M.C.C. and Ground v. Kent (article 21 may 1904)

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M.C.C. and Ground v. Kent is a cricket result published in The Field on 21 may 1904.

First-class match. Arthur Conan Doyle's team (M.C.C.) won by 33 runs.


M.C.C. and Ground v. Kent

The Field (21 may 1904, p. 828)

By the aid of four members of the newly-arrived South African team, the M.C.C. on Monday last were able to muster a good eleven. The presence of these players conferred distinction on the match, which proved to be more interesting than the ordinary run of similar engagements at Lord's. In particular, the wicket-keeping of Halliwell, who stood up to the fast bowling without the least difficulty, was well worth the attention of the spectators, while the fact that the wicket was very far from being a good one, playing unevenly from the first and turning somewhat fiery on the second day, seemed to enhance the entertainment. It was apparently worse at the nursery end than at the other, and accordingly the fast bowlers, Hesketh-Prichard, Fielder, and Hearne, when operating from the pavilion end were able, in turn, to do much execution. The batting, for the most part, was not very admirable, several of the players seeming to be quite oblivious of the virtue of a straight bat and resolute forward play in such circumstances though the runs were mostly made by those who adopted a bold policy. In the first innings loose fielding by the M.C.C. and missed catches allowed their opponents to emerge from a bad position, and mainly in consequence of this the game, in spite of Hesketh-Prichard's bowling success, very nearly came to a close finish.

The bowling of Fielder and Blythe soon accounted for three M.C.C. wickets on Monday morning for 35 runs, but a stand ensued on Foley joining Tancred, and the former hit so briskly that he soon made twenty-seven out of the next forty before being very neatly caught in the slips, Tancred, by a trio of boundary hits, having caused Fielder to give way to Fairservice. Tancred's play was chiefly defensive, but he assisted in a further partnership of forty-one runs with Shepstone. Some vigorous batting by Trott, who played the fast bowling with considerable skill, caused the score to rise from 118 to 177 in a little over half an hour, but with the fall of the sixth wicket, which was brought about by A. Hearne's second ball, the innings was practically over, Fielder and Hearne, with the assistance of a beautiful catch in the slips by Murrell, soon accounting for the remaining batsmen.

The Kent innings lasted barely two hours and a half. For the first hour, while Shepstone shared the bowling with Hesketh-Prichard, the attack hell the upper hand. The batsmen found the flight of the ball from the South African's delivery very delusive, A. Hearne actually miring a full pitch and Seymour unwittingly stepping before his wicket. Hesketh-Prichard, by varying his pace, was able to bowl half volleys with impunity, and he soon dismissed Humphrys and Hardinge, the fourth wicket falling at 44. An expensive mistake ensued on Murrell coming in, Foley missing an easy catch at third man off Hesketh-Prichard, and, Trott having relieved Shepstone, the newcomer made good use of his reprieve by hitting three fours in an over and a couple from Hesketh-Prichard. The next ball, however, fell into the hands of cover-point, and terminated it very energetic innings of twenty minutes, during which fifty-two runs had been put on. In the meantime Marsham had, by dint of great caution, played himself in, though he had frequently missed the ball in attempting to cut. He found a steady partner in Baker, and, on Trott giving way to Tarrant, he succeeded again and again in hitting him past extra cover to the boundary. In doing this ho made one mistake, placing the ball in the hands of Hearne, who dropped an easy catch, whereupon the stroke was repeated with greater accuracy. Hesketh-Prichard, though never collared, gave way to Hearne at 107, but fifty-one runs were made by the sixth wicket before Baker was bowled. At 156 Marsham was caught at slip, and, Fairservice being badly run out a little later, the innings shortly ended. Kent, thanks to Marsham's defence, a couple of missed catches, and some weak fielding, being only twenty-four runs in arrear.

Tuesday was quite a bowler's day. The wicket had become very fast under the influence of sun and wind, and of the first five batsmen Tarrant alone could make any prolonged resistance to the bowling. The fourth and fifth wickets fell at 56, and the sixth at 71, whereupon Hearne, who had just superseded Blythe, had run of success, and when the innings closed the M.C.C. had only set their opponents a task of 131, having occupied two hours and a half in making their small score.

