonial batting was sound all through, and if there was nothing sensational about it, unless it were Vogler’s treatment of the bowling after he got set, there can be nothing to complain of when the run-getting is maintained at the rate of one hundred per hour.

These South Africans may not be so polished or brilliant a lot with the bat as some Australian elevens which have visited Edinburgh, but they know how to get runs, and that is a great matter.

The South African captain won the toss and took the first of a fine run-getting wicket, perhaps the best that Sellars has prepared this season. It certainly looked a beauty and it played as well as it looked. The visitors opened with their usual pair, Tancred and Shalders, and Keene and Webster had charge of the bowling.

From the starts runs came at a smart pace, yet so easily were they taken that one never got the idea that the batsmen were forcing matters. Nor were they, but for all that the half-hundred went up after only twenty five minutes play.

Neither batsman took liberties with the attack, and Peel and Jupp each took a turn, and it was from the former’s end that the first separation was effected with the total at 88. Tancred, who in his two previous innings at Raeburn Place had scored 163 and 250, was first to go, and he was leg before after having survived a confident appeal for a catch at wickets from the previous ball. He had six 4’s.

The new-comer, Hathorn, who is credited with being the most stylish batsman on the side, had a “life” off Peel’s bowling when he had made 2. In attempting to drive, he spooned the ball behind the wicket, but Webster, though he had got to the ball, failed to hold it. It would have been a good catch, for the fielder was running in the same direction as the ball was travelling, but, as it was, it had to be put down as a palpable miss.

Fortunately, however, it was not an expensive one, for Hathorn got but another dozen when Broadbent clean bowled him in his second over. Then came in Sinclair, the six foot four man of the party, and the mighty hitter. His stay, however, was but a matter of minutes, and he too fell a victim of Broadbent’s deliveries, the Uddingston “pro” getting him in his third over.

At this point Broadbent had two wickets for 3 runs. On Saturday at Partick, he got Sinclair with the first ball he sent down to him, and yesterday he bowled him with his second. From a spectacular point of view it was a pity that Sinclair was so easily disposed of. At lunch time the score stood at 125 for three wickets, so that Scotland up to that point had done pretty well.

Shalders, who seemed well on his way for the first century of the game was first to go on resuming, and in his innings, which lasted an hour and three quarters, he had nine 4’s, and three 3’s. As at Partick on Thursday, he played real good cricket, and his stroke to the off was distinctive of his game.

Snooke also played well, but did not dive serious trouble; Schwarz was also out easily, and with six wickets down for 240, the Scots were still doing well.

A considerable difference, however, was made in the state of the game by a brilliant stand for the seventh wicket by Sherwell and Vogler, and of the 162 added while the pair were together, the latter claimed 103, which he got in seventy minutes. Driving was his forte, and he hit true, hard, and often, and generally contrived to keep the ball well away from the fielders.

It was the most enterprising and entertaining innings of the day, but for cricket of the absolutely correct and finished order, it was not to be compared to Sherwell’s display. Vogler made his 100, his first during the tour, in seventy minutes, which reads like some of Jessop’s doings, but it took his captain more than two hours to get his, and that old M.C.C. professional was scoring much the faster was shown by the fact that he was the first to reach the three figures, though Sherwell was over 50 when joined by his colleague.

But if Sherwell was much the slower, it has to be recorded in his favour that he gave no chance, whereas Vogler was missed of Peel at 3. A chance it certainly was, and again Webster was the unlucky fielder, but it was an exceedingly difficult one, a lofty drive right on to the ropes, the proximity of which must have troubled Webster as he attempted to take the ball. As in the case of Hathorn, it would have been a particularly fine effort had it been successful.

Vogler, who also gave Mannes a hard one at 32, had sixteen 4’s, and Sherwell thirteen. The latter made a lot of his runs with a graceful push to leg, but all over his was a taking innings, and he proved quite adept at pulling balls which were either straight or pitched on the off. These shots, however, were not his best or prettiest.

The seventh wicket fell at 402, and with the others doing little, all were out for 443. When the last wicket fell only a quarter of an hour remained from the time for drawing stumps, and as the interval would have swallowed up most of that period, it was decided to have no more play that night.

