Australian cricket team in New Zealand in 1880–81

The Australian cricket team toured New Zealand in January and February 1881. The Australians played ten matches against provincial teams, nine of which fielded 22 players (the other team, Canterbury, fielded 15) with the aim of providing more evenly-matched contests. Two further brief matches were played to fill the allotted time after a scheduled match finished early. As none of the matches were 11-a-side they are not considered to have been first-class.

The team

Only Murdoch, Blackham, Boyle and Spofforth had toured New Zealand with the Australians in 1877-78.

George Bonnor was unable to tour owing to a leg injury, and Alick Bannerman forwent the tour to be with his sick mother and sister in Sydney.^[1] Moule missed the early matches owing to a hand injury he incurred in Hobart on the way over.

Tobin played only four matches. White was a young player from the East Melbourne club who went on the tour as permanent twelfth man,^[1] but owing to injuries to the other players he ended up playing in eight matches. He batted last in all of them, never reached double figures, and did not bowl.

The matches

Southland v Australians, Rugby Park, Invercargill, 17, 18 January 1881. Southland XXII 43 and 74; Australians 200. Australians won by an innings and 83 runs.

Despite arriving in Bluff from Australia on the morning of the match,^[2] the Australians were in good form. Spofforth (10 for 19) and Palmer (9 for 21) dispatched Southland in the first innings, and Boyle (11 for 45) and Alexander (7 for 25) in the second. Murdoch was the Australians' highest scorer with 40; no Southland player exceeded 15.^[3]

As with the 1877-78 match, the newspapers referred to the local team as Invercargill, not Southland.

Otago v Australians, Caledonian Ground, Dunedin, 20, 21, 22 January 1881. Australians 112 and 105; Otago XXII 83 and 90. Australians won by 44 runs.

Hugh MacNeil, who had made the highest score by either side with 28 when the Australians played Otago in 1877-78, repeated the feat this time with 44 in the second innings, and added 5 for 28 with the ball in the Australians' first innings. He received a trophy valued at ten guineas.^[4] Murdoch was the Australians' top scorer with 25 in the first innings. Spofforth and Palmer bowled unchanged, Spofforth taking 8 for 47 and 8 for 37, Palmer 12 for 33 and 11 for 39. The Australians scored slowly: just under one run per four-ball over.^[5]

Oamaru v Australians, Northern Ground, Oamaru, 24, 25 January 1881. Oamaru XXII 54 and 88; Australians 118 and 18 for 0. Drawn.

The Australians' train from Dunedin was delayed on the morning of the match, and consequently play did not begin that day until a quarter to two.^[4] Groube was the highest scorer on either side with 30. Again Spofforth and Palmer did all the Australians' bowling, Spofforth taking 13 for 13 and 7 for 39, Palmer 7 for 28 and 11 for 35.^[6] Rain interrupted play on the second day, depriving the Australians of the chance of victory.^[7]

South Canterbury v Australians, South Canterbury Athletic Club Ground, Timaru, 26, 27 January 1881. Australians 218; South Canterbury XXII 43 and 67. Australians won by an innings and 108 runs.

Canterbury v Australians, Hagley Oval, Christchurch, 29, 30, 31 January 1881. Canterbury XV 90 and 133; Australians 323. Australians won by an innings and 100 runs.

Canterbury had inflicted the only defeat on the 1877-78 Australians. When Canterbury were dismissed for 90 in their first innings this time, Murdoch wagered he would beat their total on his own; he made 111.^[8]

Canterbury v Australians, Hagley Oval, Christchurch, 1 February 1881 (fill-in match). Australians 65 for 3; Canterbury XV did not bat. Drawn.

Wellington v Australians, Basin Reserve, Wellington, 5, 7 February 1881. Wellington XXII 82 and 68; Australians 171. Australians won by an innings and 21 runs.

Wellington v Australians, Basin Reserve, Wellington, 8 February 1881 (fill-in match). Wellington XII 18; Australians 8 for 0. Drawn.

Nelson v Australians, Victory Square, Nelson, 9, 10 February 1881. Nelson XXII 83 and 77; Australians 72. Drawn.

Wanganui v Australians, Racecourse Ground, Wanganui, 11, 12 February 1881. Australians 49 and 83; Wanganui XXII 48 and 86 for 11. Wanganui won by 10 wickets.^[9]

Hawke's Bay v Australians, Nelson Cricket Ground, Hastings, 16, 17, 18 February 1881. Hawke's Bay XXII 79 and 74; Australians 154. Australians won by an innings and one run.

Auckland v Australians, Auckland Domain, Auckland, 22, 23 February 1881. Australians 144 and 117; Auckland XXII 90 and 7 for 5. Drawn.

Leading players

Spofforth took 148 wickets and Palmer 141.^[10]

Hugh MacNeil's 44 for Otago and William Barton's 44 for Wanganui were the highest scores made against the Australians on their two tours of New Zealand.

References

1 2 "The Australian Eleven". Otago Daily Times (5910): 2. 18 January 1881. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
↑ "Australian Eleven v. Invercargill Twenty-Two". Southland Times (3923): 2. 18 January 1881. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
↑ "Southland v Australians 1880-81". CricketArchive. Retrieved 15 January 2018. (Subscription required (help)).
1 2 "The Australians in New Zealand". Star (3983): 3. 25 January 1881. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
↑ "Otago v Australians 1880-81". CricketArchive. Retrieved 15 January 2018. (Subscription required (help)).
↑ "Oamaru v Australians 1880-81". CricketArchive. Retrieved 15 January 2018. (Subscription required (help)).
↑ "Australian Eleven v. Oamaru Twenty-Two". North Otago Times. XXVIII (2686): 2. 26 January 1881. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
↑ Nigel Smith, Kiwis Declare, Random House, Auckland, 1994, p. 20.
↑ "Wanganui v Australians 1880-81". CricketArchive. Retrieved 15 January 2018. (Subscription required (help)).
↑ Don Neely & Richard Payne, Men in White: The History of New Zealand International Cricket, 1894–1985, Moa, Auckland, 1986, p. 30.

External links

Australia in New Zealand 1880-81 at CricketArchive

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[AE-1] 1 2 "The Australian Eleven". Otago Daily Times (5910): 2. 18 January 1881. Retrieved 15 January 2018.

[2] "Australian Eleven v. Invercargill Twenty-Two". Southland Times (3923): 2. 18 January 1881. Retrieved 15 January 2018.

[3] "Southland v Australians 1880-81". CricketArchive. Retrieved 15 January 2018. (Subscription required (help)).

[OM-4] 1 2 "The Australians in New Zealand". Star (3983): 3. 25 January 1881. Retrieved 15 January 2018.

[5] "Otago v Australians 1880-81". CricketArchive. Retrieved 15 January 2018. (Subscription required (help)).

[6] "Oamaru v Australians 1880-81". CricketArchive. Retrieved 15 January 2018. (Subscription required (help)).

[7] "Australian Eleven v. Oamaru Twenty-Two". North Otago Times. XXVIII (2686): 2. 26 January 1881. Retrieved 15 January 2018.

[8] Nigel Smith, Kiwis Declare, Random House, Auckland, 1994, p. 20.

[9] "Wanganui v Australians 1880-81". CricketArchive. Retrieved 15 January 2018. (Subscription required (help)).

[10] Don Neely & Richard Payne, Men in White: The History of New Zealand International Cricket, 1894–1985, Moa, Auckland, 1986, p. 30.

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