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. 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. 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. 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. The score has since been surpassed over twenty times.