User:Maypm/Players of the First Ashes Test 1882-83

The First Ashes Test. England and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, January 1883.

The first Ashes Test was held in Australia between England and Australia from December 1882 to January 1883. The English team consisted of twelve players captained by Ivo Bligh. The Australian team was made up of members drawn from the team that had recently won the Test played in England under the captaincy of Billy Murdoch.

This was the first time that the term “the ashes” was associated with cricket. It originated in 1882 after the defeat of the English Cricket team at Kensington Oval in London. A few days later after this defeat a mock obituary notice appeared in the Sporting Times which read:

“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. RIP. NB. The body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia.” "

It had previously been arranged that a cricketing team captained by Ivo Bligh would tour Australia in 1882-1883. This team then became the English hope of victory. Before leaving England for Australia, Bligh pledged to bring back “The Ashes” of English cricket.

Overview

The English Cricket Team that played in the First Ashes Test. They were captained by Ivo Bligh. Standing: William Barnes, Frederick Morley, Charles Thomas Studd, George Frederick Vernon, Charles Frederick Henry Leslie. Centre Row: George Browne Studd, Edward Ferdinando Sutton Tylecote, Ivo Bligh (captain), Allan Gibson Steel, Walter William Read. Front Row: Richard Gorton Barlow, Willie Bates.

The Australian Team that played in the First Ashes Test. They were captained by Billy Murdoch. Players: Back row, left to right - Eugene Palmer, Harry Boyle, William Murdoch (seated), Percy McDonnell, Fred Spofforth, Tom Horan, Samuel Jones. Front row, left to right - Mr Beal (manager), George Giffen, Alick Bannerman, Tom Garrett, Hugh Massie, George Bonner. Missing: John Blackham.

The first Test match of this Series was held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 30 December 1882 and at the close of play on the third day Australia was victorious by nine wickets. The next Test was held on 19-22 January 1883 again at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and this time the English won. The Third and deciding Test was held at the Sydney Cricket Ground from 26 to 30 January. The photo above shows the play between Australia and England during this Third Test. The English won and it was generally agreed that they had won the First Ashes Series.

A booklet called “St Ivo and the Ashes” was written by R. D. Beetson outlining the full record of the First Ashes matches. In the introduction Beetson says.

"The Australian Cricket Season saw the arrival in the antipodes of the Hon. Ivo Bligh and his team, who have since won such golden opinions from all classes in all the colonies they visited during their tour.

In replying to the toast of “The English Team,” on his arrival in Melbourne, Mr. Bligh humorously declared that he and his eleven had come to “beard the kangaroo in his den, and try to recover those ashes.”

Beetson outlined in a humorous manner the various matches played during the Ashes Test. His description of the last day of the Series is as follows.

"On the morning of the fourth day, with 153 to get to win, a hot sun glowing overhead, and a “baked” wicket, Giffen and Bannerman led the van. Giffen was bowled for 11, and the stonewaller well caught at point for 5. Murdoch was caught for a-” duck’s egg,” and the “ashes” floated loosely on Australian soil. Then Horan was run out for 8, and Massie caught for 11. Six wickets for 33 runs; and “all Lombard-street to a China orange” that the “ashes” were recovered. Blackham and Bonner pulled the score up to 56, when Barlow scattered the “giant’s” timbers. Spofforth filled the gap, and, with the score at 72, put one into Steel’s hands, and sought the inner recesses of the pavilion. Barlow next bowled Blackham for 26, and Garrett for a “duck’s egg,” Palmer carrying his bat out for 2; and the match was over, won by the Englishmen by 69 runs."

The Ashes Urn was presented to the English Cricket Team during this Series. It is generally agreed that it was given to the English Captain Ivo Bligh as a personal memento by two ladies of Melbourne at the historic mansion called Rupertswood. These two ladies were Lady Janet Clarke who lived at Rupertswood and Florence Morphy who later married Ivo Bligh.

