Australian cricket team in England and North America in 1878
Encyclopedia
In 1878, an Australian cricket team
made the inaugural first-class
tour of England by a representative overseas side. The tour followed one made by an England cricket team to Australia in 1876/77, during which the first Test matches
were played.
Although no Test matches were played in 1878, the tour proved to be such an outstanding financial and sporting success that the future of international cricket was assured.
The Australian team was managed by John Conway
and captained by Dave Gregory
. William Charles Valentine Gibbes acted as the team's assistant-manager and secretary. Conway was a canny journalist from Geelong
in Victoria while Gregory and Gibbes were both Sydney
-based accountants with the New South Wales
Public Service. These three cricket enthusiasts were the architects of the venture. They and the players each contributed the sum of 50 pounds to finance the expedition and later shared equally in the handsome profits that their enterprise generated, having carted the match takings around with them in a closely guarded strong-box all the time that they were away.
Gregory demonstrated excellent leadership and tactical skills throughout the long tour, while Fred Spofforth
became the star performer of the team. Cricket scholars consider him to have been one of the greatest fast bowlers in the history of the game.
See also: 1878 English cricket season
on 29 March 1878 in the SS City of Sydney, reaching San Francisco on 27 April, having called at Auckland
and Honolulu en route. They then travelled across America by train, a potentially hazardous undertaking in the era of the James-Younger Gang
and others, though Frank
& Jesse James
were still in hiding after the abortive Northfield Raid
in 1876. The Australians sailed from New York
on 4 May in the SS City of Berlin, which docked at Liverpool
on 13 May. The team caught the train to Nottingham
and arrived there at 12:15 on 14 May to a large reception. On 20 May, they began their first match at Trent Bridge
against Nottinghamshire
.
The Australian party was composed of: J Conway (manager), WCV Gibbes (assistant-manager), DW Gregory (captain), FE Allan
, GH Bailey, Alec Bannerman, Charles Bannerman
, JMcC Blackham
(wicket-keeper), HF Boyle
, TW Garrett
, TP Horan
, WE Midwinter
, WL Murdoch
(along with Charles Bannerman, the side's best batsman) and FR Spofforth, the original "Demon Bowler". Midwinter was already in England and, as described below, became embroiled in the shenanigans of the famous cricketing clan led by WG Grace. He joined the tourists in Nottingham and played against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.
versus Australians at Lord's
. The Australians established their reputation for all time by a nine wicket victory inside five hours in one of the most sensational games in history. A very strong MCC team, led by WG Grace himself, was bowled out for 33 (Spofforth 6-4, including a hat trick) and though they in turn dismissed the Aussies for 41 (Shaw 5-10, Morley 5-31), MCC in their second innings were out for just 19 (Boyle 5-3, Spofforth 5-16). The Australians needed 12 to win, which was a substantial total in the conditions, but they lost only their star batsman Charles Bannerman in getting them. Spofforth's match analysis was 14.3 overs, five maidens, 20 runs, 11 wickets. This match inspired Punch
to publish the following verse:
20 – 22 June. Middlesex versus Australians at Lord's and Surrey versus Gloucestershire at The Oval
. Shortly before play was due to begin at Lord's, WG Grace and others of the Gloucestershire camp turned up and effectively "nabbed" Billy Midwinter, taking him to the Oval to play for Gloucestershire. Midwinter had played for them in 1877 and Grace argued that he was bound to continue if required. Since Gloucestershire had arrived at the Oval with only ten players, Midwinter most definitely was required.
A dispute ensued and all sorts of agreements and contractual arrangements were argued over. It seems that WG was at first rude and insulting, then tried to brazen it out before offering a guarded apology and eventually getting around to his favourite topic: money. Midwinter apparently did quite well out of it all despite being anything but an innocent party. The Aussies got some satisfaction when they beat Middlesex by 98 runs without Midwinter while Gloucestershire, with Midwinter, lost by 16 runs to Surrey. But the real revenge came later.
