"Centenary Test Centenary Test refers to two matches of Test cricket played between the English cricket team and the Australian cricket team, the first in 1977 and the second in 1980. These matches were played to mark the 100th anniversaries of the first Test cricket matches played in Australia (1877) and in England (1880) respectively. Neither match was played for The Ashes. The first Centenary Test was played in March 1977 to commemorate the match that is considered to be the first Test match, played in 1877. Both the 1877 and 1977 matches were played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground"
"in Melbourne, Australia. Remarkably, Australia won both matches by exactly the same margin, 45 runs. A second Centenary Test was played in 1980 at Lord's in London, to commemorate the first Test match in England, at The Oval in 1880. The 1880 match was the fourth to be considered a Test match, and followed three earlier matches played between England and Australia in Australia (including the 1877 Test). The 1980 match was badly affected by rain on the first two days, and was drawn. This was the last Test match commentated by John Arlott. The 1877 match was a timeless"
"Test matches. The first of these, between Australia and England was held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in March 1877 and Australia batted first. Bannerman opened the Australian innings and is thus retrospectively deemed to have had the honour of facing the first ball ever bowled in Test cricket (the bowler being England's Alfred Shaw) and scoring the first ever run in Test cricket. Dropped before he reached double figures, he went on to score 126 on the first day and then added 39 on the second day to reach 165 when he was forced to retire hurt, his"
"After a brief sojourn in Sri Lanka, Greig's team arrived in Australia in March 1977 to prepare for a unique moment in the game's history. To commemorate 100 years of Australia vs England Test Matches, a one-off Test was organised for the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the venue of the first-ever Test. The associated functions and a gathering of hundreds of ex-players demonstrated the depth of the game and its history. Greig, recognising the spirit of the fixture, had his team play positively, and the match was still in the balance late on the last day before Australia won by 45"
"is traditionally one of the most spin-friendly international cricket grounds in Australia, because the soil and foundation of the ground is primarily Bulli soil from Bulli, New South Wales. In 1854 the Garrison Club defeated the Royal Victoria Club in the first recorded cricket match to be played at what was then the Garrison Ground. Although games were played at the Domain, the Garrison Ground was used for practice by the NSW cricket team in 1860 and by the Victorian team in 1861 the before inter-colonial matches in those years. Cricket was first played in Australia in Sydney's Hyde Park"
"players' persistent fighting after 56 minutes so the match was abandoned. The first Test was held at the SCG, Sydney and was won by Australia. 47,096 people attended the Great Britain versus Australia Test on 3 July 1954 held at the Brisbane Cricket Ground, this is still the ground attendance record for any sport. The most famous incident of the tour took place on Saturday 10 July, the weekend before the third Test with the series level at one win each, the Great Britain management decided to rest most of their Test players and field a side which was predominantly"
"English cricket team in Australia and New Zealand in 1876–77 The 1876–77 tour of Australia and New Zealand was at the time considered to be another professional first-class cricket tour of the colonies, as similar tours had occurred previously, but retrospectively it became classified as the first ever Test cricket tour of Australia by the English cricket team. The English team is sometimes referred to as James Lillywhite's XI. In all, they played 23 matches but only three including the two Tests are recognised as first-class. The first match started at the Adelaide Oval on 16 November 1876 and the"
"Australian day-night Test hosted outside Adelaide Oval. The First Test between Australia and England is played nowadays at Brisbane. Nobody seems to know why, and all sorts of arguments are ventilated for and against more cricket Tests on the Woolloongabba ground. I am all in favour of robbing Queensland of its greatest cricketing occasion, for the ground depresses. It is not a cricket ground at all. It is a concentration camp! Wire fences abound. Spectators are herded and sorted out into lots as though for all the world this was a slave market and not a game of cricket. The"
"Ground (MCG) (1876–77), and the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) (1881–82). A single Test was held at the Brisbane Exhibition Ground in 1928–29. Traditionally, Melbourne hosts the Boxing Day Test and Sydney hosts the New Year Test. Additionally the WACA in Perth (1970–71) hosted its final Ashes Test in 2017–18 and is due to be replaced by Perth Stadium for the 2021–22 series. Cricket Australia proposed that the 2010–11 series consist of six Tests, with the additional game to be played at Bellerive Oval in Hobart. The England and Wales Cricket Board declined and the series was played over five Tests."