Day 2:
Scotland’s reply yesterday to the South African’s total of 443 in this match at Raeburn Place, Edinburgh, was 209 in the first innings, and 105 for three wickets in the second. So far so good and, and even if the innings defeat be not saved today, and the indications are that it will be saved, the home eleven may be said to have acquitted themselves not only with credit but with distiction, and on this occasion at least there need not be any aspersions cast on the state of the game in this country.

They did better, it is safe to say, that most people expected, and better far than at one time seemed likely. No doubt it will be pointed out that the three highest scorers in the first innings, Peel, Keigwin, and Broadbent, are Englishmen, Peel being of Bedfordhire, and just failing to get his “blue” at Oxford a few years ago; and Broadbent of Yorkshire.

But in the second innings two Scotsmen did well, and the hope may be expressed that others will follow suit, and that Peel, Keigwin, and Broadbent, who may all be regarded as Scotsmen for the time being, will be equally successful in their second essay as they were yesterday in their first. If they are, the South Africans may yet have something to do to win, and, though the arrears to be knocked off by them are not likely to be great in any case, it would be a very satisfactory state of affairs were they compelled to go in a second time.

The good work done in the field on Monday by the Scottish eleven was followed up by some capital batting, and in passing it can be said that in fielding at all events, if certainly not in bowling and batting, the home side compared very favourably with the visitors. The South Africans gave away a lot of runs unnecessarily. Their bowling, however, was distinctly good, though when it was resolutely met, as it was by several of the Scottish side, it did not appear such terrible stuff after all.

Kotze did not intimidate as he did at Glasgow, or as on his former visit to Edinburgh, and his analyses for the tour were not improved by his bowling yesterday. Though much slower, Schwarz was the more troublesome bowler, and had not Peel taken some risks and gone in and hit him he would no doubt have done more havoc, than he did, for until Peel’s arrival the prince of “googlie” bowlers seemed very difficult indeed.

It is easier to believe now that the best way to play him is to hit him, for on several occasions the batsman was lost past recovery in reaching out and attempting to play him forward. Vogler struck one as a real good bowler, and as one who is always using his head, but Sinclair did not make up for his failure with the bat by telling work with the ball. He came in for some severe punishment in both innings.

As regards the batting, too much praise cannot be given to Peel, for, apart from the number of runs he got, he, more than anyone else, took the gloss off the South African bowling.

Three good wickets were down for 29, when he went in, and at that time it seemed as if one more chapter of the old sad story of Scottish routs on the cricket field would have to be written. But he altered all that, and when he left the situation, and Scotland’s credit, had been saved, and the total was 162 for seven. The pity is that Peel, having got so far, did not reach his hundred, but in any case he silenced his critics who had not thought him fit for a place in the team. Both with the bat and ball he was a success.

In no way inferior to Peel’s display was that of veteran Mannes, who, if fairly wandered in the first innings by one of Schwarz’s “twisters” gave a brilliant account of himself in the second, and when he and his captain were batting so confidently and so well, and time was approaching, it was a matter of regret that both had not carried their bats.

With two such stalwarts to lead off today, Scotland’s position would have been very much stronger. But the last quarter of an hour proved fatal to both, and instead of finishing with only one wicket down there were three, and three of the best.

Mannes batted with splendid resolution, and he looked so thoroughly set when he got in front of his wicket that an even greater score was looked for from him.

The Scottish side started their first innings with Mannes and Tait, and that the Colonials were in earnest was shown by the fact that they opened their attack with Kotze and Schwarz.

It was the slow bowler who gave most trouble at the start, and even on the plumb and hard wicket he made the ball turn both ways in quite a bewildering manner. Off Kotze’s early overs, however, both men put the ball up dangerously in the slips. Mannes was first to go, completely beaten by the breaking ball, and with the captain of the side at the wickets it was hoped that he would make something like a formidable resistance.

As in the Glasgow match, Tait played with confidence, especially to Kotze’s bowling, and in the third over from the fast bowler he had 9 of the 11 runs scored. Only 15, however, had been put on by the pair when Tait was deceived by the pace of one of Schwarz’s deliveries, and had his wicket disturbed. The old Middlesex cricketer and footballer send down a fast yorker in his varied assortment, and it was that ball that took the Aberdeenshire man by surprise.