5 – 6 Sept. Gloucestershire versus Australians (Clifton College). Australians won by 10 wkts. This was the champion county's only home defeat of the season. All three Graces were playing but not Midwinter. Aussie revenge was complete thanks to a 12-90 match haul by the Demon, though he did not get WG's wicket.
11 – 12 Sept. Players versus Australians at Prince's Ground
ended the Australian tour and was also the last time Prince's Ground (in Chelsea) was used as a first-class venue, Middlesex having moved to Lord's in 1877.
At the end of their tour, the Australians sailed from Liverpool on 18 September in the SS City of Richmond. They arrived in New York over a week later and went on to Philadelphia where they played the Philadelphian cricket team
on 3–5 October at the Germantown Ground. This match was subjected to disputes and walk-offs before it ended in a draw. They also played some other games in America and then went by train to San Francisco which they left on 28 October in the SS City of New York, arriving in Sydney on 25 November after being away for almost eight months.
Ancillary note: In San Francisco, the Australian team had played a California XXII side composed of members from the Occidental and Oakland Cricket Clubs. The Oakland club was the first cricket team established on the East Bay, which became home to several cricket teams between 1878 and 1913. This was the first time a California side played an Australian national side.
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
made the inaugural first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
tour of England by a representative overseas side. The tour followed one made by an England cricket team to Australia in 1876/77, during which the first Test matches
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
were played.
Although no Test matches were played in 1878, the tour proved to be such an outstanding financial and sporting success that the future of international cricket was assured.
The Australian team was managed by John Conway
John Conway (cricketer)
John Conway was an Australian professional cricketer and team manager who played first-class cricket from 1861–62 to 1879–80....
and captained by Dave Gregory
Dave Gregory (cricketer)
David William Gregory was an Australian cricketer of the 19th century. A right-handed batsman, Gregory was the first Australian national cricket captain, leading the side for the first three recognised Test matches between England and Australia in March and April 1877 and January 1879...
. William Charles Valentine Gibbes acted as the team's assistant-manager and secretary. Conway was a canny journalist from Geelong
Geelong, Victoria
Geelong is a port city located on Corio Bay and the Barwon River, in the state of Victoria, Australia, south-west of the state capital; Melbourne. It is the second most populated city in Victoria and the fifth most populated non-capital city in Australia...
in Victoria while Gregory and Gibbes were both Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
-based accountants with the New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
Public Service. These three cricket enthusiasts were the architects of the venture. They and the players each contributed the sum of 50 pounds to finance the expedition and later shared equally in the handsome profits that their enterprise generated, having carted the match takings around with them in a closely guarded strong-box all the time that they were away.
Gregory demonstrated excellent leadership and tactical skills throughout the long tour, while Fred Spofforth
Fred Spofforth
Frederick Robert "Fred" Spofforth , also known as "The Demon Bowler", was arguably the Australian cricket team's finest pace bowler of the nineteenth century and was the first bowler to take 50 Test wickets, and the first to take a test hat-trick in 1879...
became the star performer of the team. Cricket scholars consider him to have been one of the greatest fast bowlers in the history of the game.
See also: 1878 English cricket season
1878 English cricket season
The 1878 English cricket season is remembered for the first official tour by an Australian team, although it played no Test Matches; and for the match that inspired a famous poem.-Champion County:* Middlesex, Nottinghamshire -Events:...
The Journey
The team sailed from SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
on 29 March 1878 in the SS City of Sydney, reaching San Francisco on 27 April, having called at Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
and Honolulu en route. They then travelled across America by train, a potentially hazardous undertaking in the era of the James-Younger Gang
James-Younger gang
The James-Younger Gang was a notable 19th-century gang of American outlaws that included Jesse James.The gang was centered in the state of Missouri. Membership fluctuated from robbery to robbery, as the outlaws' raids were usually separated by many months...
and others, though Frank
Frank James
Alexander Franklin "Frank" James was a famous American outlaw. He was the older brother of outlaw Jesse James.-Childhood:...