"as the first Test, played between Australia and England. Attendance at some of these touring matches were similar to the intercolonials which suggests that the local competition was fairly well supported and that there was a healthy intercolonial rivalry. Regular fixtures of New South Wales v. Victoria and Victoria v. Tasmania continued until 1875 with at least one match per season being played. In 1877-78, South Australia played Tasmania for the first time in a match at the newly created Adelaide Oval in which the attendance of 1870 over two days saw South Australia win comfortably by an innings and"
"""The Times"" described the tourists as, ""a travestie upon cricketing at Lord's"", and, ""the conquered natives of a convict colony."" ""The Daily Telegraph"" said of Australia that, ""nothing of interest comes from there except gold nuggets and black cricketers."" The first match was played at The Oval on 25 May in London and attracted 20,000 spectators. Presumably many of these spectators attended out of curiosity to see members of a strange-looking race perform athletically rather than merely to savour a cricket contest. ""The Times"" reported: ""Their hair and beards are long and wiry, their skins vary in shades of blackness,"
"1947. A meeting of the International Cricket Conference in 1981 agreed that all intercolonial and interstate matches played in Australia before 1947, including the 1851 match, should retrospectively be considered first-class. Van Diemen's Land v Port Phillip, 1851 On 11 and 12 February 1851, teams from Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania) and Port Phillip District (now Victoria) played the first cricket match between two Australian colonies, recognised in later years as the initial first-class cricket match in Australia. It took place at the Launceston Racecourse, known now as the NTCA Ground, in Tasmania. The match was incorporated into celebrations marking"
"government's consent). Originally, the title covered 29 acres (117,000 m²), and took in what is now Gloucester Park. However, the latter part of the land was divested to the Trotting Association in the early 1920s. Between 1977 and 1979, (then-rebel) World Series Cricket matches were played at Gloucester Park because the Kerry Packer-led organisation was not granted access to the WACA. The first match played on the turf wickets took place in February 1894. However, difficulties encountered in transporting teams to Western Australia meant that the ground was not part of Australia's main cricket community for many years. Even with"
"1978–79; 1981; 1985; 1989; 1993 and 1997). Australians have made 264 centuries in Ashes Tests, of which 23 have been scores over 200, while Englishmen have scored 212 centuries, of which 10 have been over 200. Australians have taken 10 wickets in a match on 41 occasions, Englishmen 38 times. The series alternates between the United Kingdom and Australia, and within each country each of the usually five matches is held at different grounds. In Australia, the grounds currently used are the Gabba in Brisbane (first staged an England–Australia Test in the 1932–33 season), Adelaide Oval (1884–85), the Melbourne Cricket"
"first Test match in 1877 in Melbourne. It was the second match of the first-ever Test series, against an English team led by James Lillywhite, Jr. Spofforth took three wickets in the first innings and another in the second, but England went on to win the match by four wickets. He had boycotted the First Test because of Jack Blackham's selection as wicket-keeper ahead of Spofforth's close friend and fellow New South Welshman Billy Murdoch. Spofforth truly announced himself to the cricketing world on 27 May 1878, when the touring Australians met the MCC at Lord's. In this, the second"
"north and west of the ground. The ground is served by the adjacent Old Trafford tram stop on the Manchester Metrolink's Altrincham Line. Old Trafford Cricket Ground Old Trafford, known for sponsorship reasons as Emirates Old Trafford, is a cricket ground in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, England. It opened in 1857 as the home of Manchester Cricket Club and has been the home of Lancashire County Cricket Club since 1864. Old Trafford is England's second oldest Test venue and hosted the first Ashes Test in England, in July 1884, and two Cricket World Cup semi-finals. In 1956, the first 10-wicket"
"had been fully fit. The Middlesex strokemaker had a chequered tour, averaging 7.57 in the Tests and 92.11 in his other First Class matches. ""The First Test between Australia and England is played nowadays a Brisbane. Nobody seems to know why, and all sorts of arguments are ventilated for and against more cricket Tests on the Woolloongabba ground. I am all in favour of robbing Queensland of its greatest cricketing occasion, for the ground depresses. It is not a cricket ground at all. It is a concentration camp! Wire fences abound. Spectators are herded and sorted out into lots as"
