The First Test Match in Cricket History: Full Explanation

The first-ever Test match in cricket history was played between Australia and England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) from March 15 to March 19, 1877. This historic game marked the beginning of what would become the longest and most prestigious format of cricket.

Background

Cricket had been played for centuries in England, but the concept of an international match between nations was still in its infancy. England was regarded as the birthplace and stronghold of the game. Australia, with its own growing cricket culture, had hosted touring English teams before, but these were informal matches. The 1877 tour was the first officially recognized series.

The decision to hold a "Test" match between England and Australia came during England’s tour of Australia. The match was organized by Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC), and it was decided that it would be played over a longer period (up to five days) and follow the rules of first-class cricket.

The Teams

Australia: The Australian side included local cricketers, some of whom were quite new to the international scene. The captain was Dave Gregory.
England: England's team, led by James Lillywhite, had more experience. However, they lacked some of their top players due to travel restrictions, as crossing from England to Australia was a long and difficult journey at the time.

The Match - Day by Day

Day 1: March 15, 1877

Toss and First Innings (Australia Batting):

Australia won the toss and chose to bat first.
Charles Bannerman, opening for Australia, created history by becoming the first-ever Test batsman to face a ball and went on to dominate the innings.
Bannerman played a remarkable knock, scoring 165 runs, becoming the first cricketer to score a century in Test cricket. He was eventually forced to retire hurt after being hit on the hand by a ball. This was the highest individual score of the match and remained a key reason for Australia’s competitive total.
The rest of the Australian batting lineup struggled, but Bannerman’s heroics helped them reach a total of 245 all out.
Alfred Shaw, the English bowler, made history by taking the first wicket in Test cricket when he bowled Ned Gregory. Shaw ended up with 5 wickets for 38 runs in this innings, becoming the first bowler to take five wickets in a Test innings.

Day 2: March 16, 1877

England’s First Innings:

England started their innings with Harry Jupp and Harry Charlwood opening, but they struggled to counter the Australian bowlers.
Wickets fell at regular intervals, and no English batsman could take full control of the game. The highest scorer for England was Harry Jupp, who made 63 runs.
Australia’s bowlers, especially Billy Midwinter, kept up the pressure. Midwinter took 5 wickets for 78 runs in the innings.
England was bowled out for 196 runs, giving Australia a 49-run lead at the end of the first innings.

Day 3: March 17, 1877

Australia’s Second Innings:

Australia's second innings was much less impressive than their first. They struggled with the bat, and England's bowlers, particularly Alfred Shaw and George Ulyett, made things difficult for them.
Australia was bowled out for just 104 runs.
George Ulyett was the key bowler for England in this innings, taking 3 wickets for 39 runs.
England now needed 154 runs to win the match with two days remaining.

Day 4: March 19, 1877 (Day 4 was played after a rest day on March 18)

England’s Second Innings:

England’s chase of 154 runs seemed achievable, but the Australian bowlers had other ideas. Australia’s Tom Kendall, a left-arm spinner, bowled brilliantly, taking 7 wickets for 55 runs, one of the best bowling performances in early Test cricket.
England’s batsmen again struggled against the Australian attack, and despite a fighting 41 runs from Harry Jupp, England collapsed for just 108 runs, falling 45 runs short of their target.

End of the Match

Australia won the match by 45 runs, marking the first-ever victory in Test cricket.

Key Performances:

Charles Bannerman: Scored the first-ever century in Test cricket (165 runs), an incredible achievement that became the cornerstone of Australia’s first innings.
Tom Kendall: Took 7 wickets for 55 runs in England’s second innings, ensuring Australia’s victory with his impressive bowling performance.
Alfred Shaw: England’s leading bowler, who took 5 wickets for 38 runs in the first innings and was pivotal in restricting Australia’s second innings.

Match Significance

This historic match was the birth of Test cricket, the longest and arguably the most prestigious format of the game. It also started the enduring rivalry between Australia and England, which later evolved into the famous Ashes series in 1882.

The format and spirit of Test cricket, which focuses on skill, endurance, and strategy over long periods of time, has since become the highest level of the sport. The first Test laid the foundation for the international cricket structure that would follow, with Test cricket becoming the pinnacle of cricketing excellence.

The First Test Match in Cricket History: Full Explanation