Cricket

Remembering The First Match As MCC Gears Up To Mark 150 Years Of Test Cricket In 2027

By
OB Bureau

New Delhi: Australia is set to host a stand-alone celebratory match against England at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in 2027 to celebrate 150 years of Test cricket. The first Test match was also played between Australia and England in 1877, which the Aussies won by 45 runs.

On the same ground 100 years later, Australia again defeated England by 45 runs—exactly the same margin—as both the sides took part in the celebratory Centenary Test.

“The 150th anniversary Test match at the MCG in March 2027 will be a wonderful celebration of the pinnacle format of the game at one of the world’s great sporting arenas and we can’t wait to host England on that historic occasion,” said Cricket Australia Chief Executive, Nick Hockley.

Here’s Looking back at the first Test Match

  • The first Test match was played at MCG from March 15 to 19 in 1877 with Australia winning it by 45 runs against England. The second match was won by England at the same venue to tie the series 1-1.

 

  • The match was only subsequently awarded Test status, and was originally billed as “All England v A Combined New South Wales and Victoria XI”.

 

  • Neither side—Australia and England— was at full strength.

 

  • Australia, who were a combined Melbourne and Sydney XI, had no Frederick Spofforth.

 

  • England had no amateur cricketers. For instance, William Gilbert Grace—who was an amateur English cricketer, believed to be the greatest ever to have played the game—was not a part of the team.

 

  • England had no wicketkeeper as Surrey’s Ted Pooley was arrested in New Zealand after a gambling scam.

    Charles Bannerman, who faced the first bowl in Test cricket (Pic: ICC)

 

  • Australia’s Charles Bannerman faced the first ball from Alfred Shaw. He scored the first run, off the next ball.

 

  • Bannerman scored the first hundred as he made 165 runs. This was his only century of his first-class career. He got retired hurt during the match when George Ulyett smashed one of his fingers.

 

  • In the first Test match, Australia scored a total of 245.

 

Test Matches: An affair between England and Australia only in the 19th century

  • Before 1888 there had been 26 Test matches, all between England and Australia.

 

  • England had won 13 of them, Australia 9, with 4 draws.

 

  • During the 19th century England played in all the Tests, which were mostly against Australia, though a few were against South African XI.

 

  • By the end of the 19th century, 64 Test matches had been played.
OB Bureau

Recent Posts

National Hockey: Odisha To Clash With Manipur In Semifinals

Chennai: Odisha will face Manipur in the semifinals of the 14th Hockey India Senior Men’s…

November 14, 2024

India To Push Canada For Extradition Of Arrested Khalistani Terrorist Arsh Dalla

New Delhi: India will again ask Canada for the extradition of designated Khalistani terrorist Arshdeep Singh…

November 14, 2024

School Dropout From West Bengal Arrested For Practising As Ayurvedic Doctor In Odisha’s Berhampur

Berhampur: Police have arrested a man from West Bengal for allegedly claiming himself to be…

November 14, 2024

Manoj Bajpayee Recalls Staying In ‘Hell’, Experiencing Starvation

Mumbai: Carving a niche for himself in Bollywood was not a cakewalk for ‘The Family…

November 14, 2024

After Disapproving Of Ranveer, Mukesh Khanna Rejects Tiger Shroff For ‘Shakitmaan’

Mumbai: Mukesh Khanna’s Indian superhero series ‘Shaktimaan’ has been making headlines for quite some time…

November 14, 2024

2nd Tigress Arrives In Odisha’s Similipal Tiger Reserve From Maharashtra

Bhubaneswar: As part of Odisha government's tiger relocation project, second tigress from Maharashtra arrived at…

November 14, 2024

Severe Pollution: Central Panel Forced To Invoke GRAP 3 In Delhi From Tomorrow

New Delhi: Hours after Delhi’s Environment Minister Gopal Rai said that the third phase of…

November 14, 2024

After 7 Years, Allu Arjun Reveals The Story Behind His Viral Wine Shop Video

Mumbai: ‘Pushpa’ actor Allu Arjun is currently busy promoting his highly-anticipated film ‘Pushpa: The Rule’,…

November 14, 2024