"at the ground. The most famous first-class match held on the ground came in 1877 when Oxford University played the Marylebone Cricket Club. Oxford, winning the toss and deciding to bat were dismissed for 12 for in 43.2 four ball over, which remains the second lowest first-class score of all time. Fred Morley, who later represented England took 7/6 and in the second innings 6/8 for the Marylebone Cricket Club, which remains the most outstanding match analysis of all time. The poet Arnold Rylott took the other two wickets to fall in the first innings, whilst Robert Clayton shared the"
"while the Roosters call the Cricket Ground home. The Cricket Ground hosted six State of Origin series games from 1982–1987 In 1885 the first inter-colonial tennis match was held at the SCG when Victoria played New South Wales although forms of the game were no doubt played in Australia from its colonial beginnings. All colonies of Australia were well established when the final versions of the rules of the game were codified by the Marylebone Cricket Club in 1875 and by the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in 1877 when it held its first tournament at Wimbledon. Tennis"
"The Oval The Oval, currently known under naming rights as the Kia Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth, in south London. The Oval has been the home ground of Surrey County Cricket Club since it was opened in 1845. It was the first ground in England to host international Test cricket in September 1880. The final Test match of the English season is traditionally played there. In addition to cricket, The Oval has hosted a number of other historically significant sporting events. In 1870, it staged England's first international football match, versus"
"custom of cricket tours between England and Australia was cemented. Overall, the tour was a financial success and an effective exercise in mending relations; the team were received by the Lord Mayor of London at the end of the tour and were given gifts. Profits were healthy and public awareness of the bilateral cricketing relationship increased. Sydney Riot of 1879 The Sydney Riot of 1879 was an instance of civil disorder that occurred at an early international cricket match. It took place on 8 February 1879 at what is now the Sydney Cricket Ground (at the time known as the"
"and Victoria and the touring Englishmen at the Melbourne Cricket Ground played on 15–19 March. This match, later to be recognised as the first Test Match, was won by Australia by 45 runs thanks mainly to an unbeaten 165 by Charles Bannerman. The result of this match was seen by Australians and Englishmen as a reflection of the rising standard of Australian cricket. The rising standards of Australian cricket was further established during the first representative tour of England in 1878. While the Australians did not play a representative English team on this tour, the efforts of players such as"
"in 1861. Another grandstand seating 2000, facing one way to the cricket ground and the other way to the park where football was played, was built in 1876 for the 1877 visit of James Lillywhite's English cricket team. It was during this tour that the MCG hosted the world's first Test match. In 1881 the original members' stand was sold to the Richmond Cricket Club for £55. A new brick stand, considered at the time to be the world's finest cricket facility, was built in its place. The foundation stone was laid by Prince George of Wales and Prince Albert"
"grew. On 3 May 1875 the club acquired the remainder of the leasehold for a further term of 31 years from the Otter Trustees for the sum of £2,800. In 1868, 20,000 spectators gathered at The Oval for the first game of the 1868 Aboriginal cricket tour of England, the first tour of England by any foreign side. Thanks to C.W. Alcock, the Secretary of Surrey from 1872 to 1907, the first Test match in England was played at The Oval in 1880 between England and Australia. The Oval, thereby, became the second ground to stage a Test, after Melbourne"
"Australian cities and towns. Over the period, the foundations of the popularity of many Australian sports took root. Intercolonial cricket in Australia started in 1851 and Sheffield Shield inter-state cricket continues to this day. The 1876-77 season was notable for a match between a combined XI from New South Wales and Victoria and the touring Englishmen at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, which was later recognised as the first Test Match. A famous victory on the 1882 tour of England resulted in the placement of a satirical obituary in an English newspaper saying that English cricket had ""died"", and the ""body"
"site of the current Oaks Enclosure, one of the most popular vantage points. A then-record crowd of 10 000 arrived to see the Test. Between 1991 and 1997 numerous changes were made to the ground. Large portions of the grass embankments were replaced by pavilions increasing the seating capacity to 25,000. The ground hosted its first Test match on 24 March 1889 when England defeated South Africa by an innings and 202 runs. There have been 55 Test matches played at the ground of which South Africa has won 23, their opponents 21 and 11 which ended in a draw."
