SK Flashback: Happy 141st birthday to Test cricket

The history of Test cricket dates back to the same day 141 years ago. On this day in 1877, the first-ever official international Test match was played between England and Australia. 15 March 1877 became the first date to be registered in the records book capturing the history of cricket.

It was just after the Australian summer when England toured Australia for the Test series. It was a two-match Test series which Australia won 1-0.

First-ever Test match summary

England playing XI: Tom Armitage, Harry Charlwood, Tom Emmett, Andrew Greenwood, Allen Hill, Harry Jupp, James Lillywhite (Jnr) (c), John Selby (wk), Alfred Shaw, James Southerton, and George Ulyett.

Australia playing XI: Billy Midwinter, Charles Bannerman, Jack Blackham (wk), Bransby Cooper, Tom Garrett, Dave Gregory (c), Ned Gregory, John Hodges, Tom Horan, Tom Kendall, and Nat Thomson.

1st Test: Australia v England at Melbourne – Mar 15-19, 1877

Brief Scores :

Australia: 245(Charles Bannerman 165, Alfred Shaw 3/51) and 104(TP Horan 20, A Shaw 5/38)

England: 196(H Jupp 63, Midwinter 5/78) and 108(J Selby 38, TM Kendall 7/55)

Result : Australia won by 45 runs

First-ever Test match as it happened (15 March-19 March, 1877)

1st test, England tour of Australia at Melbourne, Mar 15-19 1877

The sun was out in the afternoon as the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground was waiting for one of the most historic moments in the history of cricket. The first-ever official international test match was about to start as the two captains, DW Gregory from Australia and James Lillywhite (Jnr) from England, came out for the toss. The Australian captain called it right at the time of the toss and elected to bat first.

Charles Bannerman, who became the first-ever Test centurion, opened the innings for Australia with NFD Thomson. It was Alfred Shaw from England, who had the privilege to bowl the first-ever Test over, running in hard to deliver the red cherry with Bannerman at the receiving end.

However, the opening partnership between Bannerman and Thomson didn't go too far as, soon, Thomson fell to the fast round-arm delivery by Allen Hill, who went on to become the first player to take a wicket in a Test match. Meanwhile, Bannerman hung out there in the middle to score the first-ever century in Test cricket.

Australia ended with 245 runs on the board in the first innings.

In reply, England scored 196 in their first innings with the vital contributions of Henry Jupp, Henry Rupert James Charlwood, and Allen Hill. Henry Jupp became the first English batsman to score a fifty in Test cricket.

Leading by 49 runs, Australia came in to bat on the third day of the Test match which witnessed a high attendance of approx 10,000 people. Unfortunately, they were bundled out for 104 in their second innings.

The English were hot favorites to win the Test match as they were to chase 154 in the final innings of the Test match. However, Australia proved to be clinical as they bundled out England for 108 and won the first-ever officially recognized international Test match.

Notable achievements

James Southerton: The oldest player to make debut

1) Southerton became the oldest Test debutante at 49 years 119 days.

2) The first ball was bowled by Alfred Shaw.

3) William Evans Midwinter became the first player to take a five-wicket haul in Tests.

4) First ball faced by Charles Bannerman.

5) Charles Bannerman became the first centurion in Test cricket.

6) Charles Bannerman scored 67% of the runs in the first innings of the first-ever Test match, which still remains a record today.

7) Allen Hill took the first wicket as well as the first catch in Test cricket.

Interesting facts associated with the match

1) It was a timeless Test match which also included a rest day.

2) Till 1889, there used to be four balls per over. Thus, the first-ever Test match was played with the same rule as well.

3) At that time nobody knew that it was the first-ever Test match. The Test match was awarded Test status only later - as James Lillywhite (Jnr) led an England side against a 'Combined New South Wales and Victoria XI' in Melbourne that the latter won by 45 runs.

4) The first-ever Test match started at 1:05 p.m.