& Jesse James
Jesse James
Jesse Woodson James was an American outlaw, gang leader, bank robber, train robber, and murderer from the state of Missouri and the most famous member of the James-Younger Gang. He also faked his own death and was known as J.M James. Already a celebrity when he was alive, he became a legendary...
were still in hiding after the abortive Northfield Raid
Northfield, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,147 people, 4,909 households, and 3,210 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,452.2 people per square mile . There were 5,119 housing units at an average density of 732.1 per square mile...
in 1876. The Australians sailed from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
on 4 May in the SS City of Berlin, which docked at Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
on 13 May. The team caught the train to Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
and arrived there at 12:15 on 14 May to a large reception. On 20 May, they began their first match at Trent Bridge
Trent Bridge
Trent Bridge is a Test, One-day international and County cricket ground located in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, England and is also the headquarters of Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club. As well as International cricket and Nottinghamshire's home games, the ground has hosted the Finals Day of...
against Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Nottinghamshire, and the current county champions. Its limited overs team is called the Nottinghamshire Outlaws...
.
The Members of the Touring Party
Frank Allan
Francis Erskine "Frank" Allan was an Australian cricketer who played in 1 Test in 1879....
, GH Bailey, Alec Bannerman, Charles Bannerman
Charles Bannerman
Charles Bannerman was an Australian Test cricketer, a right-hand batsman, who played domestic cricket for New South Wales....
, JMcC Blackham
Jack Blackham
John McCarthy Blackham was a Test cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia.A specialist wicket-keeper, Blackham played in the first Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in March 1877 and the famous Ashes Test match of 1882...
(wicket-keeper), HF Boyle
Harry Boyle
Henry Frederick Boyle was a leading Australian Test cricketer of the late 1870s and early 1880s....
, TW Garrett
Tom Garrett
Thomas William Garrett was an early Australian Test cricketer and, later, a distinguished public servant.-Early life:...
, TP Horan
Tom Horan
Thomas Patrick Horan was an Australian cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia, and later became an esteemed cricket journalist under the pen name "Felix". The first of only two Irish-born players to play Test cricket for Australia, Horan was the leading batsman in the colony of Victoria...
, WE Midwinter
Billy Midwinter
William Evans Midwinter was a cricketer who played four Test matches for England, sandwiched in between eight Tests that he played for Australia...
, WL Murdoch
Billy Murdoch
William Lloyd Murdoch was an Australian cricketer, who captained the Australian team on tours to England in 1880, 1882 , 1884 and 1890...
(along with Charles Bannerman, the side's best batsman) and FR Spofforth, the original "Demon Bowler". Midwinter was already in England and, as described below, became embroiled in the shenanigans of the famous cricketing clan led by WG Grace. He joined the tourists in Nottingham and played against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.
Matches and Incidents
27 May. MCCMarylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
versus Australians at Lord's
Lord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board , the European Cricket Council and, until August 2005, the...
. The Australians established their reputation for all time by a nine wicket victory inside five hours in one of the most sensational games in history. A very strong MCC team, led by WG Grace himself, was bowled out for 33 (Spofforth 6-4, including a hat trick) and though they in turn dismissed the Aussies for 41 (Shaw 5-10, Morley 5-31), MCC in their second innings were out for just 19 (Boyle 5-3, Spofforth 5-16). The Australians needed 12 to win, which was a substantial total in the conditions, but they lost only their star batsman Charles Bannerman in getting them. Spofforth's match analysis was 14.3 overs, five maidens, 20 runs, 11 wickets. This match inspired Punch
Punch (magazine)
Punch, or the London Charivari was a British weekly magazine of humour and satire established in 1841 by Henry Mayhew and engraver Ebenezer Landells. Historically, it was most influential in the 1840s and 50s, when it helped to coin the term "cartoon" in its modern sense as a humorous illustration...
to publish the following verse:
- The Australians came down like a wolf on the fold,
- The Marylebone cracks for a trifle were bowled;
- Our Grace before dinner was very soon done,
- And Grace after dinner did not get a run.
