Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(Aus./US) matches; occas. sing. jack scratch.

1905		Duke Tritton’s Letter n.p.: So I gathered some Do Me Good, got out the Jack Scratches and lit the Barney Maguire, put on the Knock Me Silly and made a brew of Jimmy Lee.
1907		Brisbane Courier 29 May 6/3: Thieves’ patter, such as ‘Jack-scratch’ for match, ‘twist and twirl’ for girl [...] is used to a limited extent in some schools.
1915		Sun. Times (Perth) 5 Sept. 8: If you’ve got a few boxes of jack-scratches and fags we’d like to have ’em. It ain’t too good being without enny siggers.
1935		A.J. Pollock Und. Speaks.
1944		Maurer & Baker ‘“Aus.” Rhyming Argot’ in AS XIX:3.
2002		Pete’s Aussie Sl. Home Page 🌐 Jack Scratches: the matches.