15 March , 1877 - Australia-England face off in the first ever Test

March 15, 1877, the day when the first ever international cricket match was played between England and Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Dave Gregory’s Australia went on to win the match by 45 runs. The Test match finished within four days but interestingly, there was one rest day between three consecutive days of the game. Australian opener, Charles Bannerman became the first man on earth to score an international run. He also became the first-ever centurion, scoring a brilliant 165 before being retired hurt after spending more than 285 minutes in the middle. 

England’s Alfred Shaw bowled the first ball in international cricket and picked up a 3 wicket haul. Batting first, Australia scored a solid 254 runs in their first inning. England, in response, could only manage 196 runs, handing Australia a handy lead of 49. Billy Midwinter went to bag the first ever five-wicket hall. Backing up his first inning performance, Alfred Shaw picked up a five wicket haul and helped England bowl out Australia for 104 in their second inning.

England were given a target of 154 runs to win but a magnificent spell of fast bowling by Tom Kendall, which saw him bag 7 wickets, broke the spine of English batting as the visitors were bowled out 108, losing the match by 45 runs. England bounced back in the series and won the second Test by 4 wickets as the series ended in a 1-1 draw.