The 1882 Australia v England series was at the time considered to be part of another first-class cricket

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 combined team from the Australian colonies, but the match arranged between the Australians and an England side was later accepted to be a Test match

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...

. Although it was not known at the time, the one-off match played 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...

 in south London would become the birth of The Ashes

The Ashes

The Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia. It is one of the most celebrated rivalries in international cricket and dates back to 1882. It is currently played biennially, alternately in the United Kingdom and Australia. Cricket being a summer sport, and the venues...

.

The English side had lost the previous tour to Australia, but had remained undefeated at home by visiting Australian sides. Australian victory for the first time in England was widely condemned in the English press, including the publication of a satirical obituary which stated that English cricket had died, and the body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia. The English media then dubbed the next English tour to Australia in 1882–83

English cricket team in Australia in 1882-83

The England national cricket team toured Australia and Ceylon in 1882-83.The team, captained by Ivo Bligh, was on a quest "to recover those Ashes", a reference to the famous RIP notice that was published in the aftermath of England's defeat by Australia at The Oval during the previous English...

 as the quest to regain The Ashes.

Despite the Australia v England match later receiving Test status, and being the match that triggered the birth of The Ashes

The Ashes

The Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia. It is one of the most celebrated rivalries in international cricket and dates back to 1882. It is currently played biennially, alternately in the United Kingdom and Australia. Cricket being a summer sport, and the venues...

, the 1882 match is not considered to be part of The Ashes

The Ashes

The Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia. It is one of the most celebrated rivalries in international cricket and dates back to 1882. It is currently played biennially, alternately in the United Kingdom and Australia. Cricket being a summer sport, and the venues...

 since it precedes the introduction of the trophy.

Squads

England English cricket team The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...

Australia 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...

Albert Hornby (c Captain (cricket) The captain of a cricket team often referred to as the skipper is the appointed leader, having several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player... ) Alfred Lyttelton Alfred Lyttelton Alfred Lyttelton QC was a British politician and sportsman who excelled at both football and cricket. During his time at university he participated in Varsity Matches in five sports: cricket , football , athletics , rackets and real tennis , displaying an ability that made him...  (wk Wicket-keeper The wicket-keeper in the sport of cricket is the player on the fielding side who stands behind the wicket or stumps being guarded by the batsman currently on strike... ) Dick Barlow Dick Barlow Richard Gorton Barlow was a cricketer who played for Lancashire and England... Billy Barnes Billy Barnes William Barnes was a professional cricketer who played for Nottinghamshire between 1875 and 1894 and England between 1880 and 1890. In 1890 he was named as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year. Barnes also toured Australia three times and North America once... William Gilbert Grace Alfred Lucas Ted Peate Ted Peate Edmund Peate was an English professional cricketer who played for Yorkshire and England.-Overview:... Maurice Read Maurice Read John Maurice Read was an English professional cricketer. Wrote Harry Altham of him in that truly magisterial work, A History of Cricket, "Maurice Read had been recognised as a dashing player up to Test Match form, to say nothing of being a wonderful fielder in the country." A hard-hitting and,... George Ulyett George Ulyett George Ulyett was an English all-round cricketer, noted particularly for his very-aggressive batsmanship. A well-liked man , Ulyett was popularly known as "Happy Jack", once musing memorably that Yorkshire played him only for his good behaviour and his whistling... Allan Steel Charles Studd Charles Studd Charles Thomas Studd, often known as C. T. Studd, was born 2 December 1860, Spratton, Northamptonshire, England, and died 16 July 1931, Ibambi, Belgian Congo....

Billy 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...  (captain) A.C. Bannerman Alick Bannerman Alexander Chalmers Bannerman was an Australian cricketer who played in 28 Tests between 1879 and 1893.... J.McC. 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... G.J. Bonnor George Bonnor George John Bonnor was an Australian cricketer, known for his big hitting, who played between 1880 and 1888.-Career:... H.F. Boyle Harry Boyle Henry Frederick Boyle was a leading Australian Test cricketer of the late 1870s and early 1880s.... Tom Garrett Tom Garrett Thomas William Garrett was an early Australian Test cricketer and, later, a distinguished public servant.-Early life:... George Giffen George Giffen George Giffen was a cricketer who played for South Australia and Australia. An all-rounder who batted in the middle order and often opened the bowling with medium-paced off-spin, Giffen captained Australia during the 1894–95 Ashes series and was the first Australian to score 10,000 runs and... Tom 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... Sammy Jones Sammy Jones Samuel Percy "Sammy" Jones was an Australian cricketer who played twelve Tests between 1882 and 1888.... Hugh Massie Hugh Massie Hugh Hamon Massie was a cricketer who played for New South Wales and Australia.Massie's role in the 1882 Ashes Test at The Oval was almost as pivotal in deciding the result as Fred Spofforth's celebrated performance with the ball... F.R. 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...

