CW 1907/08 (S16), Game 4: New South Wales vs Victoria

New South Wales vs Victoria
Sydney Cricket Ground
24th-25th, 27th January 1908


Lineups:
New South Wales- EF Waddy, AJY Hopkins, MA Noble, CG Macartney, SE Gregory, EL Waddy, H Carter, JC Barnes, C Kelleway, H Whiddon, FB Johnson

Victoria- C McKenzie, PA McAlister, FA Tarrant, VS Ranford, WW Armstrong, TIB Horan, TS Warne, LP Vernon, W Carkeek, FB Collins, JV Saunders


First Innings
New South Wales won the toss on the final game of the season and decided to put their opponents in to bat first. Each of the six bowlers that tried their hand claimed at least one wicket, holding all but two batsmen to scores of 43 and under. VS Ranford made up for it though to help put up a fine score for Victoria.


VIC 407
VS Ranford 148; FB Collins 60
AJY Hopkins 2-64

New South Wales lacked their on Ranford as wickets fell all around the pairing of CG Macartney and SE Gregory leaving Victoria to enforce the follow on. WW Armstrong claimed the first three wickets, all with fourteen runs on the board, as he took a five-for.


VIC 407
NSW 222
SE Gregory 76; CG Macartney 57
WW Armstrong 5-63

Second Innings
MA Noble was the victim of a pair as he fell for a duck in both innings, but his team managed much better after going 19-2. The tailenders failed to really improve though and it looked like Victoria would be the ones to finally take the Sheffield Shield from New South Wales.

VIC 407
NSW 222 + 263
EF Waddy 80; CG Macartney 55
FA Tarrant 4-29; WW Armstrong 3-74

The first wicket did not fall until C McKenzie was caught behind for 32 and Victoria were well on their way to victory. This is the first time in eight years that New South Wales has not finished the season in top spot. Victoria were the last side to beat them to the title; this being their third, tying South Australia.

VIC 407 + 79-2
NSW 222 + 263
C McKenzie 32
C Kelleway 1-28

Victoria win by eight wickets.

CW 1907/08 (S16), Game 3: Victoria vs New South Wales

Victoria vs New South Wales
Melbourne Cricket Ground
26th-28th, 30th-31st December 1907


Lineups:
Victoria- TS Warne, C McKenzie, FA Tarrant, VS Ranford, PA McAlister, JF Horan, GR Hazlitt, EV Carroll, W Carkeek, FB Collins, JV Saunders


New South Wales- RN Hickson, VT Trumper, MA Noble, CG Macartney, SE Gregory, EL Waddy, AJY Hopkins, H Carter, A Cotter, H Whiddon, FB Johnson


First Innings
A lot of runs were expected throughout this match and both sides duly provided. NSW's opening partnership fell just shy of 150 , but wickets started to fall somewhat consistently thereafter. The faster bowers had more joy aiming for the stumps to claim wickets for bowled and LBW, but New South Wales can be pleased with their display through four sessions.


NSW 510
VT Trumper 136; A Cotter 81; SE Gregory 53
GR Hazlitt 3-103; FB Collins 3-122


It wasn't until the fourth wicket fell that Victoria found a terrific partnership to build on as the pairing of PA McAlister and JF Horan made 221 runs between them before the former was run out; his partner was caught in the slips soon after, and Victoria went on to take the lead despite the tailenders struggling to handle the pace of the game.


NSW 510
VIC 550
PA McAlister 158; JF Horan 119; C McKenzie 71; TS Warne 64
FB Johnson 4-121; A Cotter 3-160


Second Innings
Victoria made pretty short work of the visiting order with the top half falling victim to more bowling aimed at the wickets, while the second half were caught. This left Victoria in a prime position to take victory and get one hand on the Sheffield Shield that New South Wales has dominated for so long.


NSW 510 + 244
Vic 550
SE Gregory 64
GR Hazlitt 3-53; FA Tarrant 3-57; JV Saunders 3-62


It was a repeat partnership of PA McAlister and JF Horan that saw this one to the end and the previous four batsmen fell for 158 thanks in part to a spectacular catch that claimed C McKenzie for 22.


