Smokers v Non-Smokers

Two first-class cricket matches billed as "Smokers v Non-Smokers" were played during the 1880s. Featuring players from Australia and England, each match occurred during a tour of one of those countries by the other's national team. The first match was won by the Non-Smokers, while in the second, which was drawn, the Non-Smokers scored a then-record 803 runs in the first innings.

The first match was played at the end of the

In the second match, held in Australia two and a half years later, the contest once again featured a combination of Australian and English players. Aided by an Arthur Shrewsbury double century, the Non-Smokers set a new record for the highest innings in first-class cricket, accumulating 803 runs. As in the original match, the Smokers had to follow on, and when the match finished as a draw they were still over 300 runs behind.

First match, 1884

The

Beginning their second innings after lunch, there was a little improvement for the Smokers, though six of the team were dismissed without reaching double figures. Gunn top-scored for his side, remaining 43 not out at the end of the innings, while Charles Thornton and George Giffen both scored quickly, making 27 and 15 respectively. Despite these scores, the Smokers only reached 152, leaving the Non-Smokers needing 14 runs to win the match.^[1] Grace collected three further wickets in this second innings, but he was bettered by Barlow, who took five for 24.^[5] Although the match was past half past five in the evening with poor light, the decision was made that the match should not continue into the following day, and so the Non-Smokers came out to bat and hit the runs they required, reaching the total shortly after six o'clock.^[4] The match was played at Lord's in good weather on both days,^[4] and was well attended on the first day, with between six and seven thousand spectators at the ground.^[1]

Second match, 1887

Two and a half years later, another first-class contest with the same title was held at East Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia.^[6] The game was played as the penultimate match of the English tour of Australia in 1886–87, led by Alfred Shaw. Once again the two teams contained a mix of Australian and English players, including three who had taken part in the previous match; Barlow and Palmer each appeared for the same team as previously, but Gunn, who had played for the Smokers in 1884, switched teams and was on the side of the Non-Smokers in 1887.^[5][6] The touring side had been due to face a "Combined Australia" team, but as such a team would be missing those players from New South Wales, it was decided to split the teams as in 1884. The match was sponsored by four companies, with prizes of 500 cigars each for the best batsman and bowler for the Smokers, 250 cigars for the best aggregate batting score for the Smokers, another 250 cigars for the best individual score from either side, and 200 cigars for the best bowling for the Non-Smokers.^[7]

The match began in similar fashion to the earlier contest; the Non-Smokers won the toss, and their captain Arthur Shrewsbury chose to bat first. The Smokers, led by the Australian Harry Boyle, walked onto the pitch smoking cigars. Despite the strong bowling attack boasted by the Smokers, which included Johnny Briggs and George Lohmann, the Non-Smokers took advantage of a good batting wicket and accrued 196 runs before the first wicket fell, that of William Bruce for 131.^[7] Billy Bates was dismissed shortly thereafter for four, bringing in Billy Gunn. Shrewsbury and Gunn batted together for the rest of the day, and the following morning, building a partnership of 310 runs; Shrewsbury was eventually caught off the bowling of Briggs for 236, while Gunn was bowled by Boyle for 150.^[6] Fifties from Dick Houston, Harry Musgrove and Jack Worrall in the middle-order boosted the score to 803, a new record for the highest innings total in first-class cricket. The previous record, 775 runs, had also been set in Australia, by New South Wales.^[8] The score fell some way short of the highest innings score in any cricket, which was believed to have been the 920 scored by Orleans Club against Rickling Green in 1882.^[7][9] The score has since been surpassed over twenty times.^[10]

The Smokers began their response on the third morning of the match, and after losing Maurice Read for 30, Eugene Palmer and Briggs put together a partnership of 160, but both were dismissed before the close of play that day, Palmer for 113 and Briggs for 86.^[6] Nevertheless, with the score at 302 for three, it was considered likely that the match would end in a draw.^[7] The following morning, wickets fell rapidly; Bates finished the innings with figures of six for 73, and the Smokers, who were all out for 356, were asked to follow on. Briggs recorded a second fifty in the match, but otherwise no player made a significant impact,^[6] and the game pestered towards the expected draw. The last ball of the match resulted in a situation described by Gerald Brodribb as "most unusual".^[11] William Scotton faced the final delivery of the contest. Eager to claim the ball as a souvenir of the high-scoring match, he defended the delivery and picked the ball up. The fielders—who also wanted the souvenir—appealed, and Scotton was ruled out, having handled the ball.^[11] The match was drawn, with the Smokers still trailing by 312 runs.^[6]

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