Only Test: England v Australia (28–29 August 1882)

Day one

Billy 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...

 won the toss for Australia and chose to bat first. The decision proved a poor one though, as Australia were easily skittled out for a meagre 63 in 80 overs, taking just over 2 hours. The captain himself tried to offer resistance with a slow defensive 13, and experienced wicket-keeper/batsman Jack 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...

 top-scored with 17, but the only other batsman to reach double-figures was Tom Garrett

Tom Garrett

Thomas William Garrett was an early Australian Test cricketer and, later, a distinguished public servant.-Early life:...

 with 10. Inspired bowling from opening bowler Ted Peate

Ted Peate

Edmund Peate was an English professional cricketer who played for Yorkshire and England.-Overview:...

 who took 4 for 31, and Dick Barlow

Dick Barlow

Richard Gorton Barlow was a cricketer who played for Lancashire and England...

 who produced a devastating 5 for 19, ripped the Australian batting order apart on a greenish wicket that gave more assistance that it first seemed.

England began their run chase with openers Dick Barlow

Dick Barlow

Richard Gorton Barlow was a cricketer who played for Lancashire and England...

 and WG Grace, but 'The Doctor' was unable to reproduce his usual heroics, clean bowled by the express pace of 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...

 for 4. A steady succession of wickets followed with only George Ulyett

George Ulyett

George Ulyett was an English all-round cricketer, noted particularly for his very-aggressive batsmanship. A well-liked man , Ulyett was popularly known as "Happy Jack", once musing memorably that Yorkshire played him only for his good behaviour and his whistling...

 (26 of 59 balls) and Maurice Read

Maurice Read

John Maurice Read was an English professional cricketer. Wrote Harry Altham of him in that truly magisterial work, A History of Cricket, "Maurice Read had been recognised as a dashing player up to Test Match form, to say nothing of being a wonderful fielder in the country." A hard-hitting and,...

 (19 off 54 balls) providing any real resistance as Spofforth's pure pace provided too much firepower for the England line-up to deal with. He collected 7 for 46 off 36.3 overs including an astonishing 18 maidens. Four of his seven dismissals were clean bowled. Despite Spofforth's excellent bowling, England had established a first-innings lead of 38, being all out for 101. Stumps were called at the end of England's first innings.

Day two

The second day began with Australia beginning their second innings. The opening pair of Alick Bannerman

Alick Bannerman

Alexander Chalmers Bannerman was an Australian cricketer who played in 28 Tests between 1879 and 1893....

 and Hugh Massie

Hugh Massie

Hugh Hamon Massie was a cricketer who played for New South Wales and Australia.Massie's role in the 1882 Ashes Test at The Oval was almost as pivotal in deciding the result as Fred Spofforth's celebrated performance with the ball...

 fared much better than in the first innings, putting on 66 for the first wicket - more than the whole team's total in the first innings. The loss of Massie triggered a mini-collapse with Australia losing 4 for 13 over the next few overs before captain Billy 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...

 added a much-needed 29, but the last four wickets then fell for eight runs. Bannerman was top scorer with a well made 55, and Australia were all out for 122 in 63 overs, an overall lead of 84.

The Australians were greatly demoralised by the manner of their second-innings collapse, but fast bowler 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...

, spurred on by some gamesmanship on the part of his opponents, refused to give in. "This thing can be done," he declared. Already on a high from his career best 7 for 46 in the first innings, he set about the destruction of England in the second.

England had reached 15 when Spofforth clean bowled England captain Albert Hornby for 9. He removed Dick Barlow

Dick Barlow

Richard Gorton Barlow was a cricketer who played for Lancashire and England...

 also clean bowled the very next ball to find himself on a hat trick

Hat Trick

Hat trick, hat-trick or hattrick may refer to:* hat-trick — in various sports, achieving three goals, wickets, etc. in a single match* Hattrick — online football management game** Hattrick Limited — producers of this game...

. W G Grace and George Ulyett

George Ulyett

George Ulyett was an English all-round cricketer, noted particularly for his very-aggressive batsmanship. A well-liked man , Ulyett was popularly known as "Happy Jack", once musing memorably that Yorkshire played him only for his good behaviour and his whistling...

 then put together a partnership of 36 before Spofforth had Ulyett caught behind for 11. Grace fell two runs later, caught by Bannerman off the bowling of Harry Boyle

Harry Boyle

Henry Frederick Boyle was a leading Australian Test cricketer of the late 1870s and early 1880s....

 for 32. England were stuttering at 53 for 4, still needing 31 more for victory.

A sluggish 12 off 55 balls from wicket-keeper Alfred Lyttelton

Alfred Lyttelton

Alfred Lyttelton QC was a British politician and sportsman who excelled at both football and cricket. During his time at university he participated in Varsity Matches in five sports: cricket , football , athletics , rackets and real tennis , displaying an ability that made him...

 took England on to 66 for 5, but he then had his middle-stump dramatically uprooted by Spofforth. Steel was caught and bowled by Spofforth for a third-ball duck, and Read was clean bowled for a second-ball duck in the same over. When Lucas was likewise bowled by Spofforth for 5, England were 75 for 8, needing just 10 more runs for victory, but with just two wickets remaining.

