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The extraordinary depth of grief and outpouring of heartfelt emotion and sincerity at Phil Hughes passing is an experience quite unprecedented in my lifetime.
On one level it says a great deal about Hughes and both his immediate and extended family, outstanding members of the community, all of them. On another level, it says something about the enormous hold cricket has on the Australian psyche.
It’s an affinity and an affection that stretches back to the very first Test match played by Australia in 1877, against England. Heroes from that year and every year since continue to resonate on the national psyche.
It is often said that being the Test cricket captain is the second most important job in Australia to the prime minister.
Some might argue the Test captain is way ahead! Great players are put on a pedestal in the same way that sporting heroes are revered in other sports in other countries.
Cricket is to Australians what rugby union is to New Zealand; football is to Brazil; baseball is to the USA, or ice hockey is to Canada.
It’s difficult to imagine the passing of any other national sportsman of Hughes’ calibre and level, could have the same effect on Australians across the country, as has Philip Hughes.
Over a decade ago, when I was arguing the necessity of a national comp in rugby union (long before the unfortunate ARC or regrettable NRC), I used the example of cricket.
You can travel all over Australia and walk into any pub and ask, “what do you think of the cricket”, and everyone is immediately on the same page. Not so football.
You can travel all over Australia and walk into any pub and ask, “what do you think of the footy”, and if you’re a stranger the pub crowd might first inquire, “which footy are you referring to?”
Because in Australia we have four football codes – Australian (AFL), association (soccer), rugby league and rugby union. Many Australians might follow two footy codes, but very few follow all four. Although that is slowly changing.
There were folk who came out with the First Fleet in 1788, who were versed in the skills of cricket. The first interstate game was between Tasmania and Victoria, way back in 1851. This was about eight years before Melburnians decided on their own form of footy.
Meanwhile, back in Britain, other aficionados were many years from deciding whether football ought to be feet only (soccer) or a combination of hands and feet (rugby).
The Sheffield Shield for interstate cricket commenced officially in 1892, a whole nine years before Federation in 1901. Cricket’s roots run very deep in this country.
Not every country town across Australia has a footy oval or rugby league field but almost every country town has a cricket ground.
Whether you live in Narrogin WA, or Quorn SA, or Deloraine Tasmania, or Horsham Victoria, or Galaganbone NSW, or Longreach Queensland, there is almost certainly a cricket ground.
So who were our first Test cricketers way back in 1877? There is a saying, “Cometh the hour, cometh the man.”
Australian cricket mined a rich vein of talent, right from the get-go.
Incredibly, four (Bannerman, Blackham, Murdoch and Spofforth) of the 14 players used in those first two Tests produced displays over their careers that resonate today of the highest order, while our first great cricketing family (Gregory) also made itself known to us.
First Test at Melbourne, Mach 1877.
Charles Bannerman (b. 1851), NSW, right bat. Three Tests. Bannerman was our first great batting star and his career is a case of “what might have been.” He achieved two records in his first innings which still stand today, 137 years later.
His 165 (retired hurt) remains the highest score on debut by an Australian. Even more incredibly, his contribution of runs (165 out of 245, or 67.35%) to innings total runs has never been surpassed to this day.
He also topped the batting averages and aggregates on the first tour of England in 1878.
He was later a Test umpire. Bannerman’s younger brother Alick enjoyed a long career as Test opener in 28 Tests, but without his older brother’s flair.
Nat Thompson (b. 1838), NSW, right bat. Two Tests. The first batsman to be dismissed in Test cricket, Thommo was sadly past his best when he played in these first-ever Test matches.
Tom Horan (b. 1854), Vic, right bat, right medium. 15 Tests. An aggressive batsman, he was considered one of our better players of the late 19th century.
After retirement, he continued to write on the game, under the pseudonym of ‘Felix’, for the Australasian newspaper.
Dave Gregory (b. 1845), NSW, right bat. Three Tests. Our first Test captain, and by all accounts, the right man for the job.
Like Blackham with his keeping, Gregory set the template for future captains with his skillful and thoughtful leadership. With his full, flowing beard, he could have been a dead ringer for Ned Kelly! A member of the distinguished Gregory clan.
Bransby Cooper (b. 1844), Vic, right bat. Only Test. Cooper was a bit of a world traveler who settled in Melbourne in the years before the first Test.
With his extensive cricketing and travelling experience, he played a leading part in Australian cricket’s formative years.
Bill Midwinter (b. 1845), Vic, right bat, right medium. 12 Tests. Represented both Australia (9 Tests) and England (3 Tests) as a useful all-rounder.
Could probably lay claim to being Australian cricket’s first full time professional, travelling between Australia and England almost annually to play cricket.
Ted Gregory (b. 1839), NSW, right bat. Only Test. The elder statesman of the Gregory clan, he was clearly past his best when he played this Test, scoring the first ‘duck’ in Test cricket.
Gregory was nevertheless, an outstanding fielder in his day and is also credited with designing the first SCG scoreboard during the 1890s, where he was ground curator.
His son Syd played 58 Tests during the ‘golden age’ from mid-1890s to beginning of WW1.
Jack Blackham (b. 1854), Vic, right bat, wicket keeper. 35 Tests. What a beauty! Known as ‘the Prince of wicket keepers.’ Set the template for all Aussie keepers to follow. Revolutionised keeping, dispensing with the long-stop.
Also moved up to the stumps except to the fastest of bowlers. 32 players have kept wicket for Australia over 137 years, but only 11 have done so in more than 20 Tests. That’s some consistency of performance.
‘Demon’ Spofforth refused to play the first Test because he reckoned his mate Murdoch should have been keeper. He quickly changed his mind when he saw how good Blackham was behind the stumps.
Tom Garrett (b. 1858), NSW, right bat, right fast medium. 19 Tests. Baby of the team at only 18. He was a quasi all-rounder, providing useful batting at 7 or 8 and backing up the opening bowlers with pace and swing.
Tom Kendall (b. 1851), Vic, left bat, slow left arm. Two Tests. A wily spinner, after retirement Kendall became an outstanding coach of players in Tasmania.
John Hodges (b. 1856), Vic), left bat, left fast medium. Two Tests. Apparently a mysterious and shadowy figure from the early days. Interestingly, his Test debut was also his first-class debut.
For the second Test, Kelly, Murdoch and Spofforth replaced Horan, Cooper and Ted Gregory.
Second Test at Sydney, March 1877.
Tom Kelly (b. 1851), Vic, right bat. Two Tests. His great claim to cricketing fame was as a good fine-point fieldsman. Learnt his cricket in Grace (family) country, otherwise known as Gloucestershire.
Bill Murdoch (b. 1854), NSW, right bat, backup keeper. 19 Tests. Took over from Bannerman to become the greatest Aussie batsman of the late 19th century. Was also our first great long-term captain.
A player of immense concentration, quick footwork and attractive strokeplay, he scored the first double century (211) in Test cricket in 1884. Born in Victoria, he also died there from a heart attack while watching a Test at the MCG in 1911.
Fred Spofforth (b. 1853), NSW, right bat, right fast medium. 18 Tests. Nicknamed the ‘Demon’, Spofforth was our first great fast bowler. He was still a regular all-time first XI selection right up to the beginning of the 1980s.
Possessed a classical high action, cleverly disguised variations of pace, plenty of bowling variety and wizardry and a finely tuned tactical mind. Plus a Dennis Lillee like air of malevolence.
So there you have it, our first Test cricketers from 1877.
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