James Lillywhite junior of Sussex, captain and promoter of the touring English professionals, became the first England Test captain when his side took the field at Melbourne on 15 March 1877. England lost the match by 45 runs but won the rematch a fortnight later, levelling the unofficial series.
Lillywhite came from a famous Sussex cricket family. His uncle William Lillywhite was the great roundarm bowler of the 1830s; his cousin John published the cricket annual that became Wisden's main competitor in the 1870s.
The Australian XI's challenge was accepted at short notice. Lillywhite chose his eleven from a touring party of twelve, leaving out Henry Charlwood from the rematch only.
Lillywhite was 35, a left-arm slow-medium bowler from Westhampnett, Sussex, and the cousin of John Lillywhite the cricket publisher. He had organised the 1876-77 tour as a private commercial venture, recruiting eleven professionals from northern and southern English counties. The party travelled by P&O steamer, played fifteen-a-side fixtures around Australia and New Zealand, and arrived in Melbourne in March 1877 expecting another colonial fixture. The eleven-a-side challenge from the Australian XI was accepted partly because the gate was guaranteed. Lillywhite top-scored with 10 in England's second innings of 108. As captain he was outmanoeuvred by Gregory's bowling changes and lost the match. He won the rematch in early April but lost his strongest professional, Pooley, to the Christchurch jail incident. Lillywhite played only two Tests — both in 1877 — and finished his career as a publisher of cricket annuals and tour promoter.
Lillywhite tosses with Gregory; Australia bat
Top-scores with 10 in England's second innings of 108
Returns to Melbourne for rematch starting 31 March 1877
Wins the rematch by 4 wickets, levelling the series
Sep 1876
Tour party sails from England
Feb 1877
Loses wicketkeeper Pooley to Christchurch jail
15-19 Mar 1877
Captains England in first Test, lost by 45 runs
31 Mar-4 Apr 1877
Captains England in second Test, won by 4 wickets
“Lillywhite was the steadiest of bowlers and the soundest of judges.”
Lillywhite returned to England having lost money on the tour but having helped invent international Test cricket. He partnered with Alfred Shaw and Arthur Shrewsbury in promoting subsequent tours, including the 1881-82 trip. He published Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual until 1900.
England's first Test captain — a Sussex professional who organised the tour himself, lost the first Test by 45 runs, and won the rematch.
Yorkshire v Essex
1932-06-16
On 15-16 June 1932 Herbert Sutcliffe (313) and Percy Holmes (224*) put on 555 for the first wicket against Essex at Leyton, breaking the world first-class record for any wicket and adding a layer of folklore — including a scoreboard that read 554 for several minutes and a hastily reversed declaration — that has clung to the partnership ever since.
Australia v England
1933-02-14
With the fate of the Bodyline series in the balance and England 216 for 6 chasing 340, Eddie Paynter checked himself out of a Brisbane hospital where he was being treated for acute tonsillitis, taxied to the Gabba in pyjamas and a dressing gown, and batted for nearly four hours to score 83. England drew level on first innings, won the Test by six wickets and the series 4-1.
Australia
1934-09-25
Days after the 1934 Oval Test, Bradman fell seriously ill with appendicitis that progressed to peritonitis. With antibiotics not yet available, he was given little chance of survival; his wife Jessie left Adelaide on a sea voyage to England prepared for the worst. He recovered after weeks of intensive nursing in a London nursing home and returned to first-class cricket the following Australian summer.