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Ireland International Matches
Ireland beat MCC by an innings and 6 runs
2 Day, Rathmines, 14 May 1896
Scorecard
Derek Scott

A weak MCC side were easily beaten in two days. LH Gwynn was unable to play for Ireland although selected. A few days before he had made 120 against the same MCC side. He was also asked to play for England against Australia in the first test but due to examinations was unable to do so. He was replaced for Ireland by HW Jackson, who played under the name of H Howard. Other than this the Irish team played as selected. MCC were inferior in all three departments of the game but it would take the best MCC side to defeat the present Irish side

. The Leinster ground looked very well and the wicket was good, having been carefully prepared by Kennedy, the groundsman. The 1st day was very hot. Ireland batted first and by lunch the score was no less than 155 for 2. A rot then set in and the final total was only 256. MCC lost 9 for 63 before the end. Bud Hamilton bowled wonderfully well from the Mountpleasant end and had 6 for 25 by the close. The light was puzzling towards the end but this could hardly account for the very poor resistance from MCC.

At 12.30 B Hamilton and Comyn opened to the bowling of Rawlin and GG Hearne. Runs came very fast and Hamilton scored 23 out of 31 before being caught and bowled by Hearne. RH Lambert was no. 3. He was confident and 50 came up in 35 minutes. The bowlers changed ends and the run getting rate slowed slightly. Lambert was nearly run out twice but he was off driving beautifully. Comyn was also playing freely until he was caught at the wicket by Carlin off Rawlin for 46. He had batted for 70 minutes with 7 fours. There was no slogging which had hitherto characterised his batting. The 2nd wicket had added 61. AP Gwynn was next and 100 went up in 80 minutes. Gwynn hit very hard and at lunch, after 120 minutes play, the score was 155 for 2. RH Lambert had given 2 chances - a hot return to Bagguley and a slip chance. Things went badly after lunch. Without addition Lambert was run out for 39 scored in 90 minutes. JM Meldon and AP Gwynn were both out at 177. Gwynn was caught in the deep by Blackburne off Rawlin for a fine 57 which was scored in 65 minutes with 9 fours. Smith (6) and Browning (7) were both victims of Hearne. AM Porter and WD Hamilton added 20 for the 8th wicket. At 212 Rawlin bowled Porter for 18. With Hynes in Hamilton hit out and the 9th wicket added 40. Hamilton was then caught at the wicket off Hearne for a quick and most meritorious 36. HW Jackson was bowled by Hearne for 4 at 256, leaving Hynes 8 not out. Rawlin and Hearne had bowled 70 overs between them and Hearne finished with 6 for 67. This was good bowling on a batsman's wicket. The fielding was good with Goslin outstanding.

Carlin and Bagguley opened for MCC to B Hamilton and Lambert. From the moment Carlin was out at 20 there was no further resistance and 9 were down for 63 at the end. Carlin drove Hamilton twice for 4 but was run out at 20 - a good piece of fielding by W.D.Hamilton. B Hamilton bowled Bagguley with the score still at 20 and at 23 he bowled Hutchinson and AE Gibson (MCC Captain) with successive balls. Hearne played on to Hamilton at 31. Lambert bowled Blackburne at 43. Rawlin was bowled by Hamilton at 55. C Druce made an effort to pull things round but at 60 he, too, fell to the Dundrum left-hander. He was lbw for 18. Goslin was caught off Lambert for 0.

The 2nd day was cold at first but it became warmer later on. The features of the day were Lambert's bowling and the excellent Irish fielding. At 11.45 Burns and Viscount Southwell resumed and 25 runs were added before Burns was caught off Lambert for a useful 18. Hamilton (15-2-35-6) and Lambert (14.3-3-45-3) had bowled unchanged. M.C.C. followed on 168 runs behind. This time Burns opened with Carlin but the former, an Essex professional, was out without scoring - caught by B Hamilton off Lambert. 3-1-0. Carlin and Bagguley carried the score to 32 when Carlin was bowled by Lambert for a hard hit 21. Bagguley was caught off Lambert for 14 at 48. Hearne and Druce, the Old Etonian, added 38 for the 4th wicket. Druce played very nicely for 24 before being bowled off his legs by Lambert who, next ball, clean bowled Gibson. 86 for 5. Rawlin joined Hearne and 35 were added for the 6th wicket. Jackson came on for Hamilton during this stand - the first Irish bowling change of the match. Jackson bowled 5 overs, 4 of which were maidens and he was hit for 13 in the other over. B Hamilton then resumed in place of Jackson and bowled Rawlin for 19 at 121. Blackburne was missed by Smith at cover off Lambert but then Smith took a fine catch to dismiss Hearne off Hamilton, Hearne's plucky 43 included 8 fours. 131-7. Hamilton bowled Blackburne (1) with his next ball and lunch was then taken at 131-8. Hutchinson and Goslin added 26 for the 9th wicket after lunch. Goslin got 20 and was bowled by Hamilton. At 162 the match ended when Porter took a magnificent outfield catch to dismiss Hutchinson off Lambert. Lambert had bowled unchanged throughout the match and had taken, in all, 9 for 89 (6 for 44 in 30.3 overs in the second innings). He had kept a very good length with plenty of spin. B Hamilton had taken 10 for 130 in the match. At the age of 40 JW Hynes was playing his last match for Ireland.

As the game ended early Ireland batted again to give an exhibition. They scored 227 for 9 - Porter with 48 was top score. Carlin, the MCC wicket keeper took to bowling and had 5 for 106.