Famous Cricketers No 77 - W.L.Murdoch

his best days. Although he had some luck, so too was his 93 in the opening match of the tour at Sheffield Park where the bowling was as strong as any encountered in the Test Series - Attewell, Briggs, Lohmann and Peel. His two hundreds were against less formidable opposition. At Hove he batted five hours for his 158 (1 six, 20 fours) and added 228 for the second wicket with J.E.Barrett (83). At Leyton, the Australians followed on against Cambridge University Past & Present 171 in arrears. Coming together at 14-2, Murdoch and Harry Trott (186) added 276 in 210 minutes. Murdoch’s 129 included 10 fours. In a non first-class match against Derbyshire, Murdoch was bowled for 0 by his old friend and team mate Fred Spofforth. In the latter part of the tour, he was handicapped by playing with an injured finger. Because, owing to a bizarre selectorial mix-up in which he had no part, the chosen second stumper, K.E.Burn, turned out to have never kept in his life, Murdoch found himself behind the stumps more often than he probably wished. Although byes were again plentiful, there were occasionally flashes of his former skill. The team’s gesture in donating the proceeds from their final fixture to the Cricketers’ Fund won them many friends in England. Own Team O M R W Opp Ct St Total Total 120. Australians v Lord Sheffield’s XI, Sheffield Park, Uckfield, May 8, 9, 10 (Australians won by an innings and 34 runs) * b G.A.Lohmann 93 191 27 130 1 121. Australians v Mr.W.H.Laverton’s XI, Westbury, May 15, 16, 17 (Mr.W.H.Laverton’s XI won by 181 runs) * st J.A.Bush b J.Briggs 6 67 141 c W.G.Grace b G.A.Lohmann 3 116 223 122. Australians v Oxford University, Christ Church Ground, Oxford, May 20, 21 (Australians won by an innings and 61 runs) * b G.F.H.Berkeley 45 234 120 53 123. Australians v Surrey, Kennington Oval, May 22, 23, 24 (Australians won by eight wickets) * c W.W.Read b G.A.Lohmann 40 278 200 1 not out 17 79-2 156 1 124. Australians v Yorkshire, Bramall Lane, Sheffield, May 26, 27 (Yorkshire won by seven wickets) * c G.Ulyett b R.Peel 1 87 161 1 c D.Hunter b R.Peel 0 125 53-3 125. Australians v Lancashire, Old Trafford, May 29, 30 (Australians won by an innings and 155 runs) *† b J.Briggs 0 316 78 83 2 126. Australians v MCC, Lord’s, June 2, 3 (MCC won by seven wickets) *† c F.Marchant b F.J.Shacklock 2 124 194 2 b W.Flowers 30 180 111-3 1 127. Australians v Cambridge University, Fenner’s, June 5, 6, 7 (Match drawn) * c D.L.A.Jephson b S.M.J.Woods 73 351 189 1 357 128. Australians v Middlesex, Lord’s, June 9, 10, (11) (Match drawn) * b J.T.Hearne 0 135 113 b J.T.Hearne 0 176-8 129. Australians v Nottinghamshire, Trent Bridge, June 12, 13, 14 (Nottinghamshire won by an innings and 26 runs) * c W.Flowers b F.J.Shacklock 7 62 215 c M.Sherwin b H.Richardson 5 127 130. Australians v South of England, Kennington Oval, June 16, 17, 18 (South of England won by 97 runs) * st H.Wood b F.Martin 6 113 163 c W.G.Grace b F.Martin 8 74 121 1 131. Australians v Players of England, Lord’s, June 19, 20, 21 (Players of England won by an innings and 263 runs) * b G.Ulyett 23 156 526 b J.Briggs 7 107 132. Australians v Yorkshire, Bradford, June 23, 24, 25 (Yorkshire won by eight wickets) * b R.Peel 0 177 171 c L.Hall b G.Ulyett 8 141 148-2 1 25