The tension was unbearable; contemporary accounts famously report that one spectator dropped dead and another gnawed through the handle of his umbrella. The very next over from the other end, Harry Boyle

Harry Boyle

Henry Frederick Boyle was a leading Australian Test cricketer of the late 1870s and early 1880s....

 removed Barnes for 2 and then, with the last ball of his over, clean bowled Ted Peate

Ted Peate

Edmund Peate was an English professional cricketer who played for Yorkshire and England.-Overview:...

 for 2 to have England all out for 77 off exactly 55 overs.

England's innings had lasted a mere 122 minutes, destroyed by the pace of Spofforth, who bettered his first innings career best by two runs, collecting 7 for 44, to give him match figures of 14 for 90, both of which would remain his finest figures. Spofforth's performance included a burst of four wickets for only two runs to leave England just seven runs short of victory in one of the closest and most nail-biting finishes in the history of cricket

History of cricket

The game of cricket has a known history spanning from the 16th century to the present day, with international matches played since 1844, although the official history of international Test cricket began in 1877...

.

At first the crowd fell deathly silent, unable to fathom how England had collapsed so dramatically. Then as the fine bowling display sank in, they rushed onto the field to congratulate Spofforth and Boyle for their remarkable achievement.

Post match

England's astonishing collapse had shocked the English public, and the press savaged the players. It was the first time England had been beaten in England.
On 31 August, in the great Charles Alcock

C. W. Alcock

Charles William Alcock was an influential English sportsman and administrator. He was a major instigator in the development of both international football and cricket, as well as being the creator of the FA Cup....

-edited magazine Cricket: A Weekly Record of The Game, there appeared a now-obscure mock obituary:

SACRED TO THE MEMORY

OF

ENGLAND'S SUPREMACY IN THE

CRICKET-FIELD

WHICH EXPIRED

ON THE 29TH DAY OF AUGUST, AT THE OVAL

----

"ITS END WAS PEATE"

----

Two days later, on 2 September, a second, more celebrated mock obituary, written by Reginald Brooks under the pseudonym "Bloobs", appeared in The Sporting Times

The Sporting Times

The Sporting Times was a weekly British newspaper devoted chiefly to sport, and in particular to horse racing...

. It read as follows:

In Affectionate Remembrance

of

ENGLISH CRICKET,

which died at the Oval

on

29th AUGUST 1882,

Deeply lamented by a large circle of sorrowing

friends and acquaintances

----

R.I.P.

----

N.B. — The body will be cremated and the

ashes taken to Australia.

Ivo Bligh

Ivo Bligh, 8th Earl of Darnley

Ivo Francis Walter Bligh, 8th Earl of Darnley DL, JP , styled The Honourable Ivo Bligh until 1900, was a British cricketer who captained the English team in the first ever Test series against Australia with the Ashes at stake in 1882/83...

 fastened on to this notice and promised that, on the tour to Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

 in 1882–83 (which he was to captain), he would regain "those ashes". He spoke of them again several times over the course of the tour, and the Australian media quickly caught on. The three-match series resulted in a two-one win to England, notwithstanding a fourth match, won by the Australians, whose status remains a matter of ardent dispute.

In the twenty years following Bligh's campaign, the term "The Ashes" largely disappeared from public use. There is no indication that this was the accepted name for the series—at least not in England. The term became popular again in Australia first, when George Giffen

George Giffen

George Giffen was a cricketer who played for South Australia and Australia. An all-rounder who batted in the middle order and often opened the bowling with medium-paced off-spin, Giffen captained Australia during the 1894–95 Ashes series and was the first Australian to score 10,000 runs and...

, in his memoirs (With Bat and Ball, 1899), used the term as if it were well known.

The true and global revitalisation of interest in the concept dates from 1903, when Pelham Warner

Plum Warner

Sir Pelham Francis Warner MBE , affectionately and better known as Plum Warner, or even "the Grand Old Man" of English cricket was a Test cricketer....

 took a team to Australia with the promise that he would regain "the ashes". As had been the case on Bligh's tour twenty years before, the Australian media latched fervently onto the term, and, this time, it stuck.

Individual records

Most runs	Hugh Massie Hugh Massie Hugh Hamon Massie was a cricketer who played for New South Wales and Australia.Massie's role in the 1882 Ashes Test at The Oval was almost as pivotal in deciding the result as Fred Spofforth's celebrated performance with the ball...	56
Most wickets	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...	14
Most catches (excluding wicket keepers)	William Gilbert Grace	4
Highest individual innings	Hugh Massie Hugh Massie Hugh Hamon Massie was a cricketer who played for New South Wales and Australia.Massie's role in the 1882 Ashes Test at The Oval was almost as pivotal in deciding the result as Fred Spofforth's celebrated performance with the ball...	55
Best innings bowling	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...	7/40 (1st Innings)
Highest match total	Hugh Massie Hugh Massie Hugh Hamon Massie was a cricketer who played for New South Wales and Australia.Massie's role in the 1882 Ashes Test at The Oval was almost as pivotal in deciding the result as Fred Spofforth's celebrated performance with the ball...	56
Best match bowling	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...	14/90

Team records

Best Innings	Australia	122 (2nd Innings)
Worst Innings	Australia	63 (1st Innings)
Tosses Won	Australia	1 (out of 1)