Story The Re-History of International Cricket

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USA vs Canada
13 August 1886
Seabright Tennis Centre

Lineups:
- Francis Brewster, William Morgan, Walter Clark, Joseph Scott, William Brockie, Sutherland Law, George Patterson, Howard MacNutt, Henry Tyers, William Brewster, William Lowry
- Dyce Saunders, William Vickers, Benjamin Bell, Mossie Boyd, William Henry, Frank Harley, Walter Wright, Alexander Gillespie, Wallace Jones, Robert Ferrie, Rose Wilson
Debuts - Bell, Henry, Wilson

Canada won the toss, batted, and were quickly 8/63. Walter Wright held up his own, and Robert Ferrie attacked, hitting a quick 35 to get them to 132. George Patterson took 3/21, while the recalled William Brewster had 2/3.

The Americans also delivered a poor top order performance, being 5/47, before the lower order stood up. George Patterson and Henry Tyers especially delivered, with both considered to be batting too low. Patterson's 44 and Tyers' 37 delivered America a score of 197. Rose Wilson, on debut, took 3/37.

Dyce Saunders started Canada's reply well with 42 but few others stood up, leading to them being all out for 151. That was largely due to Walter Clark (4/18) and William Brewster (3/20). Lowry and MacNutt were expensive.

America collapsed quickly to 4/18, 5/23 and 7/52. But someone who wasn't one of those was George Patterson, who paired again with Tyers to hit the 36 runs needed to get the US home.

132 (Ferrie 35, Patterson 3/21) and 151 (Saunders 42, Clark 4/18, W Brewster 3/20) lost to 197 (Patterson 44, Tyers 37, Wilson 3/37) and 7/88 (Patterson 37*, Wright 2/8)
MOTM: George Patterson

 

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Scotland vs Australia
1 Sep 1886
Edinburgh

Lineups:
- Charlie Mannes, Herbert Caldwell, Augustus Asher, Stewart Carrick, Joseph Cotterill, Patrick Smeaton, Hubert Johnston, Alexander Pearson, Peter Thompson, Robert Macnair, Bob Scott
- Sammy Jones, Tup Scott, George Giffen, John McIlwraith, George Bonnor, John Trumble, Jack Blackham, Tom Garrett, Joey Palmer, Edwin Evans, Fred Spofforth

The Australian XI, many with this Test to save their careers, lost the toss, but bowled well. Bar for Asher's 31 and Smeaton's 29, Scotland's batsmen struggled to get a foothold, all out for 156. Spofforth and Palmer had three cheap wickets each, but Australia's most bowled bowler was confusingly John Trumble.

Australia's reply was poor outside of 31 for George Giffen, the only member of the batting lineup assured of his spot seemingly. The rest of the lineup forgot how to play Alexander Pearson, who was elite with 3/7 from 7.4 overs. Bob Scott also had three wickets as the Scots took a 24-run lead.

They didn't capitalise though. Other than a strong start with 26 from Charlie Mannes, the remainder of the lineup did not contribute. Trumble was again bad but 3/19 for Palmer and 3/27 for Garrett dismissed Scotland for 114, setting Australia 139 to win.

Did they get close? Well... no.


156 (Asher 31, Spofforth 3/20, Palmer 3/24) and 114 (Mannes 26, Palmer 3/19, Garrett 3/27) beat 132 (Giffen 31, Pearosn 3/7, Scott 3/28) and 109 (Palmer 21, Pearson 4/27, MacNair 4/36)
MOTM: Alexander Pearson

 

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USA vs England
5 Sep 1886
Germantown

Lineups:
- Francis Brewster, George Patterson, Walter Clark, Joseph Scott, William Brockie, Sutherland Law, John Thayer, Howard MacNutt, Henry Tyers, William Brewster, William Lowry
- Billy Bates, William Scotton, Arthur Shrewsbury, Billy Barnes, Maurice Read, Dick Barlow, Billy Gunn, Johnny Briggs, Wilf Flowers, George Lohmann, Mordecai Sherwin
Debuts - Sherwin

Playing a Test on their way to Australia, England won the toss and batted. Their 221 was not especially impressive, although this was a weaker team than the Australia series as the likes of Grace, Peate and Steel didn't tour. Billy Bates, recalled, score 50, while there were five other twenties. William Brewster took 4/25 as every American except keeper Joseph Scott and William Brockie bowled.

America came close to taking a lead thanks to fifties from George Patterson and Walter Clark. But Clark's attack and Patterson's grit weren't supported by any of the lower order other than Sutherland Law, and America came 12 runs short. Dick Barlow had 3/20, Wilf Flowers also taking three.

