FIFTY YEARS AGO

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 221, 14 June 1930, Page 27

FIFTY YEARS AGO

First Test in England STIRRING CRICKET This season sees the jubilee of Test cricket matches in England, the first Test played in the Mother Country having been commenced at Kennington Oval on September 6, 1880. James Lillywhite’s team of professionals had' played two matches at Melbourne in 1877 against All Australia, losing the first and winning the second; and Lord Harris’s amateur team had played (and lost) a similar match on the same ground in 1879; but neither of these two teams was regarded as fully repretentative of English cricket, and the loss of two matches out of three did not occasion the English cricketing public much concern. Murdoch’s team of 1880 played a good many matches against odds, and not much interest was taken in its doings until, toward the end of the season, the Surrey committee woke up to the fact that the visitors were quite a strong combination and suggested a match at the Oval hgainst England.

The idea was taken up enthusiastically and a strong eleven was got together, consisting of. Lord Harris (captain) and F. Penn (Kent), W. G., E. M., and G. F. Grace (Gloucester), A. P. Lucas (Surrey), A. G. Steel (Lancashire), the Hon. A. Lyttelton (Middlesex), and W. Barnes, A. Shaw and W. Morley (Notts). The Australian team was W. L. Murdoch (captain) and A. C. Bannerman (New South Wales),, and T. U. Groube, P. S. McDonnell, I. Slight, I. M. Blackham, G. I. Bonnor, H. G. Boyle, G. E. Palmer,_ G. Alexander, and W. H. Moule (Victoria).. Spoflorth had been injured in a previous match and was unable to play, thus, weakening the team considerably. There were 20,814 people present on the first day, 19,863 on the second, and 3751 on the third, when Australia’s fighting finish was not expected. Lord Harris won the toss, and the last man was not dismissed uptil 420 runs, had been scored. “W.G.” led the way with 152, thus scoring a century in his first Test match. Lucas was next with 55, Lord Harris got 52, Steel 42, E. M. Grace 36, Barnes 28. Penn 23, and Lyttelton 11 not out. Moule, never regarded as much of a bowler, took tljree wickets for 23, Bannerman three for 111, Alexander two for 69, and Palmer oue for 116.

It rained during the night, and on a bad Wicket Australia was dismissed for 149, Boyle making 36 not out. Bannerman 32. McDonnell, then a lad of nineteen, 27, Groube 11, and Slight 11. Morley took five for 56, Steel three for 58; W. G. Grace one for 2, and Shaw one for 21.

Australia followed on, but before the second innings was commenced Murdoch, who had failed to score in the first innings, bet “W.G.” a sovereign that he would beat the latter’s score. He won his bet. too, but by a very narrow margin. Going in when the first wicket had fallen for 8, he carried out his bat for 153, made in five hours without a flaw. McDonnell made 43, Blackham 19, Bonnor 16, but the eighth wicket fell at 187 and an innings defeat apeared inevitable. Alexander, however, hit away merrily for 33, and helped Murdoch to ■add 52 for the ninth-wicket, while -Moule, the last man, did even better, making 34 himself and seeing 88 added for the last wicket before Barnes got one past him. Morley took three wickets for 90, W. G. Grace two for 66. Steel two for 73, Barnes one for 17, and Shaw one for -12. England were left with only 57 to win, but so well did Boyle and Palmer bowl that five wickets were down for 36, Lyttelton making 13 of them. Penn was batting well, however, and when W. G. Grace, who had been kept back; joined him, the runs were hit off without further loss. Penn being not out with 27. Palmer took three wickets for; 35 and Boyle two for 21.