Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday, 30 July 1904

Denaby v. Swinton

An Exciting Game

After the big crowd that watched the Derbyshire match the previous Thursday, the Denaby cricket ground on Saturday looked thinly attended, but the spectators, in spite of rain interruptions, were treated to some enjoyable, and at times exciting cricket.

Swinton, after appearing hopelessly out of the hunt, came so strong at the finish as to make the closing stages of the game extremely interesting.

The wicket, like most Denaby wickets, was favourable to run-getting, and with two exceptions, Scott and Burgin, of Denaby, none of the bowlers particularly appreciated the run of the play, which went convincingly in favour of the batsmen all through.

Denaby, winning the toss, made defeat almost out of the question by knocking up 140 for four wickets before declaring.

For this fine total, the club owed greatly to J. Stott, who surprised the onlookers by compiling 84 not out, quite the biggest thing he has achieved in Mexboro’ league matches.

Some of his strokes may have been fluky, a few intended drives edging off the bat high over the slips’ heads, but for all that he gave no actual chance, the chief feature of his display being the strong defence presented to a varied, and by no means weak attack.

With the cultivation of a few more strokes, Stott should make a capital bat.

A. Robinson, whose wicket was the first to fall, made 15, but was not in his happiest vein, his timing of Penny being faulty, howbeit he got in two or three fine carpet boundaries.

W. Scott hit up a breezy 17 before Harrison disturbed his timber-yard, and G. L. Robinson, for once in a way, contented himself with a humble five, the Swinton fielders making no attempt to conceal their satisfaction at seeing his back receding pavilionwards.

Play had been shortened half-an-hour through rain, and when Swinton commenced batting there remained but an hour and twenty minutes for play.

F. Turner and G. Shaw, however, made a big attempt to bring off a surprise, scoring with such rapidity that the Denaby captain began to wear a look distinctly suggestive of the problem exercising his mind whether or not he had made a mistake in declaring too soon.

The spectators got excited, and cheered every scoring stroke, and with 70 telegraphed and 45 minutes still remaining for play, the situation grew rapidly in interest.

However, without any addition to the score, Burgin, who had just taken up the attack at the low end, bowled Shaw, the outgoing batsman having strung together 26, marred slightly by some unaccepted chances.

Now that a wicket had at last fallen, more sensations followed, Turner being out to a fine catch by Burgin, off Scott, retiring with 39 of the best to his credit.

W. H. Taylor was the next man in, but he sadly disappointed his side, Burgin snapping him in the slips before he had scored, so that actually three wickets had fallen without a run being added.

On Gomersal joining Kemp the “ice of failure” was broken, but with the addition of a few runs, the latter had to go, clean bowled by Burgin, who was looming large in the proceedings, having a hand in the first four wickets.

These failures put Swinton off the track of victory, and play quieted down, both in incident and excitement.

Gomersal made 7, and was sent back by Scott, and then J. Ward and Tillotson made a good stand, the latter hitting remarkably well.

Ten minutes from time heavy rain closed the game, which accordingly resulted in a draw, Swinton standing 102 for five wickets, Ward not out 8, Tillotson not out 14.

Stott secured three wickets for 29, and Burgin two for 14, but the figures of the other bowlers had better be passed in silence.

Score: