Ireland v Scotland 24, 26 & 27 June 1939 by Cricket Scotland

Ground:	College Park, Dublin
Scorecard:	Ireland v Scotland
Event:	Scotland in Ireland 1939

DateLine: 31st January 2013

Day 1:
Scotland, scoring 310 runs, made an auspicious start in their three-days international cricket match with Ireland, which opened at College Park, Dublin, on Saturday. The visitors began cautiously on a fast wicket, and once they found the measure of Irish bowling they entered into their stride. The first hundred runs were compiled in nearly two hours, but less than an hour later the second hundred had been recorded. The visitors' best man was J. F. Jones, who gave a solid performance. At first Jones batted slowly, but following, the luncheon interval he began to hit out with verve, and gave no chance until Boucher's marvellous left-handed catch brought his innings to an end. He scored most of hi s runs in front of the wicket, placing his drives with rare precision. His total included nine 4s. He batted In all for two hours and forty-seven minutes.

Jones was partnered at the outset by F. W. Ramsden, and they both adopted a stonewall defence from the start, Half an hour's play provided only 14 runs, but Jones then began to hit out more, driving strongly along the ground.

The luncheon interval arrived with the score at 69 for one, Ramsden having stepped in front of a straight one from Boucher. A. K. McTavish, who took his place, played aggressive cricket from the beginning of his innings. He had a lucky escape when he lifted one to mid-off for Graham, who failed to catch the ball, was dazzled by the sun. Graham, however, did not let a second chance slip, and when McTavish fell into a similar error Graham made sure he went to the pavilion.

The Jones and W. Nichol partnership gave the Scottish figures a welcome fillip. Both drove with skill and- power, Nichol being particularly clever on the leg side. They had contributed 74 runs when Jones was brilliantly caught by Boucher, off his own bowling.

Four runs later Nichol joined Jones in the pavilion. He went out to drive Graham, and was quickly stumped by Cuffe.

However, the Scots were not yet finished, and W. K. Laidlaw and R . M. Macfarlane made a praiseworthy stand. They had brought the total to 244 when Pigot failed to hold one from Macfarlane on the boundary However, the end of Macfarlane's innings was not far off, Macdonald, after 12 more runs had been added, clean bowling him R. S. Hodge next went out . Boucher catching him in the slips from Macdonald's bowline Laidlaw continued to go ahead, and when everything pointed to him getting a half century, he was caught in the slips by McMurray. Laidlaw was at the wicket one hour and a quarter, his hits including four boundaries. The innings thereafter closed fairly rapidly, Macdonald taking his fourth wicket, while Williams got his first.

It was drawing near, the close of play when Ireland opened their innings.

Macdonald had the best bowling analysis, with four wickets for 57 runs; other analyses being Boucher three for 105; Graham, two for 57: and Williams, one for 36.

Day 2:
Scotland placed themselves in a winning position yesterday in the second day's play of their international match with Ireland in Dublin. They have set Ireland to get 342 runs for victory.

On Saturday Scotland had scored 310, and Ireland had replied with 9 without loss, but the Scottish bowlers made their presence felt when play was resumed yesterday morning. With, only five runs added, Scotland captured two wickets, and two runs later met with another success. Laidlaw, Hodge, and Farquhar had the Irish batsmen puzzled, but Macdonald and Williams, who came together for the fourth wicket, played purely on the defensive. Williams scored only one run in half an hour, but when the partnership had added 47 Laidlaw bowled Williams.

When the score had reached 88 Hodge bowled Macdonald and Boucher with successive deliveries. J. S. Pollock, Ireland's 33-year-old player, made an auspicious debut in his first international match, scoring 38 before Laidlaw had him caught by Jones. The Scottish bowlers did not experience much trouble in dismissing the other Irish players, and they brought the innings to a close at 143.

Scotland had thus gained a lead of 167 runs, bat they did not enforce the follow-on. They, however, received an early shock when with the second ball sent down, Ward had Jones caught before a run had been scored. It became obvious, however, that the Scots were playing to plan, as they adopted forcing tactics. They endeavoured to consolidate their position as quickly as possible. Hodge was at the wicket only seventeen minutes for his 31, and Nichol scored at the rate of exactly a run a minute.

Smart stumping by Cuffe dismissed both Nichol and McTavish, but not before both had treated the spectators to some hefty hitting. The anxiety to score off virtually every ball brought about some cheap dismissals, but Scotland could afford to play a care-free innings. Their impetuosity, however, gave Boucher the opportunity to distinguish himself, as he captured seven wickets for 53 runs. His accuracy can be gauged from the fact that he clean bowled six of his seven victims, the last four falling for the addition of only nine runs.

After occupying two hours and twenty minutes, the innings came to an end at 174.

As there was only a few minutes left for play, Ireland did not commence their second innings. Their task this morning seems fairly hopeless, as Laidlaw's guileful bowling and the fast deliveries of Hodge had the Irish batsmen on the run in their first knock and they are not likely to fare any better to-day.

Day 3:
Scotland gained a well-merited victory by 162 runs over Ireland in the international match, which concluded in Dublin yesterday, and this amply atoned for their defeat in Glasgow last year. Scotland's margin of victory would have been greater but for some slack fielding during Ireland's second innings yesterday. Thirty-three extras in the total Irish score of 179 was an unusually large percentage, but, in addition to that, some simple catches were dropped.

The Scottish bowling was handled with rare judgment, and, the Irish batsmen were never given the opportunity to dig themselves in. Laidlaw, though he did not secure a wicket in the second innings was the victim of most missed catches. With successive deliveries, he should have bad Pigot and Macdonald caught, but the former was missed by Farquhar and the latter was dropped by Brand.

Scotland were 341 ahead when Ireland commenced their second innings yesterday morning. The first over produced three byes, but Hodge, in his first over upset Reddy's stumps. Pigot and Macdonald took the score along to 77 though Pigot should have been out at 48, and Macdonald had a lucky escape one run later. Macdonald, however, batted brightly for his 33.

At 93 Hodge took over from Laidlaw, and in the first over of this spell sent Pigot's leg stump flying out of the ground. Williams remained to score only two, and just before lunch Hodge took a soft return from Blaney Half the side were out for 111, at which point lunch was taken.

J.S. Pollock, top scorer in Ireland's first innings, gave another bright knock, and after scoring 25 in fifty minutes, was rather unluckily out. He played a ball from Farquhar on to his pads and It shot to square leg, where Dippie safely held a catch.

Cuffe, with 17 not out, was the-only other Irish batsman to reach double figures, and after the innings had been in progress three hours and twenty minutes it came to a close at 179, leaving Scotland victors by 162 runs.

Hodge had the best bowling analysis, taking four wickets for 26 runs. Farquhar had three for 32, and Dippie took the other three for 4L Laidlaw had none for 41but that was entirely due to ill luck, as his spinners had the Irish batsmen puzzled, and they knocked up the ball fairly frequently, providing catches which were not accepted.