For his first over or two Dickson had been ill at ease with Schwarz, but he soon appeared to settle down. Jupp made a short stay, and never got time to feel comfortable when Kotze settled his account, and sent him out for the first “blob.”

With the two Grange amateurs together, Dickson and Peel, a slight improvement was brought about, and it was lucky for the home team that Peel had a let-off, if let-off it were, at the outset of his career. Robinson was at wickets, and failed to take what at any rate the fielders seemed to think was a catch that came his way from a snick off Kotze.

Thereafter Peel played a great innings, standing up to the fast bowling with easy confidence, and hitting the slows truly and boldly. Unlike most of his colleagues, he showed quite a liking for the “googlie” stuff, off which he had several boundaries, two of which, however, were contributed to by rank bad fielding on the part of the South Africans who were doing duty in the “country.”

At this point the work of the Colonials in the field was far from bright. Peel found a useful partner in Bowie, and the two put on 35 for the fifth wicket, when the Clackmannan County player was beaten and bowled in reaching forward to a “curly” one.

Webster was the next comer, and he took the precaution on several occasions of playing Schwarz with his pads. It paid for a time, but Schwarz also claimed him as one of his victims, his fourth of the day, and six wickets down for 82, which was by no means a promising state of affairs.

The lunch interval was then taken. Peel was not out with 31 to his credit, and had got his runs in forty five minutes by an excellent display. He had played a bold game, and had found it profitable.

Just before the adjournment at 78, Vogler had gone on for Kotze but on resuming the original pair, Kotze and Schwarz, took up the attack again. The hundred went on after the innings had lasted an hour and three quarters, and, as Peel found a rare good partner in Keigwin, Scotland’s hopes of making a really creditable show began to brighten.

Both men played well, Peel especially, and so steadily did runs come that at 122 Schwarz who hitherto had given so much concern, and had struck much more dismay into the hearts of the batsmen than Kotze was taken off. Then Sinclair was called on at 140 to relieve Kotze, but he did not meet with success, and both members of the teaching profession, Peel, of Edinburgh Academy, and Keigwin, of Glenalmond, put on the runs in fine style, and so fast that they scored 80 runs in fifty two minutes.

Peel was first to go when he had 74, and the total was 162. Just before being bowled, he struck a bad patch. At 71 he cocked one up which the bowler got perilously near, and at the same total, in attempting to drive Sinclair, he skied the ball behind the wicket keeper, but Vogler, who ran for it, failed to take the catch, though he got his hands to the ball.

Peel’s dashing innings lasted an hour and three quarters, and he hit eleven 4’s, two 3’s, and three 2’s. He got most of his runs in front of the wicket, and his off-drive was his best stroke. Keigwin did not long survive, and just before he left he might have been taken by Vogler in slip, but the old M.C.C. “pro.” only reached the ball with outstretched hand, and could not hold it.

Like Peel, Keigwin fell a victim to the trickery of Vogler, and he left at 199. Meanwhile Broadbent had been hitting out with rare confidence and vigour, and he was particularly severe on Sinclair, off one of whose overs, after Keigwin had got a single, he hit four 4’s, two drives and two strokes to leg, which lively cricket was greatly to the liking pf the crowd, and heartily cheered.

Following Keigwin’ s departure the end soon came, the last two wickets only adding ten runs, and the innings closed, after having lasted two hours and three quarters.

The South Africans did not avail themselves of their option to go in again, and if they were anxious to win the match their only game, of course, was to make their opponents follow on. And that they did.

Many of the spectators, no doubt, would have preferred to have seen some more batting by the Colonials, but with a lead of 254, they undoubtedly took the proper course.

Scotland began with the same pair as in the morning, and the bowling was as before, in the hands of Kotze and Schwarz, so that there was no suggestion of the South Africans giving anything away by putting on inferior trundlers, if the expression may be allowed.

From the first ball of the innings there was a loud appeal for a catch at wickets, but, fortunately, it was answered in favour of the batsman, Mannes, who at once proceeded to make merry, and in one over from the fast bowler he had three fine 4’s to leg, letting the ball glance sweetly and surely off his bat each time.

The Drumpellier player did almost all the run-getting and of the first two dozen he had no fewer than 21. Tait did not shape so well as in the morning, and with the total at 30 he reached forward to Vogler, who had gone on 6 runs earlier for Schwarz, missed the ball and was out, after having sent the new bowler’s first ball through the slips to the ropes.

