James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Companion 1885

51 AUSTRALIA v. ENGLAND. Though it ended in a draw the third and last match "between England and Australia—played at Kennington Oval, August 11, 12, and 13—was the most conspicuous triumph of the Colonists’ tour. No match that they won reflected so much credit upon them or so much increased their fame as their memorable score of 551. Already in the introduction to this review I have referred to this phenomenal performance, and there is little need now to do more than briefly describe the chief incidents of the game. On the first day the Australians went in at five minutes past twelve, and when half-past six came their score was 363 with only two wickets down. I never remember in a first-class match to have seen three individual innings of over a 100 played on the same day. The wicket of coui’se was perfect. Never in England has M’Donnell played so fine an innings as his 103. At the call of time Murdoch was (not out) 145 and Scott (not out) 101. On the following morning, with two runs added to the overnight score, Scott was caught at the wicket. Apart from a chance to Lord Harris in the long field, when he had made 60, his innings of 102 was in every way a splendid display of batting. Murdoch and M’Donnell put on 143 while they were together, and Murdoch and Scott added 207. The remainder of the innings may be dismissed in a few words. Murdoch’s magnificent innings of 211 ended with the total at 494, a catch at slip dismissing him. Altogether the Australian captain was at the wickets for a few minutes over eight hours, aud his exceptional performance quite atoned for any shortcomings there might have been in his play during the earlier part of the trip. Eine as his batting was, however, his innings was not free from blemish. When he had made 46 Mr. Lyttelton missed him at the wicket; when his score was 171 Barlow missed him very badly at third man, and when he had scored 205 Mr. Steel had a difficult chance of catching him at mid-on. The figures of his 211 were twenty-four fours, nine threes, twenty-tw'o twos, and fourty-four singles. All the eleven Englishmen went on to bowl, and Lyttelton, with some very harmless looking lobs, took the last four wickets. As it was ten minutes past five when England want in to bat on the second day, the probability of the match being played out was a small one. Still at one time on the third day it seemed not impossible that Australia would win, the eighth English wicket falling at three o’clock for 181. Then it was that Mr. W. W. Read joined Scotton and commenced his famous innings of 117. I cannot recall any pre­ vious instance of a batsman going in tenth and making over 100 runs. Except for a hard chance of “ c and b” to Spofforth, when he had made 23, Mr. Read’s batting was faultless. Against the full strength of the Australian bowling he actually scored 100 runs in less than twTo hours. He and Scotton took the score from 181 to 332, thus putting on 151 while they were together. Though his play was not so attractive to look at as Mr. Read’s, Scotton deserved even greater credit. By his unwearied patience and stubborn defence he fairly saved the game. He was at the wickets five hours and three quarters, and did not give a single chance. When England went in for the second time, at a quarter past five, a draw was certain, and no interest remained in the match. Two wickets were lost for 85 runs, and then the stumps were finally pulled up, England, with 8 wickets to fall, being still 120 runs to the bad!