- Oxford University collapsed for just 12 against MCC in 1877
- Fred Morley produced one of cricket’s greatest bowling spells
- The infamous score remains the second-lowest total in first-class cricket
The scorecard still reads like a misprint nearly 150 years later. In the spring of 1877 Oxford University were skittled for just 12 against MCC in one of the most astonishing collapses the first-class game has ever witnessed.
Only one other side would later match that unwanted feat and even then there was a crucial distinction. View the full scorecard here.
Oxford collapse into cricket infamy
Oxford’s humiliation came at the Magdalen Ground between May 24 and 26 when MCC stormed to victory by an innings and 77 runs. After winning the toss and choosing to bat the home side crumbled spectacularly, dismissed for 12 in 43.2 overs.
Five batters failed to score and Alexander Webbe was unable to bat because of injury leaving Oxford effectively one man short.
MCC seamer Fred Morley carved through the innings with devastating precision taking 7-6 from 22 overs while Arnold Rylott chipped in with 2-6.
The visitors then responded with far greater authority as Frederick Wyld struck 36 and the celebrated “Monkey” Hornby added 30 to carry MCC to 124 all out. Oxford’s lone bright spot came from Henry Tylecote who claimed 8-51.
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MCC wrapped up victory inside a day
Any hopes of redemption quickly vanished. Forced to follow on Oxford folded again for 35 with Morley once more irresistible as he claimed 6-8. Robert Clayton added 4-26 as the match was wrapped up inside a single day.
For decades the collapse stood alone in cricket folklore until Northamptonshire stumbled to the same total in extraordinary fashion during a County Championship meeting with Gloucestershire at the Spa Ground in Gloucester in June 1907.
The second-lowest total in first-class cricket struck again
That match produced chaos almost from the outset. Gloucestershire won the toss but were bundled out for 60 with William East and George Thompson sharing the wickets.
Gilbert Jessop top-scored with a brisk 22 in an innings that at the time looked likely to hand Northants the upper hand.
Instead the visitors imploded in dramatic style. Northamptonshire were dismissed for 12 in only 11.3 overs in one of the game’s most infamous batting failures.
George Dennett tore through the line-up with remarkable figures of 8-9 while Jessop chipped in with 2-3. In a telling statistic extras finished as the highest contributor with nine while Edmund Crosse and Charles Pool were the only batters to reach four.
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Why Oxford’s record still stands apart
Gloucestershire’s second innings offered little more stability as they managed 88 with East fighting back superbly to take 7-36. Set 137 to win Northants slumped again to 40-7 before relentless rain swept across the final day and spared them defeat.
The parallels between the two matches remain striking. Both produced a total of 12, both entered cricket history and both showcased bowlers operating at a level batters simply could not withstand.
Yet Oxford’s collapse still carries a unique footnote. Unlike Northamptonshire in 1907 the university side did not even have a full batting order available when disaster struck.
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