So freely did Mannes score that 50 went on in forty minutes, and Mannes, who had batted well without giving anything like a chance, got his individual half-hundred in an hour and twenty minutes.

Snooke had a turn at the bowling, and at 80 Sinclair went on, but runs continued to come at a steady pace, though Dickson was very quiet at the start. He took time to play himself in, and was at the wickets half an hour for 8. Latterly he had some good strokes, particularly on the off-side, but he gave absolutely nothing away, and he seemed bent on staying in till close of play.

Caution was his watchword, and of course it was the proper game in the circumstances, their being no reason for hurrying in the matter of making runs. A fine cut to the boundary by Mannes brought out the 100 after the innings had lasted an hour and twenty minutes, but just when it seemed certain that Mannes and Dickson would bat out time the former was out to a leg before wicket decision.

His innings was in his best style, safe and sound, and most of his runs were got by turning the ball to leg and by hard and sure cutting. He had eight 4’s, one 3, and six 2’s.

Bowie was next in, and twice he came dangerously near being caught and bowled, which fate, unfortunately for the side, befell Dickson five minutes before the end. He had been in an hour and a half, and though he exercised the greatest care he never, as in the first innings, seemed to be in the slightest difficulty.

Stumps were drawn, Dickson was out to the last ball of the day, with Scotland 119 runs behind and seven wickets in hand.

On Monday the drawings, including tickets sold, amounted to about £150, and something like the same amount would be taken yesterday when there would be between 3000 and 4000 people present. Thus with the prospect of a good day’s cricket today, the Grange Club should come well out of the match financially.

The South African guarantee was £100 so that the engagement is bound to clear itself and leave a balance. Had the match been concluded yesterday there would have been, it is understood, no exhibition game today.

Day 3:
Scotland was beaten by the South Africans at Raeburn Place, Edinburgh, yesterday, but the innings defeat was saved, and as that was about all that could be hoped for from the state of the game at the close of play on Tuesday, the result may be regarded as quite satisfactory. Moreover, play was continued into the third day until four o’clock, so that, everything considered, the home eleven had some reason to be proud of their performance.

To make totals of 209 and 258 against the Colonial bowling was in every degree creditable, and though Kotze and Sinclair were absent yesterday, and the visitors attack was thereby considerably weakened, it should be borne in mind that neither of them had been deadly on the first day.

The fast bowler strained one of his legs yesterday, and may not play for some time, and Sinclair had injured a hand. There were, however, enough bowlers left to get rid of the Scotsmen in good time, though, of course, there was not that fine variety about the South Africans’ attack, which is one of its strongest features.

Faulkner and S.D. Snooke fielded for the two injured members, and a fine catch near the boundary by the former closed Scotland’s second innings, which lasted altogether fully four hours.

The South African fielding was better than on the previous day, but it was not brilliant by any means, and the Scottish eleven had certainly nothing to learn from their visitors in that respect.

The fine bowling of Schwarz, however, was again in evidence, and greatly admired, and once more he proved awkward for the home players, some of whom could make nothing of him. His delivery was a puzzle they could not solve, they could neither hit him nor play him, and they seemed quite mystified in the second innings as in the first, which suggested that experience had not taught them anything. And it all seemed so simple, too.

As on Tuesday, so it was yesterday. Peel and Keigwin made the stand of the day; they put on 98 runs for the sixth wicket, and it was indeed unfortunate that the two biggest scores in the Scottish second innings, those of Mannes and Peel are referred to, should have been cut short by l.b.w. decisions.

It may safely be said that the Grange member has never shown to such advantage since he came to Scotland two years ago, and Keigwin, too, has shown that he is one of the right sort to play in such a match. Both men, as did Mannes and Dickson late on Tuesday, refused so to speak, to allow themselves to be out before they were in, and as long as it is necessary to play Englishmen in Scottish teams, and as long as these two are resident in these parts, they must be included in our representative sides.

They were not, it is true, without a little luck, but luck in cricket very often goes to those who are most deserving of it, and who will say that Peel and Keigwin did not deserve any good fortune that came their way?

