First Test Of All Had Many Thrilling Incidents, Too.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17890, 5 July 1926, Page 4

First Test Of All Had Many Thrilling Incidents, Too.

HOW times have changed! Forty-nine years ago when the first of all cricket tests between England and Australia took place the players prided themselves on the bushiness of their beards. Not one member of England’s team of that time was clean-shaven, and no fewer than twelve of the twenty-two had beards of the 4 bird s nest ” type. The fashion of those days does not appeal to-day. But t h® r ® have been even greater changes. The Australians are to-day invading England, and with cable, wireless and telephonic communication it is possible to learn of every detail of their doings in a remarkably short space of time. Yet, in 1877, England had to wait from March until May for even a short account of how its cricketers had fared in the first test with Australia, at Melbourne.

Interesting references to the historic Test of 1877. played at Melbourne on the 15th, 16th, and 17th March, are made by the London “ Star. ” The match, which was won by Australia by 45 runs, was as full of thrills as any of the later encounters. At that time betting was carried out openly in the crowd, and when play began the odds were in favour of England. Actually the England team was known as Lillywhite’s Eleven, and the Australian side was a combination from NewSouth Wales and Victoria. England’s men were professionals, and “ The Times ” Melbourne correspondent* said:— The match began and ended in good temper. Lillywhite’s pecuniary success must have consoled him for his defeat. In fact, until this match no English professional eleven had been beaten outside England, and the Australians were more optimistic than confident of being the first conquerors. BANNERMAN’S CENTURY. Australia- batted first, and the Test began in promising style by the opening batsman, C. Bannerman, of New South Wales, making a century. The play of Bannerman soon altered the odds and the betting veered in favour of Australia. Bannerman hit up 165, and then retired owing to a badly cut finger after an innings which aroused general admiration. The English cricketers declared that they had never seen Grace make a better batting display. Bannerman, however, was the only Australian to do anything in the first innings, and Southerton (Sussex, Hants, and Surrey) and Alfred Shaw, the Notts and Sussex man, bowled in such irresistible style that the team was dismissed for 245. T. W. Garrett, the New South Wales bowler hit up 19; and Blackham, the Victorian wic-ket-keeper, made 17, but the recognised batsmen all failed. H. Jupp, the famous Surrey batsman, and J. Selby, of Notts, opened for England, but the partnership was quickly dissolved, Selby being dismissed after scoring 7. Jupp and H. Charhvood (Sussex), who came in at the first wicket, raised the hopes of England by a long stand, and a first innings’ lead appeared probable.

10 and Thomas Emmett (Yorkshire) was clean bowled for 8. The great Yorkshire player, G. Ulyett, who was to figure in so many more Tests, was Ibw to Thompson for 10; J. Lilly white (Sussex), the captain, was dismissed by Kendall for 10; and J. vSoutherton made half a dozen. Midwinter s bowling was almost unplayable, and only Allen Hill, of Yorkshire, rescued the tail from ignominy by carry his bat for 35. BOWLING TRIUMPH. The first innings closed with England 49 behind, but another sensation came in this remarkable Test when Australia collapsed completely in their second innings. The great Bannerman turned out to bat with his cut finger heavily bandaged, but the handicap of his injury was too great, and he was clean bowled by Ulyett for 4. The second innings was a triumph for the bowling of Alfred Shaw, who hit the stumps of the formidable D. W. Gregory and Cooper, and accounted at very little cost for the wickets of Thompson, Blackham, and Garrett. Ulyett was in great form at the other end, and in addition to dismissing Bannerman, claimed Horan, the great Victorian batsman. Midwinter, and E. Gregor}-. Australia were all out with a score of 104, Horan, with 20, being at the head of the scoring. Once again the betting altered, and England’s prospects of winning the first Test appeared very rosy. They only needed 154 runs in the second innings to win, and there seemed every possibility of this score being reached with comparative ease. True, Jupp was again lbw, this time to Midwinter, and with only 4 runs to his credit, but Selby and Charhvood appeared to be batting with considerable confidence. Everyone living to-day who saw the match must remember with a thrill the excitement of that English second innings. Two points sfcand out with startling clearness —the bowling of Kendall and the collapse of England’s long tail. Kendall bowled with such accuracy and judgment that he turned the tables completely, and, from having a winning position, England became a beaten side. From the time Kendall took the wickets of Charlwood (13) and Ulyett (24), the match became a procession from and to the pavilion. Selby, who opened the innings with Jupp, held on grimly to make 38 before being snapped up by Horan off Hodges, but the other batsmen failed lamentably. MAGIC WICKET-KEEPING. Behind the wicket was the redoubtable Blackham, and the combination of his rapid judgment and Kendall’s bowling made short work of the tourists. Kendall claimed seven wickets, and England were dismissed for 108, leaving Australia the winners by 45 runs.

Charhvood was caught the wicket after a useful 36. and Jupp was deceived into putting his leg in front of a straight one from Garrett after an unblemished 63. Then W. E. Midwinter, whom • old Gloucesctershire supporters will recall and who was then playing for Victoria, found his best form with the ball, and claimed a number of easy wickets. Andrew Greenwood, the Yorkshire player, w r as dismissed for a single. T. Armitage (also of Yorkshire) went back for 9; Alfred Shaw made