Australian cricket team in England in 1880

The Australian cricket team in England in 1880 played nine first-class matches including one Test, which was the first ever played in England. They were captained by W.L. Murdoch. The team had difficulty in arranging fixtures against the counties, and prior to the Test match in early September had played only four matches that are now rated as first-class (as well as a large number of fixtures against weaker opposition), despite having already been in England for almost four months.

The Test was a late addition to the programme, being arranged at the instigation of the Surrey secretary, C. W. Alcock, who asked Lord Harris to put together a side. A. N. Hornby, Tom Emmett and George Ulyett refused to play, having unpleasant memories of the Sydney Riot of 1879, but Australia were also seriously handicapped, being without their star bowler, Fred Spofforth.

The Australians won 4, drew 3 and lost 2 of their first-class fixtures. Their only loss other than to England was to Nottinghamshire. That defeat was by only one wicket and came in a match in which they played a man short.

Australian tour party

The Australian party consisted of: W.L. Murdoch (captain), A.C. Bannerman, J.McC. Blackham, G.J. Bonnor, H.F. Boyle, T.U. Groube, A.H. Jarvis, P.S. McDonnell, W.H. Moule, G.E. Palmer, J. Slight, F.R. Spofforth, G. Alexander (player-manager).

Tour matches

*17 May 1880 Derbyshire v Australians County Ground, Derby - Australia won by 8 wickets
*10 Jun 1880 Yorkshire v Australians Dewsbury and Savile Ground - Australia won by 5 wickets
*22 Jul 1880 Yorkshire v Australians Fartown, Huddersfield - Match drawn
*02 Aug 1880 Gloucestershire v Australians Clifton College Close Ground - Australia won by 68 runs
*13 Sep 1880 Sussex v Australians County Ground, Hove - Match drawn
*20 Sep 1880 Players of the North v Australians Park Avenue Cricket Ground, Bradford - Match drawn
*23 Sep 1880 Nottinghamshire v Australians Trent Bridge, Nottingham - Nottinghamshire won by 1 wicket
*27 Sep 1880 Players v Australians Crystal Palace Park - Australia won by 2 wickets

In addition the Australian tourists played 45 minor matches that were not of first class cricket status.

Only Test: September 6, 1880 - September 8, 1880

First Class Matches
batting first

batting first = England
first innings score of first team = 420
overs in first innings of first team = 210.3
Highest scorer for first innings of first team = W.G. Grace
Highest scorer for first innings of first team initial form = WG Grace
Highest score for first innings of first team = 152
Highest score for first innings of first team balls faced = 294
Best bowler in first innings of first team = William Moule
Best bowler in first innings of first team initial form = WH Moule
Best bowler in first innings of first team figures = 3-23

second innings score of first team = 57/5
overs in second innings of first team = 33.3
Highest scorer for second innings of first team = Frank Penn (cricketer)
Highest scorer for second innings of first team initial form = F Penn
Highest score for second innings of first team = 27*
Highest score for second innings of first team balls faced = 46
Best bowler in second innings of first team = Joey Palmer
Best bowler in second innings of first team initial form = GE Palmer
Best bowler in second innings of first team figures = 3-35

batting second

batting second = Australia
first innings score of second team = 149
overs in first innings of second team = 75.1
Highest scorer for first innings of second team = Harry Boyle
Highest scorer for first innings of second team initial form = HF Boyle
Highest score for first innings of second team = 36*
Highest score for first innings of second team balls faced = 47
Best bowler in first innings of second team = Fred Morley
Best bowler in first innings of second team initial form = F Morley
Best bowler in first innings of second team figures = 5-56

second innings score of second team = 327
overs in second innings of second team = 176.3
Highest scorer for second innings of second team = Billy Murdoch
Highest scorer for second innings of second team initial form = WL Murdoch
Highest score for second innings of second team = 153*
Highest score for second innings of second team balls faced = 358
Best bowler in second innings of second team = Fred Morley
Best bowler in second innings of second team initial form = F Morley
Best bowler in second innings of second team figures = 3-90

winning team = England
win margin = 5 wickets
stadium = The Oval
city = London
country = England
umpire1 = HH Stephenson
umpire1 initial form = HH Stevenson
umpire1 country = England
umpire1 country short form = ENG
umpire2 = RA Thoms
umpire2 initial form = RA Thoms
umpire2 country = England
umpire2 country short form = ENG
MOTM = -
MOTM initial form = -
MOTM country = -
MOTM ctry short form = -
[http://uk.cricinfo.com/link_to_database/ARCHIVE/1880S/1880/AUS_IN_ENG/AUS_ENG_T_06-08SEP1880.html Full Scorecard]

Note: 4 ball overs.

ee also

*History of Test cricket from 1877 to 1883

External links

* [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Seasons/Tours_1880.html CricketArchive]

External sources

* [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Seasons/1880_ENG.html CricketArchive – season summaries]

Annual reviews

* "James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual" (Red Lilly) 1881
* "John Lillywhite's Cricketer's Companion" (Green Lilly) 1881
* Wisden Cricketers Almanack 1881

Further reading

* Derek Birley, "A Social History of English Cricket", Aurum, 1999
* Bill Frindall, "The Wisden Book of Test Cricket 1877-1978", Wisden, 1979
* Chris Harte, "A History of Australian Cricket", Andre Deutsch, 1993
* Ray Robinson, "On Top Down Under", Cassell, 1975
* Ralph Barker & Irving Rosenwater, "England v Australia: A compendium of Test cricket between the countries 1877-1968", Batsford, 1969, ISBN 0-7134-0317-9, pp6-7.