Famous Cricketers No 77 - W.L.Murdoch

last two wickets. Protests to the Scarborough captain Henry Charlwood during the interval and again on the field during the Australian second innings when several batsmen were hit produced no result. Nor did an appeal to the umpire who, although prepared to concede that some deliveries were unfair, declined to take action. The Australians were bowled out for 96 (Frank 5-27) and suffered their first defeat of the tour. Among those hit was Spofforth who had a bone in the third finger of his right hand broken. As a result, he was unable to play in the Test Match a fortnight later. In the light of his record against English batsmen, his absence provides one of the first major “what ifs” of Test history. Murdoch topped the batting averages for all stages of the tour, hitting in all matches 2,468 runs, 800 more than anyone else. Against odds he hit three hundreds and three nineties. In all matches he was dismissed without scoring 13 times including a pair against Eighteen of Hunslet. When playing against Yorkshire at Huddersfield he was caught at point off left arm spinner Peate for 0 in the third over, having already been missed twice off the same bowler in the first over of the day. At the conclusion of the English leg of the tour Murdoch was presented by 200 “Australian colonists in London” with a double handled solid silver loving cup. Own Team O M R W Opp Ct St Total Total 26. Australians v Derbyshire, Derby, May 17, 18 (Australians won by eight wickets) * c G.B.Barrington b G.Hay 7 129 45 b W.Mycroft 11 42-2 125 27. Australians v Yorkshire, Dewsbury, June 10, 11 (Australians won by five wickets) * c G.Pinder b W.Bates 17 65 55 1 c A.Hill b W.Bates 5 91-5 100 28. Australians v Yorkshire, Huddersfield, July 22, 23, (24) (Match drawn) * c E.Lockwood b E.Peate 0 229-6 78 29. Australians v Gloucestershire, Clifton, August 2, 3, 4 (Australians won by 68 runs) * b W.G.Grace 2 110 191 lbw b W.G.Grace 17 246 97 2 30. AUSTRALIA v ENGLAND, Kennington Oval, September 6, 7, 8 (England won by five wickets) * c W.Barnes b A.G.Steel 0 149 420 not out 153 327 57-5 31. Australians v Sussex, Hove, September 13, (14), 15 (Match drawn) * b W.A.Humphreys 28 154 107 1 156-2 32. Australians v Players of the North, Bradford, September 20, 21, 22 (Match drawn) * c R.Pilling b W.Barnes 26 183 96 1 195 33. Australians v Nottinghamshire, Trent Bridge, September 23, 24, 25 (Nottinghamshire won by one wicket) * c F.Morley b A.Shaw 42 141 88 1 b A.Shaw 1 77 131-9 3 34. Australians v Players of England, Crystal Palace, September 27, 28, 29 (Australians won by two wickets) * c J.Selby b W.Bates 26 133 90 1 c J.Selby b W.Mycroft 4 40-8 82 SEASON’S AVERAGES Batting and Fielding M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St Test matches 1 2 1 153 153* 153.00 1 - - - Other matches 8 13 0 186 42 14.30 - - 10 - Tour 9 15 1 339 153* 24.21 1 - 10 - Career 34 59 9 974 153* 19.48 1 2 26 9 1880/81 These two matches formed part of the 1880/81 tour, the first preceding and the second following the month long New Zealand leg. Rain and hail interfered with the Sydney fixture and the Australian XI had the worst of the wicket. Murdoch was top scorer in both innings. In the second innings left arm spinner F.G.McShane took 9-45. Murdoch’s New Zealand admirers donated a “golden bat” in honour of his innings at The Oval. 15