NSW 510 + 244
VIC 550 + 205-4
PA McAlister 62*; VS Ranford 52
A Cotter 3-64


Victoria win by six wickets.

CW 1907/08 (S16), Game 2: New South Wales vs South Australia

Victoria vs South Australia
Sydney Cricket Ground
6th-7th. 9th-10th December 1907

Lineups:
New South Wales- VT Trumper, A Diamond, MA Noble, MH Blaxland, RA Duff, EL Waddy, AJY Hopkins, H Carter, C Kelleway, H Whiddon, FB Johnson

South Australia- DRA Gehrs, ER Mayne, C Hill, CE Dolling, CB Jennings, JH Pellew, N Claxton, LR Hill, WL Chamberlain, JDA O'Connor, AW Wright

First Innings
The top four in the South Australian order were uninspiring, but things really picked up through the middle of the order and continued down as the visitors began their second and final match of the season by passing 400.

SA 404
LR Hill 107; JH Pellew 86; CB Jennings 57; WL Chamberlain 55
H Whiddon 4-110

The reply from New South Wales was rough on their opponents as three men made their centuries and brought them close to 600 runs on the board. The partnerships for the first (151) and fifth (223) wickets were especially hard to put down.

SA 404
NSW 586
MH Blaxland 179; EL Waddy 106; A Diamond 101; VT Trumper 77
LR Hill 4-136


Second Innings
As the pitch degraded at a fast rate, South Australia were unable to match their first innings performance. It was the middle order this time that had no joy, and only a ninth wicket partnership of 121 gave them the smallest chance of stealing a win.

SA 404 + 267
NSW 586
JH Pellew 71*; C Hill 66
H Whiddon 3-58; C Kelleway 3-67

A wicket fell with twenty-four runs up, but it was all plain sailing from there as New South Wales set up a two game series with Victoria to determine who will be champion.

SA 404 + 267
NSW 586 + 86-1
VT TRumper 46*; MA Noble 32*
JDA O'Connor 1-47

New South Wales win by nine w ickets

CW 1907/08 (S16), Game 1: Victoria vs South Australia

Victoria vs South Australia
Melbourne Cricket Ground
29th-30th November, 2nd December 1907

Lineups:
Victoria- C McKenzie, TS Warne, VS Ranford, FA Tarrant, WW Armstrong, PA McAlister, EV Carroll, GR Hazlitt, TR Rush, W Carkeek, JV Saunders

South Australia- ER Mayne, DRA Gehrs, CE Dolling, JH Pellew, CB Jennings, N Claxton, LR Hill, WL Chamberlain, RJB Townsend, JDA O'Connor, AW Wright

First Innings
A terrific 153-run third wicket partnership had South Australia cruising, but the second half of the order failed to keep it up. The pitch had started to turn, so the visitors could hope they would be able to keep Victoria's score manageable.


SA 339
CE Dolling 112; JH Pellew 71
GR Hazlitt 4-49

Despite only one man making his century, the six who passed their half-centuries all contributed to a very impressive total. There were 120 runs on the board before South Australia managed to take a wicket, and the ninth pairing lasted for another 120 in style.

SA 339
VIC 646
WW Armstrong 151; TR Rush 85; FA Tarrant 74; C McKenzie 73; EV Carroll 70; W Carkeek 57; TS Warne 54
AW Wright 4-160

Second Innings
The third man in the lineup once again reached his century, while once again the rest of the batting order collapsed under the constant barrage from Victoria's bowlers, falling short of the required total.

SA 339 + 275
VIC 646
CE Dolling 111
FA Tarrant 3-55

Victoria wins by an innings and thirty-two runs.

CW A Look Ahead to the 1907/08 (S16) Season

This will probably a very unique season in the Sheffield Shield as only four games are to be played, with South Australia visiting their two opponents at the start of the season, while Victoria and New South Wales finish off the year with home and home games.

New South Wales may finally have their seven year (twenty-eight game) unbeaten streak threatened this season as Victoria have made up a lot of ground to just about overtake the ten time champs on the bowling front. South Australia lag behind, with bowling expected to be a big issue, and, with one less game to play than their opponents, they have an uphill struggle.

This season should be very tough on the bowlers and a joy for batsmen.