Famous Cricketers No 77 - W.L.Murdoch

166. MCC v Cambridge University, Lord’s, June (23), 24, 25 (Match drawn) b F.S.Jackson 57 229 149 1 c J.Douglas b C.M.Wells 6 187-7 283 167. MCC v Oxford University, Lord’s, June 27, 28 (Match drawn) c V.T.Hill b G.F.H.Berkeley 10 224 150 c M.R.Jardine b J.B.Wood 3 200-9 335 1 168. South v North, Edgbaston, June 30, July 1, 2 (North won by six wickets) c A.Shrewsbury b A.W.Mold 5 70 163 1 c A.F.A.Lilley b W.Barnes 71 237 145-4 1 169. MCC v Yorkshire, Scarborough, August (29), 30, 31 (Match drawn) † st J.E.Ellis b R.Peel 18 126 208 c F.S.Jackson b R.Peel 5 224 56-2 170. Gentlemen v Players, Scarborough, September 1, 2, 3 (Match drawn) b G.A.Lohmann 9 170 238 not out 6 27-2 161-9d 1 171. C.I.Thornton’s XI v Surrey, Scarborough, September 5, 6, (7) (Match drawn) b G.A.Lohmann 1 185 153 b W.W.Read 83 247 SEASON’S AVERAGES Batting and Fielding M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St Gentlemen v Players 1 2 1 15 9 15.00 - - 1 - Other matches 8 15 1 428 83 30.07 - 5 5 - Season 9 17 2 443 83 29.53 - 5 6 - Career 171 295 29 7875 321 29.60 10 33 139 22 1893 – In England Disappointed at being left out of the Australian touring side after having apparently been led to believe he would be selected, Murdoch had a good first season in county cricket. Wisden considered the side’s improvement was largely due to his “remarkable judgement”, “keeness and energy”. The team rose from last place (ninth) in the table to seventh, winning four county matches and losing seven as against one win and twelve defeats in 1892. With the bat, he exceeded a thousand runs without hitting a century. The high point of his season was 96, his share of a second wicket partnership of 226 with George Bean (186) against the strong Lancashire attack at Old Trafford when he was said to have encouraged and cajoled his partner into playing the innings of his life. His 84* at Trent Bridge, one of three scores of over 50 against Nottinghamshire, was hit out of 139 and, according to Wisden , approached his finest form. For South v North at Hastings he added 96 for the eighth wicket with J.T.Hearne. One of the chief beneficiaries of Murdoch’s captaincy was the 43-year-old lob bowler Walter Humphreys. Used in short spells, primarily against batsmen before they were set, his haul of wickets rose from 92 at 18.33 in 1892 to 148 at 17.44, a total unapproached by any lob bowler since. Less happy was the experience of Fred Tate who had been the mainstay of the attack in 1891. In his first season under Murdoch’s leadership he appears - for whatever reason - to have completely lost confidence and was dropped before the end of the season. He was destined to be, day in day out, the most reliable bowler in the side over the next decade. In the Middlesex match at Lord’s, the Middlesex amateur C.P.Foley was given out on appeal from the bowler for picking up and replacing a bail. Murdoch followed the batsman to the pavilion and persuaded him to resume his innings. The umpire was the former Kent wicket-keeper Edward Henty. Own Team O M R W Opp Ct St Total Total 172. MCC v Nottinghamshire, Lord’s, May 3, 4 (MCC won by 37 runs) c M.Sherwin b W.Attewell 14 141 199 c M.Sherwin b W.Attewell 3 184 89 1 173. C.I.Thornton’s XI v Cambridge University, Fenner’s, May 8, 9, 10 (Cambridge University won by seven wickets) run out 9 230 303 b C.M.Wells 26 246 174-3 29