20 – 22 June. Middlesex versus Australians at Lord's and Surrey versus Gloucestershire at The Oval
The Oval
The Kia Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of The Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth. In the past it was also sometimes called the Kennington Oval...
. Shortly before play was due to begin at Lord's, WG Grace and others of the Gloucestershire camp turned up and effectively "nabbed" Billy Midwinter, taking him to the Oval to play for Gloucestershire. Midwinter had played for them in 1877 and Grace argued that he was bound to continue if required. Since Gloucestershire had arrived at the Oval with only ten players, Midwinter most definitely was required.
A dispute ensued and all sorts of agreements and contractual arrangements were argued over. It seems that WG was at first rude and insulting, then tried to brazen it out before offering a guarded apology and eventually getting around to his favourite topic: money. Midwinter apparently did quite well out of it all despite being anything but an innocent party. The Aussies got some satisfaction when they beat Middlesex by 98 runs without Midwinter while Gloucestershire, with Midwinter, lost by 16 runs to Surrey. But the real revenge came later.
5 – 6 Sept. Gloucestershire versus Australians (Clifton College). Australians won by 10 wkts. This was the champion county's only home defeat of the season. All three Graces were playing but not Midwinter. Aussie revenge was complete thanks to a 12-90 match haul by the Demon, though he did not get WG's wicket.
11 – 12 Sept. Players versus Australians at Prince's Ground
Prince's Cricket Ground
Prince's Cricket Ground in Chelsea, London was a cricket ground, created by two brothers by the name of Prince, on which 37 first-class matches were played between 1872 and 1878. The ground was built on in 1883...
ended the Australian tour and was also the last time Prince's Ground (in Chelsea) was used as a first-class venue, Middlesex having moved to Lord's in 1877.
American leg of the tour
Philadelphian cricket team
The Philadelphian cricket team was a team that represented Philadelphia in first-class cricket between 1878 and 1913. Even with the United States having played the first ever international cricket match against Canada in 1844, the sport began a slow decline in the country. This decline was...
on 3–5 October at the Germantown Ground. This match was subjected to disputes and walk-offs before it ended in a draw. They also played some other games in America and then went by train to San Francisco which they left on 28 October in the SS City of New York, arriving in Sydney on 25 November after being away for almost eight months.
Ancillary note: In San Francisco, the Australian team had played a California XXII side composed of members from the Occidental and Oakland Cricket Clubs. The Oakland club was the first cricket team established on the East Bay, which became home to several cricket teams between 1878 and 1913. This was the first time a California side played an Australian national side.
Aftermath of the Midwinter incident
Meanwhile, back in England, the Graces endured months of controversy about the payments they received as supposed amateurs, much of which had come to light as a result of the Midwinter affair. Charges were brought against them at a stormy meeting of the Gloucestershire club's members and they were vilified in the press. In the end, little came of it. The Graces had too much influence. WG was simply too popular to be challenged and EM as a coroner was seen to be a "pillar of the community". So, although their ears burned, they escaped censure and nothing much changed.External sources
Annual reviews
- James Lillywhite's Cricketers' AnnualJames Lillywhite's Cricketers' AnnualJames Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual was a cricket annual edited by Charles W Alcock the secretary of Surrey County Cricket Club between 1872 and 1900. It is generally referred to as Red Lillywhite because of colour of the cover. It was published by James Lillywhite, Frowd & Co...
(Red Lilly) 1879 - John Lillywhite's Cricketer's Companion (Green Lilly) 1879
- Wisden Cricketers' AlmanackWisden Cricketers' AlmanackWisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
1879
Further reading
- Derek BirleyDerek BirleySir Derek Birley was an English educator and writer who had a strong interest in sport, especially cricket.He was educated at grammar school in Hemsworth, West Yorkshire, and at Queens' College, Cambridge University....
, A Social History of English Cricket, Aurum, 1999 - Chris Harte, A History of Australian Cricket, Andre Deutsch, 1993
- Ray Robinson, On Top Down Under, Cassell, 1975
- Jack Pollard, The Complete Illustrated History of Australian Cricket, revised edition, Viking, 1995