The English Team

Ivo Bligh	Hon. Ivo Francis Walter Bligh (captain) was born on 13 March 1859. Aged only 23 he is still the youngest man to be captain in Anglo-Australian Test matches. He was the second son of the 6th Earl of Darnley who at the time owned Cobham Hall, a very large mansion in Kent. His family had a long association with Kent cricket. Ivo was 6 feet 3 inches tall and was said to be a very good right-handed batsman, known for his powerful driving and cutting and was excellent in the outfield. He was educated at Eton School and then went to Cambridge University where he became captain of the cricket team in his final year. He was also part of the team of Gentlemen in the contest called Gentlemen verses Players at Lords Cricket Ground in 1879 and 1880. In the latter year he was one of only two batsmen to score over 1000 first –class runs during the season. After this he was troubled by illness and the Ashes Series in 1882-83 was the last major cricket match that he played. In 1900 he inherited his father’s estate at Cobham Hall and his title of Lord Darnley. He died in 1927 at the age of 68.
Richard Barlow	Richard Gorton Barlow was born in 1851 in Lancashire into a working class family. He was one of the four professionals in the English team. Leaving school at fourteen he at first found work in a printing office but then became a moulder in an Iron Works. He became a professional cricketer in 1871 at the age of twenty. Barlow was a good right-hand opening batsman and an accurate left-arm medium pace bowler. He was also said to be an excellent fieldsman. He had toured Australia in the previous year when he made a half-century in the opening Test and was the leading wicket-taker for England. After this Ashes tour he continued to play for Lancashire at cricket until 1891 when he was forty. He was very interested in physical fitness and was a non-smoker and teetotaler. After he finished his cricket career he was financially secure as he had established a business as a cricket outfitter at Manchester Victoria Station. He died in 1919 at the age of 68.
Billy Barnes	William Barnes was born in 1852 in Nottinghamshire. His early employment was as a cotton weaver but at the age of 19 he started his career as a professional cricket player. He played for Nottinghamshire between 1875 and 1894 during which time he appeared in 257 matches. In all he played in 459 first-class matches including 21 Test Matches. In these Test Matches he averaged 23 with the bat and 15 with the ball. He was regarded as an abrasive character and his worsening alcoholism led to the end of his career as a player for Nottinghamshire in 1894. After this he became landlord of the Angel Inn in Mansfield Woodhouse but he died only five years later in 1899 at the age of 46.
Willie Bates	William Bates was born in 1855 and was the youngest of the four professionals in the English Ashes Team. In his youth he was employed as a woolen weaver but at the age of 17 he became a professional cricketer. He was said to be a good right-handed middle order batsman and an outstanding right round-arm off break bowler with an excellent talent for spin. He played in 299 first-class matches, including 15 Tests. In the tests he averaged 27 with the bat and 16 with the ball. At the age of 32 he was hit in the eye while practicing in the nets in Melbourne and his career came to an end. After this he did some coaching and played club cricket. In December 1900 he wanted to attend the funeral of another cricketer John Thewlis but while there he caught a cold and died the following month. He was only 45.
Charles Leslie	Charles Frederick Henry Leslie was born in 1861 in London. He was the third son of Henry Leslie who owned a mansion called Bryn Tanst in Llansaintffraid, Wales . He was educated at Oxford and in his first year he scored a century and topped the University’s batting averages. Charles was the youngest member of the English team being only 21. At that time he was still a student at Oxford and when the team returned to England he resumed his studies and continued to play for Oxford University. After he left Oxford he played very little cricket. He became Managing Director of an important shipping firm and amassed considerable wealth. He owned a large house in Hanover Square London and died there in 1921 aged 59.
Fred Morley	Frederick Morley was born in 1850 in Sutton in Ashfield Nottingham. He and his family were employed as framework knitters in the hosiery industry. He became a professional cricketer at the age of 19 in 1869. He was a fast bowler and often took 100 wickets in a single season. He played in the 1880 Kensington Oval Test Match where he captured five for 56 in Australia’s first innings. On the voyage to Australia for the 1882-3 Ashes Test match Morley was injured on the boat. He sustained a broken rib from which he never fully recovered. After he returned to England he played very little cricket and in 1884 at the age of only 33 he died of congestion and dropsy.
Walter Read	Walter William Read was born in Reigate, Surrey in 1855. His father Robert Read was a schoolteacher and ran the Reigate Commercial School. In 1873 at the age of 22 he represented his county and was for many years regarded as one of the best amateur batsmen in England. He was described by W. G. Grace as one of the great batsmen of the age because of his excellent defense and vigorous hitting. He remained a cricketer all his life and became assistant Secretary of Surrey County Club so that he could continue playing for them as amateur He captained England Twice and won both of his Tests he was still with the Surrey Club when he died in 1907 at the age of 51.

The quick brown fox