England's second innings was much better; 318 was the function of three fifties and a few other contributions. Maurice Read led the scores with 63, while Billy Gunn had 67 and George Lohmann 52 from No. 10. George Patterson bowled very well, taking 5/38, but also only bowled about 1/8 of the overs. Perhaps they would have been better for bowling him more.

America needed 331 and didn't get close, looking like losing by 200 runs until the final wicket added 64 as Henry Tyers hit a fifty and William Lowry supported. Johnny briggs' 4/22 dismantled the Americans.

221 (Bates 50, W Brewster 4/25) and 318 (M Read 63, Gunn 57, Patterson 5/38) beat 209 (Patterson 53, Clark 51, Barlow 3/20) and 171 (Tyers 55, Briggs 4/22)
MOTM: johnny Briggs

 

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Australia vs England
28 Jan 1887
MCG

Lineups:
- Alick Bannerman, Percy McDonnell, Harry Moses, Billy Murdoch, George Giffen, Billy Midwinter, Jack Blackham, Terror Turner, Tom Garrett, Fred Spofforth, JJ Ferris
- Billy Bates, William Scotton, Arthur Shrewsbury, Billy Barnes, Maurice Read, Dick Barlow, Billy Gunn, Johnny Briggs, Wilf Flowers, George Lohmann, Mordecai Sherwin
Debuts: Moses, Turner, Ferris

Australia rung the changes, debuting three players - including Terror Turner, having the best season ever at FC level - and recalling the stars who weren't allowed to tour England, including ending Billy Murdoch's exile. They then won the toss and bowled, and did really well, limiting England to 169 on an albeit rough pitch. Billy Gunn delivered a bit of fight with his 38, while all six Aussie bowlers had wickets with Fred Spofforth doing the best of them.

Australia's 261 was brilliant in response. The Billys were the key, with Murdoch scoring 47 and Midwinter 55. Billy Bates took 4/46, but didn't have enough support in the end.

England then lurchd to 134, setting just 43 as a target. Spofforth dismissed both openers before Ferris ran through the middle order on debut. He took 4/32. Billy Barnes scored 35 as the sole standout, while Briggs hit a quick 31 late on.

Australia lost Alick Bannerman for a 17-ball duck, giving England an opening. Harry Moses then hit 30 off 26 balls to get the Aussies home.

169 (Gunn 38, Spofforth 2/18) and 134 (Barnes 35, Briggs 31, Ferris 4/32) lost to 261 (Midwinter 55, Murdoch 47, Bates 4/46) and 1/45 (Moses 30*, Barlow 1/9)
MOTM: Billy Midwinter

 

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Australia vs England
25 Feb 1887
Sydney

Lineups:
- Alick Bannerman, Percy McDonnell, Harry Moses, Billy Murdoch, George Giffen, Billy Midwinter, Affie Jarvis, Terror Turner, Tom Garrett, Fred Spofforth, JJ Ferris
- Billy Bates, William Scotton, Arthur Shrewsbury, Billy Barnes, Maurice Read, Dick Barlow, Billy Gunn, Johnny Briggs, Wilf Flowers, George Lohmann, Mordecai Sherwin

Australia were nearly forced into mass changes, but were able to get all their players to Sydney. The only change either team made was Affie Jarvis replacing the hurt Jack Blackham. Once again, they won the toss and bowled, and again did pretty well to keep England below 200. Arthur Shrewsbury hit a lovely 49 off just 58 balls, while Billy Midwinter had three cheap wickets and JJ Ferris also took three.

Australia's innings was similarly underpinned by a quickfire innings, with Billy Midwinter hitting 60 off 67. That, plus 43 for Harry Moses, got Australia to 201, a six-run lead. Similarly to Australia in Game 1, England had six bowlers who all took 1-2 wickets, with the best being 2/14 for Dick Barlow.

England were in trouble at 8/101, looking at setting a very easy target for Australia. But a strong partnership between Briggs and Lohmann added 88 and gave Australia a target of 185 to win. Briggs made 49, while Lohmann got to his second Test fifty. Garrett and Giffen dominated prior to this, with Garrett taking 4/37 and Giffen dismissing three other batsmen.

Australia needed 185, but just kept chipping away. 30s for Bannerman, McDonnell and Murdoch had them in a good position, and while a few wickets for Briggs pegged them back, Midwinter and Turner got them home.

195 (Shrewsbury 49, Midwinter 3/21, Ferris 3/53) and 190 (Lohmann 50*, Briggs 49, Garrett 4/37, Giffen 3/30) lost to 201 (Midwinter 60, Moses 43, Barlow 2/14) and 6/186 (McDonnell 38, Briggs 3/53)
MOTM: Billy Midwinter

 

[HawkAussie]

Well you know you had a shocker, when you lose to Scotland.