Dave Gregory — Australia's First Test Captain, March 1877

The Gregory family of Sydney included Dave, his brothers Ned (also in the 1877 XI) and Charles, and later his nephew Syd Gregory who played 58 Tests for Australia between 1890 and 1912. Sydney Cricket Ground's first scoreboard was built by Ned Gregory.

Captaincy of the All-Australian XI was decided shortly before the Melbourne match. Gregory's selection reflected a desire for a non-Victorian leader after the bulk of the side was chosen.

Gregory was 31 years old, a clerk in the New South Wales Audit Office, and the senior pro of a Sydney cricket family that would produce six first-class cricketers and one of Australia's most enduring dynasties. He was selected to lead the Australian XI partly because the Victorians and New South Welshmen could agree on him as a neutral, partly because he was the obvious senior figure in the side, and partly because his brother Ned Gregory was also playing. He won the toss, batted, watched Bannerman score 165, and set careful fields for Kendall and Garrett through the second innings. He scored 1 and 43 with the bat and led Australia to victory by 45 runs. