Scotton played his first match at Lord's for Sixteen Colts of England against the Marylebone Cricket Club on 11 and 12 May 1874, scoring on that occasion 19 and 0.

His powers were rather slow to ripen, and he had been playing for several years before he obtained anything like a first-rate position.

During a stay of five hours and three quarters he played the bowling of Fred Spofforth, Palmer, Boyle, Billy Midwinter, and George Giffen without giving a chance, Had he fallen it would have been quite likely that England would have been beaten.

[citation needed] Up to a certain time he received very little assistance, but when Walter Read joined him, 151 runs were put on for the ninth wicket.

Against the Australian team of 1886 Scotton played two successful innings in company with WG Grace, the two batsmen scoring 170 together for the first wicket for England at the Oval.