Catalogue for the auction of
Cricket, Wisden Cricketers’ Almanacks,
Football & Sporting Memorabilia
Held on Friday, Saturday & Sunday
22nd, 23rd & 24th March 2024
Lot 1216
Estimate: £2000/3000
Hammer: unsold
First Test Match in England. England v. Australia 1880. Early and rare original single sided scorecard for the match played at Kennington Oval, 6th- 8th September 1880. The scorecard with the players listed for the start of play and incomplete scores for England’s first innings in pencil. England batted first with W.G. and E.M. Grace opening the batting and putting on 91 for the first wicket before E.M. Grace was dismissed for 36. W.G. went on to score England’s first Test century, making 152. Other contributions came from A.P. Lucas (55) and Lord Harris (52). In reply Australia were bowled out for 149 with Morley taking 5/56. Following on Australia then rallied with 327 including a century by their captain, W.L. Murdoch (153no). England then reached the target of 57 for the loss of five wickets despite both G.F. and E.M. Grace being dismissed for second ball ducks. Other players were W. Barnes, F. Penn, A.G. Steel, A. Lyttelton, A. Shaw for England, A.C. Bannerman, T.U. Groube, P.S. McDonnell, J. Slight, J.M. Blackham, G.J. Bonnor, H.F. Boyle, G.E. Palmer, G. Alexander and W.H. Moule of Australia. Printed by John Sharp of Ludgate Hill. 4.5”x6”. Small loss to lower right corner and slight rounding to other corners, otherwise in good/ very good condition.
The second tour of an Australian team to England was only confirmed after all the English domestic fixtures had already been arranged, with the tourists playing matches mainly in the north. The fixtures were rearranged to accommodate the first Test match to be played in England, which featured the three Grace brothers, W.G., E.M., and G.F. (‘Fred’), and remains the only time three brothers have represented England in the same Test match. Fred Grace, who took what has been described as ‘the most famous deep field catch in history’, developed a cold during the match which escalated to pneumonia and he died just two weeks later aged only 29. The Australians were without their ‘Demon Bowler’, Fred Spofforth, who had injured his hand.