Fixed Matches - A List

[neville cardus]

It came to mind just now that it could be very interesting to gather up a list of top-flight cricket matches through history under which legitimate doubt was or has been cast. A small number from the primordial past which spring to mind instantaneously are listed below:

1. I seem to recall reading about a gentleman named Lambert, who deliberately underperformed in a first-class match in the early Nineteenth Century.
2. The first-ever Test Match, between England and Australia at Melbourne in 1876/77, was thought to have been thrown in order to guarantee a large gate for the return match.
3. The 1881/82 England touring party's early match against Victoria was subject to a massive amount of suspicion.
4. Monty Noble apparently believed that the Lord's Test of 1926, in which Hobbs and Sutcliffe fought so manfully (and, in the end, successfully) had been given away on purpose by Australian captain Herby Collins.

Do any of you know of any more doubtful matches from the olden days or, indeed, have more information about those mentioned above?

 

[Richard]

TBH, cricket in the 19th-century is in several hundred ways something we cannot comprehend and there are many reasons why they should be treated separately from those of a certain date onwards (the 20th century is as good a place to draw the line as any).

The rather cosy relationship between "organised" performance and "organisers" is one of them.

 

[archie mac]

It came to mind just now that it could be very interesting to gather up a list of top-flight cricket matches through history under which legitimate doubt was or has been cast. A small number from the primordial past which spring to mind instantaneously are listed below:

1. I seem to recall reading about a gentleman named Lambert, who deliberately underperformed in a first-class match in the early Nineteenth Century.
2. The first-ever Test Match, between England and Australia at Melbourne in 1876/77, was thought to have been thrown in order to guarantee a large gate for the return match.
3. The 1881/82 England touring party's early match against Victoria was subject to a massive amount of suspicion.
4. Monty Noble apparently believed that the Lord's Test of 1926, in which Hobbs and Sutcliffe fought so manfully (and, in the end, successfully) had been given away on purpose by Australian captain Herby Collins.

Do any of you know of any more doubtful matches from the olden days or, indeed, have more information about those mentioned above?

Have not heard about the first Test Match, where did you hear that?

Stork Hendren also opinioned his doubts about the 1926 match

 

[neville cardus]

Have not heard about the first Test Match, where did you hear that?

I am reasonably convinced that Ross brings it up in his book on England’s captains. Do you have it?

 

[archie mac]

I am reasonably convinced that Ross brings it up in his book on England’s captains. Do you have it?

I have one on English captains by Gibson but not Ross

 

[neville cardus]

I have one on English captains by Gibson but not Ross

Sorry. My mistake. I meant Gibson.

 

[archie mac]

Sorry. My mistake. I meant Gibson.

Have not read it for a long time, so will have another read

 

[neville cardus]

Good idea. Do tell me what it says.

Oh yes, and check your inbox.

 

[neville cardus]

The 1881/82 England touring party's early match against Victoria was subject to a massive amount of suspicion.

Said Ted Peate, "There were circumstances connected with Victoria’s second innings which I cannot fully refer to. I got two wickets in the first over — McDonnell and Horan — for nothing. Midwinter bowled an over from the other end, and sent down long-hops to leg.... Then came in Boyle, who spooned one gently back to mid-on. He dropped it right enough.... There was a tremendous amount of betting on the match. The bookmakers were standing up doing business as if they were in Tattersall’s ring.... The bookermakers [sic] were very badly hit by the result of the match. Certain of their schemes failed, much to the satisfaction of most of us." - quoted in Pullin, Alfred William ("Old Ebor"): Talks with Old English Cricketers (W. Blackwood, 1900), p. 322.