Famous Cricketers No 77 - W.L.Murdoch

215. Sussex v Gloucestershire, Clifton, August (6), 7, 8 (Sussex won by an innings and 104 runs) * b C.L.Townsend 20 302 121 1 77 216. Sussex v Lancashire, Hove, August 13, 14 (Lancashire won by six wickets) * b J.Briggs 0 75 141 b J.Briggs 4 160 96-4 217. Sussex v Surrey, Hove, August (23), 24, 25 (Surrey won by an innings and 15 runs) * b W.H.Lockwood 5 44 168 b W.H.Lockwood 0 109 218. Sussex v Kent, Hove, August 27, 28, 29 (Match drawn) * b A.Hearne 4 247 308 1 b A.Hearne 7 87-8 172-9d 219. West of England v East of England, Portsmouth, September 3, 4, 5 (Match drawn) b F.Martin 21 272 305 1 not out 18 71-0 129-6d 220. South v North, Hastings, September 6, 7, (8) (Match drawn) c J.T.Brown b G.A.Davidson 20 152 190 109-4 221. Gentlemen v Players, Hastings, September 10, 11, 12 (Match drawn) c and b J.T.Hearne 0 247 85 did not bat - 73-7 268-8d 222. Gentlemen of the South v Players of the South, Lord’s, September 17, 18, 19 (Match drawn) c G.Bean b A.Hearne 104 275 5 3 8 0 267 b J.T.Hearne 0 197 7 1 17 0 156-1 SEASON’S AVERAGES Batting and Fielding M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St Gentlemen v Players 1 1 0 0 0 0.00 - - - - County Championship 16 30 1 425 80 14.65 - 1 9 - Other Sussex matches 3 6 1 206 79 41.20 - 2 - - Other matches 3 5 1 163 104 40.75 1 - 1 - Season 23 42 3 794 104 20.35 1 3 10 - Career 222 388 38 9991 321 28.54 11 47 163 24 Bowling O M R W BB Ave Other matches (5 ball) 12 4 25 0 - - Career (4 ball) 53 11 } 161 3 1-22 53.66 (5 ball) 14 4 1895 – In England With the arrival of Ranjitsinhji, Sussex were now widely acknowledged as the strongest batting side in the country but, despite a return to form by Tate, they were still plagued by inability to bowl the stronger sides out. This was especially true at Hove where opponents hit seven hundreds including three double hundreds, and Sussex achieved only two of their five Championship wins, drew two and lost three. Murdoch’s 226 against Cambridge University, scored in 305 minutes with 33 fours, chanceless until he had reached 198, showed he had not lost the ability to play a long innings but overall he disappointed. Probably his best efforts were 50 against the champions Surrey in the final game of the season and 89* against Hampshire where, with Newham (95*), he saw Sussex through to victory with a partnership of 184. All his scores of over 50 were at Hove. Murdoch was now fully integrated into English cricket. He was chosen for the England v Surrey game at The Oval staged as a testimonial for the Surrey amateur (!) Walter Read and he captained the Gentlemen against the Players at The Oval. When supporters of Sussex decided on a presentation to the well-known cricket enthusiast, statistician and bibliophile Alfred Gaston, Murdoch was the main sponsor and chief speaker at the dinner. He continued to earn praise for his sportsmanship. At Bristol, the last Sussex wicket fell with Gloucestershire needing one run, about thirteen minutes left to close of play and 33