Cricket facts and records: List of firsts in Test cricket

Cricket is being played since 16th century. The sources have found evidence that the first instance of the game “Cricket” was recorded way back around 1550 in Surrey in England.

It was first considered a children’s game but in 1610, it was found that even adults played it. Then the game slowly gained popularity in England during the 17th and 18th centuries.

After major developments, cricket became the national game of England and hence, it is always said that the Englishmen were the ones to start this sport. The first ever international match was played between USA and Canada in 1844.

Drawing of the first international cricket match – USA vs CAN, 1844

Test cricket is the first format of cricket, which began in late 1877. After almost a century, in 1971, the second format was introduced – the one day internationals. Test cricket is played for 5 days while one day internationals (ODIs) are limited over games which are played in one day.

In the 21st century, the latest format known as Twenty20 was introduced in 2005.

Let’s have a brief look at all the events, milestones and records which occurred first in the Test cricket:

First in cricket (Test Cricket)

Records of teams

First Test match

The first ever Test match was played on 15th March 1877 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground between Australia and England. Australia won the match by 45 runs.

The gold medal presented to the Sussex and England cricketer Harry Charlwood on the occasion of the first official Test Match between England and Australia which commenced on 15th March 1877 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground

First toss

The first toss in Test cricket was won by Australia, who chose to bat in the first Test match.

First wins

The first ever win was registered by Australia when they defeated England by 45 runs in the inaugural Test match.

The first win by ten wickets was registered by Australia against England at Melbourne, 1879.

The first win by an innings was registered by England when they defeated Australia by an Innings and 27 runs at Melbourne, 1883.

Batting records

Charles Bannerman – Faced the first ball, scored first run, boundary, fifty and century in Test cricket

First ball in Test cricket

The first ball in Test cricket was faced by Charles Bannerman of Australia.

First run

The first run was scored by Charles Bannerman of Australia.

First four

The first four was hit by Charles Bannerman of Australia.

First six

The first six in Test cricket was hit by Joe Darling (Aus) vs England at Adelaide Oval on 14 January 1898.

First milestones

The first half-century (50) in Test cricket was scored by Charles Bannerman (Aus) on 15th March 1877 vs Eng at MCG.

The first century (100) in Test cricket was scored by Charles Bannerman (Aus) on 15th March 1877 vs Eng at MCG.

The first 150 in Test cricket was scored by Charles Bannerman (165*) on 16th March 1877 vs Eng at MCG.

The first double century (200) in Test cricket was scored by Billy Murdoch (Aus). He scored 211 runs vs England at The Oval on 12th August 1884.

The first 250 was scored by Tip Foster (Eng). He scored 287 vs Australia at Sydney on 14th December 1903 (on debut).

The first triple century (300) in Test cricket was scored by Andy Sandham (Eng). He scored 325 runs vs West Indies at Kingston on 4th April 1930.

The first 350 was scored by Sir Len Hutton (Eng). He scored 364 vs Australia at The Oval on 23rd August 1938.

The first quadruple century (400) was scored by Brian Lara (WI). He scored 400* vs England at St.John’s on 12th April 2004.

Brian Lara – The first batsman to score 400 runs in a Test Innings

Bowling records

First wicket and hauls

The first wicket was taken by Allen Hill (Eng) to dismiss Nat Thomson for 1 run as bowled.

The first 5-wicket haul in an innings is by Billy Midwinter (Aus). He had figures of 5/78 in the first innings of the inaugural Test.

The first bowler to take 10 wickets in a match is Fred Spofforth (Aus). He finished with figures of 13/110 vs England at Melbourne on 2nd January 1879.

The first bowler to take 15 wickets in a match is Johnny Briggs (Eng). He finished with 15/28 vs South Africa at Cape Town on 25th March 1889.

The first bowler to take all 10 wickets in an innings is Jim Laker (Eng). He took 10/53 vs Australia at Manchester on 26th July 1956.

Jim Laker – First bowler to take all 10 wickets in an innings

Individual milestones – Matches

The first player to play 25 Test matches is Jack Blackham (Aus), on 13th August 1888. He played 35 matches in his career.

The first player to play 50 Test matches is Syd Gregory (Aus), on 26th July 1909. He finished his Test career with 58 matches.

The first player to play 75 Test matches is Wally Hammond (Eng), on 24th June 1939. He played 85 Test matches in his career.

The first player to play 100 Test matches is Colin Cowdrey (Eng), on 11th July 1968. He played 114 Tests in his career.

Colin Cowdrey – First player to play 100 Test matches

The first player to play 125 Test matches is Sunil Gavaskar (Ind), on 13th March 1987. He played 125 Test matches.

The first player to play 150 Test matches is Allan Border (Aus), on 3rd December 1993. He finished his career with 156 Test matches.

The first player to play 175 Test matches is Sachin Tendulkar (Aus), on 16th December 2010. He has played 198 Test matches so far and is on the way to become the first ever player to play 200 Test matches.

First dismissals – All types

The first batsman to be out or dismissed was Nat Thomson (Aus). He was dismissed bowled for 1 run by Allen Hill. He is also the first batsman to be dismissed bowled on 15th March 1877.

The first batsman to be dismissed caught was Tom Horan (Aus). He was caught by Allen Hill for 12 runs off the bowling of Alfred Shaw in the first Test match on 15th March 1877.

The first batsman to be dismissed as run out was Dave Gregory (Aus). He was run out at the score of 1 run in the first ever Test match on 15th March 1877.

The first batsman to be dismissed LBW was Harry Jupp (Eng). He was out LBW by Tom Garrett (Aus) for 63 runs in the first Test match on 16th March 1877.

The first batsman to be dismissed caught and bowled was James Lillywhite Jnr (Eng). He was dismissed on 10 runs by Tom Kendall in the first Test match on 17th March 1877.

The first batsman to be dismissed stumped was Alfred Shaw (Eng). He was stumped on 2 by Jack Blackham (wicketkeeper) in the first Test on 19th March 1877.

The first batsman to be dismissed hit wicket was George Bonner (Aus). He was dismissed by the England bowler Ted Peate on score of 6 runs at Old Trafford on 11th July 1884.

The first batsman to be dismissed handled the ball was Russell Endean (SA) vs Eng at Cape Town on 5th January 1957.

The first and the only batsman to be dismissed obstructing the field was Sir Len Hutton (Eng) vs SA at the Oval on 18th August 1951.

The first batsman to be dismissed retired out was Marvan Atapattu (SL). He left the field after scoring 201 vs Bangladesh at Colombo on 7th September 2001.

No batsman has been dismissed as “Timed out” or “Hitting the ball twice” in Test cricket.

*Caught and Bowled is not one of the dismissal types in Cricket.

This was a short description about some of the major records and facts in Test history. Stay tuned for the future article consisting details about first players to cross every 1000 run mark, bowlers with each 100 wicket mark, first man of the match award winner, first man of the series award winner, first centuries by captains, first centuries in losses, and many more records.

*Cricket facts and records – First in Test cricket is a compilation of the first occasion of any happening in Test cricket.