M.C.C. and Ground v. Kent

From The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia

M.C.C. and Ground v. Kent is a cricket result published in The Sporting Life on 30 may 1903.

First-class match. Arthur Conan Doyle's team (M.C.C.) lost.


M.C.C. and Ground v. Kent

The Sporting Life (30 may 1903, p. 8)

KENT GAIN A REMARKABLE VICTORY.

BURNUP AND HUISH THE HEROES OF THE MATCH.

At Lord's, yesterday, Kent gained a splendid victory over the M.C.C. by three wickets, play being prolonged for three-quarters of an hour beyond the usual time, in order to finish the match. The fortunes of the game fluctuated a good deal, and when at twenty-five minutes past sir Kent, with six men out for 83, still required 78 to win, it seemed as though the M.C.C. had the match quite safe. At this point, however, Huish and Fairservice batted most pluckily for their side and before they were separated they had practically won the match for Kent, only 10 being wanted for victory. Both men played capital cricket, but a different result might easily have occured had Barrett caught Fair-service at mid-off when that player had made 7. It was a simple chance, and this probably was the cause of the old Cheltenham boy missing it. In all the day's cricket lasted six hours and three quarters, and in that time twenty-six wickets went down for 459 runs. It will thus be seen that bowlers for the most part were the masters of the situation. There had been some rain during the night, and the pitch always gave the bowlers plenty of assistance, Thompson in particular making the ball break so much as to miss the wicket after it had beaten the batsman.

The overnight position will readily be remembered, Kent having lost one wicket for 9 runs upon going in against the Club's total of 177. In an hour and three-quarters yesterday the innings was finished off, the nine outstanding wickets going down for another 138 runs. Thus the M.C.C. secured a lead of 30 runs on the first innings. The outstanding feature of the Kent innings was the splendid batting of Burnup. In first overnight he was eighth out yesterday at 132, having scored 72 of those by delightful and faultless cricket. Hard driving was the outstanding feature of an admirable display that included eleven 4's, three 3's, and five 2's. Humphreys helped him to add 43 in twenty-five minutes for the fourth wicket, and then Alec Hearne stayed while another 35 runs were put on.

The Marylebone Club had three-quarters of an hour's batting before lunch, and in that time 45 runs were scored for the loss of two wickets. Thompson, who was first out at 13, was missed twice in the slips before scoring, but Grace played well and made some good hits, lie was got rid of soon after lunch, and after the fourth wicket had fallen at 59 Trott and Barrett put on 38 in twenty minutes. By four o'clock, however, nine wickets were down for 116, and it did not look as though Kent would be set a very heavy task in the last innings. Doyle and Hearne, however, scored another 29 before the end was reached, and thus Kent had to get 176 to win.

As in the first innings Dillon was out first ball, but Burnup again batted extremely well, his driving being splendid. All the time he stayed in Kent appeared to have some chance. but when at 33 he was sixth out, the M.C.C. were winning the match easily. Then, however, Huish, who had gone in at the fall of the fifth wicket at 88, was joined by Fairservice, and their partnership won the game for their side. In three-quarters of an hour they scored 63 together before Huish was bowled in hitting. Altogether he was in for 55 min., his best hits being eight 4's. Naturally his excellent play evoked great enthusiasm, and he received an excellent reception as he went back to the pavilion. Full score and bowling analysis:—

M.C.C.

First innings.

  • W. G. Grace, b Fairservice ... 11
  • Thompson, c Bradley, b Fielder ... 14
  • J. Gilman, b Fairservice ... 19
  • T. A. D. Bevington, b Bradley ... 17
  • A. E. Trott, c Phillips, b Bradley ... 1
  • E. I. M. Barrett, c and b Fairservice ... 4
  • Relf, c Phillips, b Hearne ... 42
  • C. C. T. Doll, b Fairservice ... 58
  • A. Conan Doyle, c Huish, b Hearne ... 3
  • Butt, b Hearne ... 2
  • J. T. Hearne, not out ... 1
  • B 4, l-b 1 ... 5
  • Total ... 177

Second innings.

  • W. G. Grace, b Fairservice ... 31
  • Thompson, b Fielder ... 2
  • J. Gilman, c Hearne, b Blythe ... 9
  • T. A. D. Bevington, c Humphreys, b Bradley ... 15
  • A. E. Trott, b Fairservice ... 31
  • E. I. M. Barrett, c Seymour, b Bradley ... 15
  • Relf, b Fairservice ... 4
  • C. C. T. Doll, b Bradley ... 2
  • A. Conan Doyle, not out ... 16
  • Butt, c Seymour, b Humphreys ... 2
  • J.T. Hearne, b Blythe ... 15
  • B ... 3
  • Total ... 145

KENT.

First innings.

  • C. J. Burnup, c Gilman, b Trott ... 72
  • E. W. Dillon, c and b Hearne ... 0
  • Huish, b Trott ... 6
  • Seymour, c Butt, b Trott ... 0
  • Humphreys, st Butt, b Hearne ... 12
  • A. Hearne, b Thompson ... 16
  • W. Phillips, b Hearne ... 2
  • Fairservice, b Hearne ... 1
  • Blythe, c Grace, b Hearne ... 11
  • W. M. Bradley, b Trott ... 9
  • Fielder, not out ... 2
  • Extras ... 16
  • Total ... 147

Second innings.

  • C. J. Burnup, c Barrett, b Trott ... 47
  • E. W. Dillon, c Barrett, b Hearne ... 0
  • Huish, b Hearne ... 56
  • Seymour, lbw b Trott ... 17
  • Humphreys, b Thompson ... 9
  • A. Hearne, b Hearne ... 8
  • W. Phillips, b Thompson ... 1
  • Fairservice, not out ... 19
  • Blythe, not out ... 5
  • B 13, l-b 1 ... 14
  • Total (7 wkts) ... 176


Umpires : J. Phillips and A. Pike.


BOWLING ANALYSIS.

M.C.C. AND GROUND. — First Innings.

O. M. R. W.
Fielder 16 1 67 1
Bradley 6 3 7 2
Fairservice 18 6 40 4
Blythe 10 4 36
A. Hearne 9 1 22 3

Second Innings.

O. M. R. W.
Fielder 7 1 24 1
Fairservice 16 3 56 3
Blythe 4.2 16 2
A. Hearne 1 4
Bradley 14 3 32 3
Humphreys 6 10 10 1

KENT. — First Innings.

O. M. R. W.
J. T. Hearne 21 8 59 5
Trott 14.2 3 54 4
Thompson 6 1 18 1

Second Innings.

O. M. R. W.
J. T. Hearne 20 4 54 3
Trott 19 2 66 3
Bevington 4 8
Thompson 15 5 25 2
Beef 4 2 9