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 many 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
No.DateOpponentsVenueResultRef 13–14 May 18 of St Luke's Antelope Ground, Southampton Won by an innings and 22 runs 1 17–18 May Derbyshire County Ground, Derby Won by eight wickets 18 May Derbyshire (fill-up match) County Ground, Derby Drawn 20–22 May 18 of Longsight East Road, Longsight, Manchester Won by ten wickets 22 May 18 of Longsight (fill-up match) East Road, Longsight, Manchester Drawn 27–29 May 18 of Rochdale Butcher Meadow, Rochdale Won by an innings and 26 runs 29 May 18 of Rochdale (fill-up match) Butcher Meadow, Rochdale Drawn 31 May–2 June 18 of Keighley Hard Ings Road, Keighley Drawn 3–4 June 18 of Burnley and District Turf Moor, Burnley Won by an innings and 27 runs 5 June 18 of Burnley and District (fill-up match) Turf Moor, Burnley Drawn 7–9 June 18 of Malton Old Malton Road, Malton Won by four wickets 2 10–11 June Yorkshire Dewsbury and Savile Ground, Dewsbury Won by five wickets 11–12 June Yorkshire (fill-up match) Dewsbury and Savile Ground, Dewsbury Drawn 14–16 June 18 of North Ormeau Cricket Ground, Belfast Won by nine wickets 17–18 June 18 of Dublin University College Park, Dublin Drawn 21–23 June 18 of Birmingham Aston Lower Grounds, Birmingham Won by an innings and 9 runs 23 Jun 1880 18 of Birmingham (fill-up match) Aston Lower Grounds, Birmingham Drawn 24–26 June 18 of Northampton St James' End, Northampton Won by eight wickets 28–29 June 18 of Harrogate St George's Road, Harrogate Won by ten wickets 29–30 June 18 of Harrogate St George's Road, Harrogate Drawn 1–3 July 18 of Newcastle upon Tyne Bath Road Ground, Newcastle upon Tyne Drawn 5–6 Jul 1880 18 of Middlesbrough Linthorpe Road West Ground, Middlesbrough Won by an innings and 26 runs 7 July 18 of Middlesbrough (fill-up match) Linthorpe Road West Ground, Middlesbrough Drawn 8–10 July 18 of Broughton Broughton Cricket Club Ground, Salford Drawn 12–14 July Leicestershire Grace Road, Leicester Drawn 16–17 July 18 of Werneth The Coppice, Oldham Won by an innings and 21 runs 17 July 18 of Werneth (fill-up match) The Coppice, Oldham Drawn 19–20 July 18 of Crystal Palace Crystal Palace Park, Crystal Palace Won by ten wickets 3 22–24 July Yorkshire Fartown, Huddersfield Drawn 26–28 July 18 of Hull Argyle Street, Hull Drawn 29–31 July 18 of Crewe Alexandra Athletic Ground, Crewe Drawn 4 2–4 August Gloucestershire Clifton College Close Ground, Clifton, Bristol Won by 68 runs 4 August Gloucestershire (fill-up match) Clifton College Close Ground, Clifton, Bristol Won by ten wickets 5–7 August 18 of Hunslet Woodhouse Hill Ground, Hunslet Won by eight wickets 7 August 18 of Hunslet (fill-up match) Woodhouse Hill Ground, Hunslet Drawn 9–10 August 18 of Bradford Park Avenue Cricket Ground, Bradford Won by ten wickets 10–11 August 18 of Bradford (fill-up match) Park Avenue Cricket Ground, Bradford Won by three wickets 12–13 August 18 of Sunderland Chester Road, Sunderland Won by an innings and 38 runs 13–14 August 18 of Sunderland (fill-up match) Chester Road, Sunderland Drawn 19–21 August 18 of Scarborough North Marine Road, Scarborough Lost by 90 runs 23–25 August 18 of Yeadon White Swan Ground, Yeadon Won by an innings and 65 runs 26–28 August 18 of Stockport Higher Hilgate, Stockport Lost by 100 runs 28 August 15 of Stockport (fill-up match) Higher Hilgate, Stockport Drawn 30 August–1 September 18 of Hastings Central Recreation Ground, Hastings Drawn 5 6–8 September ENGLAND Kennington Oval, London Lost by five wickets 10–11 September 18 of Glasgow Titwood, Glasgow Drawn 6 13–15 September Sussex County Ground, Hove Drawn 16–18 September Scotland Raeburn Place, Edinburgh Won by six wickets 7 20–22 September Players of the North Park Avenue Cricket Ground, Bradford Drawn 8 23–25 September Nottinghamshire Trent Bridge, Nottingham Lost by one wicket 9 27–29 September Players Crystal Palace Park, Crystal Palace Won by two wickets 29 September Players (fill-up match) Crystal Palace Park, Crystal Palace Drawn
Test match
See also History of Test cricket from 1877 to 1883
References
External links CricketArchive
Sources 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, , pp6–7.