CW 1914/15 (S23) Game 2: Victoria vs New South Wales

Victoria vs New South Wales
Melbourne Cricket Ground
26th, 28th-31st December 1914

Lineups:
Victoria- WW Armstrong, FA Baring, VS Ransford, J Ryder, TJ Matthews, VJ Souter, AE Brown, HHG Bracher, MD Hotchin, W Carkeek, H Ironmonger


New South Wales- W Bardsley, H Cranney, C Kelleway, HG Pratten, AT Ratcliffe, TJE Andrews, JM Taylor, RB Minnett, HH Davis, JD Scott, JA Randell


First Innings
The pitch was not expected to provide any help to the bowlers during this contest but New South Wales still decided to install Victoria at the crease first. A steady stream of wickets had the hosts 193-5 but TJ Matthews was a tough out to get - one of TJE Andrews' four-in-a-row victims - as he was the only man to reach his fifty let alone the century he made. During his stand and after his dismissal the wickets were still coming for New South Wales at intervals to keep the target score managable.


VIC 342
TJ Matthews 119; VS Ransford 44
TJE Andrews 4-23; RB Minnett 3-110


It was a similar story when the teams changed places but New South Wales lost the openers for just 10 runs between them. HG Pratten was their century hero with help from the likes of C Kelleway just falling shy of his fifty. The tail disintegrated quicker than Victoria's but the difference in score was negligible. H Ironmonger made a dazzling impression in his Sheffield Shield debut and his side enjoyed a little slice of luck when JM Taylor had to leave injured with no runs to his name.


VIC 342
NSW 333
HG Pratten 123; TJE Andrews 56
H Ironmonger 7-99; WW Armstrong 2-57


Second Innings
Century-maker TJ Matthews was one of three ducks on the Victorian scoresheet as New South Wales was able to find a good rhythm, carving through the middle order once dangerman VS Ransford was dispatched. Plummeting from 126-2 to 127-7, Victoria lost their grip on the match and had to hope they also found an early way through.


VIC 342 + 193
NSW 333
VS Ransford 65; J Ryder 36
RB Minnett 5-64; JD Scott 3-38


A slightly improved performance from the starters was soon cancelled out as three wickets tumbled, including HG Pratten, another centurion with a duck in the second innings, with 64 runs on the board. AT Ratcliffe dragged the side into triple digits, and the tail was much better looking on the second time around finding 79 runs for the last four wickets, but New South Wales fell just short for the second time in two matches.


VIC 342 + 193
NSW 333 + 191
W Bardsley 31; AT Ratcliffe 28; JM Taylor 28
J Ryder 4-26; WW Armstrong 2-41

Victoria win by eleven runs.