On 1 January 1898 at the MCG, Montague Alfred Noble — a 24-year-old New South Wales medium-pacer and middle-order batsman — made his Test debut against Stoddart's England. He took 6 for 49 in England's second innings as Australia won by an innings and 55 runs. It was the start of a 42-Test career, fifteen as captain, that would produce 121 Test wickets at 25.00 and a reputation as Australia's most complete all-rounder before Keith Miller.
Noble missed the first Test at Sydney (which Australia lost) and was selected for the Melbourne second Test on the back of strong form for NSW including a 7-wicket innings against Victoria.
Noble was born in Sydney in 1873 and qualified by trade as a dental student before settling on cricket as his profession. He had played for New South Wales since 1894, but it took the visit of Stoddart's England team in 1897-98 to bring him to the Test side. He missed selection for the first Test at Sydney; the Melbourne second Test, beginning on New Year's Day 1898, was his debut.
Australia, captained by Harry Trott, won the toss and made 520 — Clem Hill 188 (see entry), Trott himself 79 and McLeod 50 not out. England, beginning their reply late on day two, were dismissed for 315 (Ranji 71, Hayward 33). Following on, they had to bat out two and a half days to save the Test. Noble, brought on first change, found enough off-cutter movement on a worn pitch to take 6 for 49 in 17.4 overs, dismissing Hayward, Stoddart, McLaren and Storer among others. England were dismissed for 150 and lost by an innings and 55 runs.
Noble took 15 wickets across his first two Tests at an average of 17.06. He went on to play 42 Tests, captaining Australia in 15 of them between 1903 and 1909, winning home Ashes series in 1903-04 (lost), 1907-08 and Australia's away tour of 1909. As an all-rounder he scored 1,997 Test runs at 30.25 and took 121 wickets at 25.00 with his medium-paced off-cutters. Many contemporaries — including Wisden in his obituary — considered him 'the greatest all-round cricketer Australia produced'.
1 Jan 1898: Test debut at MCG, batting six and bowling first change.
Australia 520 (Hill 188, Trott 79).
England 315 in reply.
Following on, England dismissed for 150 — Noble 6 for 49.
Australia win by an innings and 55 runs.
Series turns 1-1 after Australia's Sydney loss; Australia eventually win 4-1.
1873
Born in Sydney.
1894
NSW first-class debut.
1 Jan 1898
Test debut at MCG; 6 for 49 second innings.
1903-09
Captains Australia in 15 Tests.
1909
Final Test; Australia win Ashes in England.
1940
Dies aged 67.
“By many people he was regarded as the greatest all-round cricketer produced by Australia.”
Noble took 9 wickets in his second Test, also at Adelaide, and finished his debut series with 19 wickets. He played in every subsequent Australian Test through to 1909, captaining the side in 15 Tests. He served on Sydney Cricket Ground Trust and was a successful businessman after retirement.
A debut that started a captain — Australia's most complete all-rounder before Miller, in his first Test took six.
Noble is the only Australian cricketer with both 1,000 Test runs and 100 Test wickets from before the First World War. The MA Noble Stand at the SCG (built 1936, replaced 2008) carries his name. His captaincy was admired by Bradman, who cited Noble as the captaincy model he most respected.
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.