The Kent innings opened surprisingly. In his second over Hesketh-Prichard hit the middle stumps of Seymour and Marsham, A. Hearne having previously given a hard chance in the slips. The reprieved batsmen played admirably for nearly an hour, but when he fell a sixth victim to the same bowler the score was only 43, J. Hearne having also taken a wicket. Three very quick catches were effected by the wicket-keeper from fast balls. A good stand was now made by Huish and Fairservice the latter hitting hard and high, while his partner showed capital defence as well as punishing power. The check came too late, however, to affect the result, and when thirty runs had been put on a very good catch in the long field sent back Fairservice. The bowling had been changed, Hearne taking the pavilion end with almost immediate effect, and though Huish did his best to make runs, he could get no one to stay with him, Kent being beaten before half-past four by thirty-three runs. Umpires, Phillips and Bean. Full more and analysis:


M.C.C. AND GROUND.

First Innings.

  • Capt. E. G. Wynyard b Blythe ... 8
  • L. J. Tancred st Huish b Fairservice ... 45
  • Tarrant lbw b Blythe ... 8
  • F. Mitchell b Fielder ... 4
  • C. P. Foley c Seymour b Fairservice ... 27
  • G. H. Shepstone b Fielder ... 48
  • Trott b Hearne ... 43
  • E. A. Halliwell c Murrell b Fielder ... 2
  • Sir A. Conan Doyle b Hearne ... 0
  • Hearne (J. T.) b Fielder ... 6
  • H. Hesketh-Prichard not out ... 4
  • Byes 5 l-b 1 ... 6
  • Total ... 201

Second Innings.

  • Capt. E. G. Wynyard b Fielder ... 7
  • L. J. Tancred b Blythe ... 7
  • Tarrant lbw b Fielder ... 24
  • F. Mitchell b Blythe ... 7
  • C. P. Foley b Fielder ... 7
  • G. H. Shepstone b Fielder ... 0
  • Trott c Fairservice b Hearne ... 11
  • E. A. Halliwell c and b Hearne ... 7
  • Sir A. Conan Doyle not out ... 5
  • Hearne (J. T.) c Huish b Hearne ... 13
  • H. Hesketh-Prichard b Baker ... 5
  • Byes 8 l-b 3 n b 2 ... 13
  • Total ... 106


KENT.

First Innings.

  • Hearne (A.) b Shepstone ... 4
  • Humphries b Hesketh-Prichard ... 10
  • Seymour (Jas.) l b w b Shepstone ... 0
  • C. H. B. Marsham c Mitchell b Hearne ... 71
  • Hardinge c and b Hesketh-Prichard ... 16
  • Murrell c Shepstone b Hesketh-Prichard ... 32
  • H. Z. Baker b Hearne ... 13
  • Huish b Hearne ... 9
  • Fairservice run out ... 12
  • Blythe c and b Trott ... 0
  • Fielder not out ... 0
  • Byes 9 n b 1 ... 10
  • Total ... 177

Second Innings.

  • Hearne (A.) b Hesketh-Prichard ... 29
  • Humphries c Halliwell b Hesketh-Prichard ... 0
  • Seymour (Jas.) b Hesketh-Prichard ... 0
  • C. H. B. Marsham b Hesketh-Prichard ... 0
  • Hardinge c Foley b Hesketh-Prichard ... 0
  • Murrell c Halliwell b Hesketh-Prichard ... 0
  • H. Z. Baker c Halliwell b Hearne ... 6
  • Huish not out ... 30
  • Fairservice c Tarrant b Hearne ... 11
  • Blythe b Hearne ... 1
  • Fielder b Shepstone ... 9
  • Byes 6 l-b 1 n b 4 ... 11
  • Total ... 97


BOWLING ANALYSIS.

M.C.C. AND GROUND. — First Innings.

O. M. R. W.
Fielder 21.2 5 67 4
Blythe 24 7 53 2
Fairservice 10 0 42 2
Hearne (A.) 7 1 33 2

Second Innings.

O. M. R. W.
Fielder 23 7 41 4
Blythe 17 7 27 2
Hearne (A.) 8 3 22 3
Baker 2.4 0 3 1

Fielder bowled two no-balls.

KENT. — First Innings.

O. M. R. W.
H.-Prichard 16 5 42 3
Shepstone 9 1 19 2
Trott 8 1 46 1
Tarrant 8 1 36 0
Hearne (J. T.) 10 2 24 3

Hesketh-Prichard bowled one no ball.

Second Innings.

O. M. R. W.
H. Prichard 11 3 23 6
Hearne (J. T.) 14 3 47 3
Shepstone 4.5 0 16 1

Hesketh-Prichard bowled four no balls.