A little
English Test Cricket
History (Very Brief)
Although the
first ever International cricket match was played in 1844 between Canada and the
United states ( ! ), the first ever official Test Match started on the 15th
of March 1877 between England and Australia in Melbourne and consisted of
just two matches. The Australians won the first by 45 runs but England won the
second by 4 wickets, resulting in a series draw. The latest team to
have been admitted to test Cricket is Bangladesh (see below).
The term
"test" means exactly what it says. The series are played over several days
during which time the teams have to show, not only sporting talent, but
also tactics and forward thinking - a little like chess - something which in
latter years seems to have escaped some international players who seem more
intent on showing the flashy strokes they can perform rather than thinking
of the team as a whole. We will mention no names (WIndies).
Whilst there's no
Test Series between Australia and England in 2008, no page on
English Test Cricket would be complete without at least a brief mention
of The Ashes and the infamous Bodyline.
The term Ashesgoes back to the to the 9th Test Match, played in 1882 between
Australia and England in Australia, when England lost the series
resulting in a London newspaper running a satirical obituary heralding the
'death
of English cricket'. The ashes are supposed to be a bail which was burnt
to commemorate the death.
Many believe that
Bodyline was a direct result of England wanting to regain
the Ashes in the 1932-33 test series in Australia. It was a term given
to a bowling tactic devised by England Captain Douglas Jardine, primarily to curb the brilliant batting of
Don Bradman by fast accurate bowlers such as Harold Larwood, bowling directly at the line of the body,
which had the effect of intimidating batsmen who, at that time wore
very little protection and so would need to duck and dive to avoid
getting hit by the hurtling ball. The practise caused an international row,
not only between the cricketing bodies in England and Australia but also
affected political relations between the two countries.
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