Cricket has found a mention in history as early as the late 16th century in south-east England, but the first test match with official status was played in 1877.

The England cricket team had travelled to Australia before on several occasions, not for a professional cricket match, but in response to an invitation. This was the first time that the James Lillywhitejnr led side was travelling for a business venture.

The team arrived on the Australian shores after a six-week trip to New Zealand. Unlike today's team squads which travel with 15-16 squad players alongside the 8-10 coaches, staff members and support personnel, England were travelling with just a 12-member squad.

When wicketkeeper Ted Pooley was locked up in Christchurch for gambling, the already depleted squad was further weakened. They were barely able to field an XI, with the specialist wicket-keeper gone missing. On top of that, there was no concept of a rest day.

Merely 24 hours after reaching ashore, Lillywhite's XI came up against a Combined Australian XI comprising players from Victoria and New South Wales. The game was recognised as the first match between two representative sides and was later given the honour being cricket's first official Test.

With Pooley not available, reserve keeper Harry Jupp was stationed behind the wickets with the wicket-keeping gloves. Jupp did not allow his inflammation of eyes to come in the way as he finished as the top scorer for England with 63 in the first essay.

Australia's pace duo of Fred Spofforth and Billy Murdoch did not seem too interested in taking the field, but Tom Kendall proved enough for the England batters as he picked up 8 wickets in the game. In pursuit of 154 in the last innings, England were bowled out for 108 and suffered a 45-run defeat.

1,500 spectators witnessed the event at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The distinction of bowling the first ball in Test cricket went to Alfred Shaw. The delivery was faced by Charles Bannerman. Allen Hill's dismissal of Nat Thompson became the first wicket in Test cricket.

As a result, Hill became the first bowler to pick up a wicket while Thompson's name became immortal in test history as the first batsman to be dismissed. Edward Gregory registered the unwanted record of becoming the first batsman to be dismissed for a duck.