by The Professor » Mon Aug 22, 2016 11:57 am
On this day in 1912 wickets aplenty fall at the Oval as England beat Australia in farcical circumstances.
The day began fairly innocuously- England were leading by 198 runs and had six wickets in hand. Over and above this, due to rainfall overnight, the day's play did not start until 11.45. C.B. Fry and his partner 'Young Jack' Hearne began strongly and added 27 to the total before Gerry Hazlitt's first ball removed Hearne on 14. This brought together Fry and Johnny Douglas and by lunch the pair had got the total to 149 - a lead of 283 and only one wicket down in a slightly shortened morning session.
After lunch, Hazlitt expertly turned the screw on England and also swung the impetus away from the bat by removing the last five English batsmen for the gain of just a solitary run. Fry was first out on 79, leaving his team at 170-6 on what was a fine innings alongside Douglas, who was Hazlitt's second victim of the afternoon. The tail had nothing to offer. England were all out for 175.
The Australians needed 310 to win. The innings started at half past three. In the second over, before a run had been scored, Charles Kelleway was caught, Douglas just about managing to hold the ball. Claude Jennings was then joined by Charles Macartney and some spectacular cricket was played. The pair were on 46 runs in next to no time however both were out in very quick succession; Jennings caught off a high ball for 14 off Harry Dean, with the same bowler clean bowling Macartney for 30. Australia were 46-3.
Looking to keep the scoring impetus up, Warren Bardsley and Syd Gregory planned to go for quick singles. This plan did not pay off when Bardsley was run out for a duck by Jack Hobbs. There was some controversy as to the validity of the decision but the umpire's word was law.
Bardsley's dismissal marked a collapse akin to the English one. Three more wickets fell with the score at 51, and the innings was over for 65. England winning the match by 244 runs.
"It has been said of the unseen army of the dead, on their everlasting march, that when they are passing a rural cricket ground the Englishman falls out of the ranks for a moment to look over the gate and smile."