[chucksabr]

Long Scoreless Match Finally Ends.

On a very warm and windy Tuesday in front of over 7,600 Oldhamites in attendance, the match between the Athletic club and the visiting Blackburn Rovers stretched on into the fourteenth innings without a run plated by either side. In an age of increasing levels of attack, the pitching and the defence ruled the day.

A mereseven men ever made it to third base, including in the top of the first innings when Rovers short stop Powell lined a three against the right field wall, only to be stranded on the base. Third base was subsequently reached in the top of the second; top of the fifth; bottom of the eighth; and bottom of the eleventh; and that was it through thirteen. Each reach of third base occurred after two had already made outs. The last instance mentioned almost ended the game, after Latics right fielder Harris singled and stole second, but was put out at the plate trying to score on a single by team mate Durrant.

In the top of the fourteenth innings, Powell singled after one had made out. He promptly stole second base, then reached third on a passed ball by McAdam, who was the third Latics catcher of the day. Powell scored on a fly out by left fielder Mawby to finally break the scoreless draw and take the lead.

Latics made it very interesting in their half of the innings, when Durrant led off with a base on balls and centre fielder Edmonds singled, putting runners at first and third with none out. The thousand or so remaining supporters, delaying high tea to see the match resolved, provided their full-throated support of this activity. Short stop Bell grounded out first base man to pitcher, however, moving Edmonds to second but keeping Durrant planted at third. Pitcher Kerridge, made to bat for himself, flew out to short left field, and left fielder Skerritt ended the affair with ground ball out to the second base man, sending the remaining and presumably hungry Latics supporters at last to their homes. Rovers pitcher Cornelius Boradhurst had relieved starter Herb Bostock and was rewarded with his sixteenth win, the most of any pitcher in the division to date.