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Ireland International Matches
Scotland drew with Ireland
3 Day, Glasgow, 20 July 1911
Scorecard
Derek Scott

From the original team selected, R Fowler, H Read and W Pollock cried off and were replaced by BG Quinlan, the Honourable HGH Mulholland and GA Morrow. This was, in fact, their only match for Ireland for Mulholland and Quinlan.

The game ended in a draw due to Ireland's inability to dismiss Scotland in just under four hours on the last afternoon. Seven bowlers were tried but at the finish Scotland were 92 runs ahead with three wickets in hand. Mulholland, in this his only match for Ireland, scored 149 in his only innings. He was to become a Cambridge Blue in 1912 and to follow another Irishman, EL Kidd, as Cambridge captain in 1913. Mulholland had played for Cambridge against the Indian touring team in 1911 and had made 153.

There was only pre-lunch play on the first day. Scotland scored 110-4. Rain began to fall during lunch and play was finally abandoned at 5 p.m. The morning weather was gloomy but there was a fair crowd. The wicket was good. Kelly began in great style by uprooting Frazer's leg stump with his third ball and before a run had been scored. Tait joined Bowie. Runs came slowly but the light was bad. Light rain began to fall and scoring improved due to the bowlers having to use a wet ball. At 55 Lambert and W. Meldon replaced Kelly and Harrington. In Lambert's first over Morrow missed Tait at slip but the miss was not very expensive because Tait was lbw to Lambert at 76. He had made 30. Grieve came in and the scoring again slowed up. Bowie eventually played Lambert to leg for two fours to reach 52. In attempting the shot a third time he was bowled around his legs. 97-3-52. Thorburn, the captain, then came in but 13 runs later a brilliant piece of fielding by GJ Meldon resulted in Thorburn being run out. That incident was the end of play for the day. Grieve was 15 not out.

It had rained heavily in the night but the wicket remained easy next day. For 20 minutes play was quiet with W Weldon and Lambert bowling to Grieve and Turnbull. Grieve, after being painfully slow, hit Lambert for a six. He reached 30 in an hour and 50 in 90 minutes, while Turnbull took an hour for 17. At 166 BG Quinlan bowled for the first time and immediately had Turnbull caught at the wicket for 22. Off the 1st ball of Kelly's next over, Grieve, 50, was caught by Morrow at slip and so to lunch. Afterwards the wicket began to play tricks and the last four wickets fell for 34 runs, two of them to Kelly and one run out. The fielding had been very good while Kelly was the star bowler.

Morrow and Mulholland opened to the bowling of Chapel and Webster. The ball was kicking and only 7 had been scored when Morrow touched a rising ball from Webster and was caught at slip. GJ Meldon, after making 10, was run out due to a misunderstanding. 38-2. Rain then stopped play and it was 5:30 p.m. before another start could be made. It has agreed to play to 7 p.m. In this 90 minute period Ireland scored a further 130 runs. Lloyd came out with Mulholland and some great cricket was seen. Boundary after boundary was scored, mostly from drives. Mulholland hit Webster back over his head and out of the ground for six. At one minute

to seven, Lloyd was bowled by Bowie for a fine 47, including six fours. Stumps were then drawn with Mulholland 78 not out and the score 168-3.

Everything pointed to an Irish win on the third day and had the Irish bowlers bowled as well as in the first innings they would have won. They certainly were the better team at all points, especially batting and fielding. Some great hitting was seen up to lunch. The wicket had been badly cut up but it rolled out well although bare in spots. At 11:25 a.m. Mulholland and Lambert resumed. Runs came freely from the first few overs. Then Chapel got some lift and turn and the scoring slowed down a little. Mulholland, when 86, was dropped off an easy catch to Tait at cover off Storrie. The Scottish total was passed. Bowie came on and Mulholland drove him for six and so completed his century in three hours. Mulholland then really let go and drove Bowie twice more for six. Nobody could now check the scoring rate. Frazer came on at 285 and Mulholland scored 15 off his first over. At 300 Chapel tried again and with success. Mulholland tried to drive and was caught by Tait at cover off 149. His innings included five sixes and 15 fours. He had batted for 3 ½ hours, the last 49 coming in 30 minutes. His only error was the chance to cover when he was 86. WW Meldon came in and shortly afterwards Lambert completed his 50. Both hit out and runs were scored at great speed. At 343 Grieve had an over which cost 21 runs and Thorburn followed with an over for 15 runs. Meldon drove Webster out of the ground and 400 were got, the last 100 taking only 40 minutes. Turnbull had an over off which Lambert scored 12 and completed his century. The innings was then closed. Lambert had made his last 50 in 30 minutes and was given a great ovation. He hit 1 six and 18 fours in his 103 not out. Meldon hit 1 six and six fours in his 42 not out. There had been three century partnerships in the innings. 241 runs were scored in just over two hours before lunch.

Scotland began at 2:30 p.m. and Bowie was caught at short leg off Lambert at five. Frazer joined Storrie and runs came very slowly. At 24 Storrie was LBW to Lambert 48. Tait and Frazer made a very good stand that saved the match for Scotland. Slowly and steadily, and despite bowling changes, the score rose to 141. Then Tait, 59, jumped out to drive and was bowled by Lambert. Grieve came in but Lambert bowled him at 149. Thorburn came determined to stay on to the close of play. The cricket became painfully slow. At 174 Frazer, who had played slowly but soundly for his 79, was bowled by Lambert, who had now taken four of the five wickets that were down. Turnbull joined his captain and together they added 89. Turnbull was hurt at that score and had to retire. Webster, 5, was a victim of Quinlan. At 6:30 p.m. when the score was 294-7 stumps were drawn. Thorburn was not out at the end with 46 to his name, a great defensive innings. Lambert, after making a century in the morning, bowled 37 overs (out of 93) and took 5-64. This was probably his greatest all-round performance in a single day in an international match. At one stage in Scotland's second innings Mulholland refused to continue to bowl because he maintained that the Umpires were refusing to give lbw decisions. The Scottish captain was consulted and the Umpires were changed.