1886 – Australia’s Cricket Tour of England

This is the Deluxe hardcover Edition of 1886, featuring a wrap around dust jacket. Both the hardcover and paperback editions are also available from 1M1 books.

"The outcome of trawling through newspapers of the time and many other documents has enabled Philip to write a story, a wonderful story, unmatched by any other cricket book I have read."
- Stan Gilchrist ASM OAM

Cricket history, as recorded by condensed versions of matches in large cricket books which ignore the details of matches played almost 140 years ago, dubbed the 1886 tour of England as disastrous. It was anything but...

When the Australian cricket team left for England in 1886 All-England Elevens had been playing cricket against combined Australian Elevens when Australia and England played the first historical Tests in Melbourne in 1877. They won one each.

In Melbourne in 1879 they played one Test which Australia won. They played at The Oval in 1880 and England won making it two victories apiece. Then came 4 Tests in Australia in 1882. The first was a draw, the next two were won by Australia and the fourth was also a draw. Later in the year in 1882 the Australia side played one All England match at the Oval against the tourists.

Australia won it in extraordinary circumstances, giving them their first victory on English soil in their second Test in England. After 9 Tests between the countries, just two in England, the win - loss - draw ratio was W5 - L2 - D2. When England visited Australia in 1884 once again Two tests were played in Melbourne and two in Sydney. This time England won the first Test in Melbourne and the second Test in Sydney making the Test record 7 - 4. Later in the same year another Australian side toured England and this time they were given more respect than before as England hosted the Australian tourists.

There were three All England - All Australia matches. One in Manchester, the third at Kennington Oval and the first at Lord's. Two Tests were drawn and the other was lost, bringing the historical Test record to 7 to Australia and 5 to England. Three losses and two wins in Australia in 1884/85 made it 9 to 8. Of the 16 Tests in Australia, Australia led 8 – 6. Of the five Tests in England, England led 2 - 1.

When the Australian side left for England in 1886 they were ahead of their foes by 1 victory, the encounters barely in Australia’s favour. 1886 was the pivotal moment in cricket history when the underdogs, the Colonials, fought the Imperialists to preserve that proud record.