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Ireland International Matches
Philadelphia lost to Ireland by 2 wickets
1 Day, Philadelphia, 27 September 1879
Scorecard
Derek Scott

This match was arranged on the spur of the moment to fill in what should have been the 3rd day's play of the previous match. To some extent it proved that Ireland could do better once their players became accustomed to the wicket. Both sides played unchanged.

At 11 00 Philadelphia having won the toss, Law and Thayer began to the bowling of Exham and Hamilton. Hamilton, learning from experience, pitched much shorter and no longer could be played forward to or driven. Law was stumped off the first ball bowled but Large and Thayer played prettily to add 25. Thayer then returned one to Exham and R.Newhall played a brilliant but brief innings until Hamilton trimmed his bails. 48-3-14. Brewster was also bowled by Hamilton at 56 and one run later Large played on to Exham for 20. C Newhall and Caldwell, the next partnership, were both dismissed at 72, the former caught at long stop and the latter at point. Hargraves, by careful methods, and G Newhall, by pretty cuts, added a further 24. At 96 Hargraves was stumped off Exham and at 102 Nunn, who had come on for Hamilton, had G.Newhall caught. Hamilton came back and at 108 had D.Newhall caught at long stop off a bumper. Both bowlers, Exham (5 for 41 in 37 overs) and Hamilton (4 for 27 in 20 overs) were much better than in the previous match and the fielding was brilliant.

Ireland tried her third new opening partnership in three innings when JB Hone and Miller went out to open. They made an excellent start and 30 was up before Miller gave Large a sharp catch at point off Clark. At 31 JB Hone played too soon and returned a catch to the swift bowler C Newhall and Brougham was caught for a duck. Disasters followed at regular intervals until 8 were out for 71 and Hamilton joined Casey with 28 required to win. A little before this stage D Newhall had come on for Clarke which was unfortunate for Philadelphia. The left handed Hamilton indulged in some heavy hitting (although badly missed by Large at point when only 8) and Casey played a sound defensive innings. Close of play at 5 00 was drawing near and now 8 were wanted in 5 minutes. At 105 Hamilton hit a fierce drive to long on and Law, rushing in, dived, rolled over, and came up with the ball in his hands Rylott ruled not out. Rylott now ruled time up and pulled stumps with 3 wanted to win. "Go on! Finish! was shouted all round the ground. The public wish was more than either side cared to withstand, and with the consent of the two captains the wickets were repitched and the runs came." Hamilton was bowled at 115 and Exham caught at 122 and the hero Casey (22 not out) was borne back in triumph on the shoulders of his admiring companions. It was in this match that exception was taken to Rylott's umpiring and certainly one decision for a run out given in Miller's favour was a very wrong decision.

That night there was a dinner at the Reform Club. The team went on to play 6 more matches, mostly in Canada (4 won 2 drawn). After the failure to play a match against Richard Daft's team of English professionals who were also touring in these regions the team arrived back in Cork on November 7th. Cork County CC gave a banquet and there was a further banquet in the Shelbourne Hotel on the team's return to Dublin. From this Colthurst, Brougham, Trotter and Miller were absent and Capt. Isacke of Phoenix CC was in the chair.