"Old Trafford Cricket Ground Old Trafford, known for sponsorship reasons as Emirates Old Trafford, is a cricket ground in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, England. It opened in 1857 as the home of Manchester Cricket Club and has been the home of Lancashire County Cricket Club since 1864. Old Trafford is England's second oldest Test venue and hosted the first Ashes Test in England, in July 1884, and two Cricket World Cup semi-finals. In 1956, the first 10-wicket haul in a single innings was achieved by England bowler Jim Laker who achieved bowling figures of 19 wickets for 90 runs—a bowling"
"in Oxford in 1890. The organisers of the first match in 1890 - really a group of friends from Marlborough - had great difficulty in selecting or finding a ground that was acceptable to both sides. Eventually, they were allowed the use of the outfield of the University Cricket Ground in the Parks at Oxford. The ground had only been levelled in 1879 after a protracted filibuster by Rev C Dodgson (better known as Lewis Carroll), a mathematics don at Christ Church. He was given to writing pamphlets on various subjects and the idea of a cricket ground had raised"
"Henry Charlwood Henry Rupert James Charlwood (19 December 1846 in Horsham, Sussex – 6 June 1888 in Scarborough, Yorkshire) played cricket professionally for England in the first two Test matches ever played, which were against Australia in 1877. Charlwood was a top order batsman and occasional lob bowler. Henry Charlwood, or Harry, toured with James Lillywhite, junior' team on the first ever cricket tour of Australia that included test matches. Note: The 2 tests were designated test matches sometime after they had been played. Australia won the toss for the 1st Test and elected to bat so Harry fielded for"
"visiting team, they had the choice of batting or bowling. Victoria eventually relented and were sent in. In March 1861 the first visiting English side toured Australia, dominated by Surrey players. This tour was followed by another in 1863-64, led by George Parr and including the amateur EM Grace. In 1876-77 James Lillywhite brought a professional tour out to Australia which played New South Wales in a two-day match at the Albert Ground in Sydney on 15 & 16 January 1877. This was followed by a timeless match at the MCG commencing on 15 March 1877 which was later designated"
"came in September 1868 when the Gentlemen of Middlesex played the Australian Aboriginals during their tour of England. The ground closed when the owner of the hotel whose pitch it was decided to sell the land for development. The hotel itself was situated next to the Metropolitan Cattle Market, although its exact placing is unknown. Cattle Market Ground Cattle Market Ground was a cricket ground in Islington, London (formerly Middlesex). The first recorded match on the ground was in 1863, when Middlesex Clubs played a United England Eleven. In 1864, the ground held its first first-class match when Middlesex played"
"in the world was erected in 1881 at the Cricket Ground along with sightboards and a telephone. Australia's first athletics championships were held at the Cricket Ground in 1893 with Edwin Flack winning the one mile event. Flack would win the 800 m and 1500 m events at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens. Lacrosse made its debut at the Cricket Ground in 1907 when Australia played Canada. In 1914, a baseball exhibition took place between the American Major League Baseball teams New York Giants and Chicago White Sox. Radio was first broadcast at the Cricket Ground in 1924. The"
"of goodwill that threatened the future of Anglo-Australian cricket relations. However, friction between the cricketing authorities finally eased when Lord Harris agreed to lead an England representative side at The Oval in London against the touring Australians in 1880; this match became the fourth-ever Test and cemented the tradition of Anglo-Australian Test matches. England cricket tours to Australia started in 1861, and while successful, were still in their infancy in 1879, despite the first Test match having been played in 1877. The teams were of variable quality; while promoters sought the best cricketers, they still had to agree to terms."