March 15 down the years
Test cricket's first day
History is made in Melbourne
England's 1876-77 squad that played the first Test • ESPNcricinfo Ltd
The 1876-77 squad which played the first Test against Australia at Melbourne in March 1877 pictured shortly before they left England. Back: Harry Jupp, Tom Emmett, Alfred Hogben (a sponsor of the trip), Allan Hill, Tom Armitage. Front: Ted Pooley, James Southerton, James Lillywhite jnr, Alfred Shaw, George Ulyett, Andrew Greenwood. On ground: Harry Charlwood, John Selby.
1877
The day Test cricket began. The match between Australia and England, at the MCG, was only subsequently awarded Test status, and was originally billed as "All England v A Combined New South Wales and Victoria XI". Neither side was at full strength: Australia, who were effectively a combined Melbourne and Sydney XI, had no Frederick Spofforth. England had no amateurs - which meant no Grace, for a start - and no wicketkeeper, after Surrey's Ted Pooley was arrested in New Zealand the day after a gambling scam. Australia's Charles Bannerman, who was born in Kent, faced the first ball from Alfred Shaw, scored the first run, off the next ball, and the first hundred as well. He went on to 165 - the only century of his first-class career - before retiring hurt when George Ulyett smashed one of his fingers. In all, he scored 67.3% of his team's total of 245, which is still a record, 130-odd years later. Australia eventually won by 45 runs: on the same ground 100 years later, they beat England by exactly the same margin in the Centenary Test, which was arranged to celebrate this inaugural match.
Tom Kendal took 8 wkts in 71 ovs Conceded 109 runs while Banerman scored 165 retired hurt out of 245, next best score was 18 runs
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