They played well, and with grit and determination, and both will look back upon the match with not a little satisfaction, for while Peel had 139 runs at his credit and four wickets, Keigwin had 77 runs and three wickets at a cost of some 11 runs apiece.

They could not save the game, but had they got some backing up, that might have been accomplished. In any case, the Colonials might have had a much bigger score to make in their second innings than 25, and they had only nine men to bat, assuming that Sinclair and Kotze were so badly hurt that they could not have gone in if it had come to the worst.

But, of course, a win for Scotland was never looked for, and, as it was the compelling of the visitors to go in again, and the getting of a couple of wickets, was quite good enough. Scottish cricketers have to be thankful for small mercies.

With 119 still wanted to save the innings defeat, Peel joined Bowie, and began in quite a businesslike and brisk fashion with three 4’s and a 3, all off Vogler, who opened the attack with Schwarz. Thirty three had been added when the Clackmannan County representative was finely stumped, the wicketkeeper taking the ball very cleverly on the leg side.

Again Jupp failed to come off, and if he escaped the distinction of a pair of “blobs,” he did so with nothing to spare. He had a single off Schwarz, and was glad to get it, and then hit out for a 4, but, unfortunately, he missed the ball, and was bowled.

Half the side were thus out for 158, and 87 runs were yet required to save the innings defeat. Peel found Keigwin a congenial companion, and the two, if taking things quietly, and risking nothing, gradually got into the way of the bowling.

Snooke for Vogler, and Shalders for Schwarz went on at 162 and 168 respectively, but the scoring continued at a fairly steady pace. Peel at first did the major part of it, but latterly Keigwin became more busy as Peel fell off, and both found the boundary on several occasions.

When 16, Keigwin sent a ball from S.J. Snooke, up between Vogler and S.D. Snooke in slips, and the next ball he drove to the on boundary, and then in the next over he again had a lucky shot behind the wicket. The 200 went up without any further loss, after the innings had lasted exactly three hours.

Lunch was taken with the total at 204, and Peel was then not out 40, and Keigwin not out 28. In S.J. Snooke’s second over after lunch his brother, fielding in slip, might have taken Peel with his left hand, but the catch if it had been brought off, would have been a great one. All the same, he touched the ball.

Peel’s score was then 41, and it was a fine stroke past cover point or rather through Shalder’s fingers that gave him his 50 amid hearty cheers. At this point the batsmen seemed thoroughly set, and quite at their ease, and it was then the Colonials were feeling the handicap of the absence of Kotze and Sinclair.

A single by Peel saw the arrears wiped out and five wickets still standing. Just afterwards, Keigwin skied a ball, and was easily taken by Shalders at mid-off, but “no-ball” had been shouted and Keigwin got another chance.

Soon, however, he lost Peel, who was leg before at 246. In the latter’s valuable innings, and it was as good as it was valuable, he hit five 4’s, and five 3’s. As on the first day he had shown rare nerve and skill, and to his great effort was largely due the fact that the innings reverse had been saved. He showed wonderful steadiness, more so than on the previous day, and, as in the first innings, most of his runs were got on the off side.

Peel’s dismissal proved but the beginning of the end, Broadbent being out at the same total with the second ball he received, and Keigwin’s splendid innings was brought to a close three runs later.

Schwarz had just resumed bowling; and he got the last three wickets for next to nothing. Keigwin, who had been particularly strong in defence, had again played sound cricket, and his best hits were four 4’s.

The South Africans were left with 25 to get, and, small though their number was, they lost two wickets in the securing of them. Tancred being bowled with the total at 6, and Hathorn 5 later.

Keigwin and Broadbent, who had the best bowling averages in the first innings, were given charge of the attack, and the latter got his wicket in his first over, and Keigwin had his in his second. The next pair, however, hit off the runs, and the South Africans thus won an interesting match by eight wickets.

Though there was no sun yesterday, the weather continued fine, and there was again a good attendance, fully a thousand being present. The drawings for the three days would be between £300 and £320, so the Grange Club should have a fairly good surplus as a reward for their enterprise.

In these matches they take upon them selves all the risk of bad weather and consequent financial failure, and they are to be congratulated upon the success of the engagement, and all the lore heartily as both last season’s matches, with Surrey and the West Indians, resulted in financial losses.

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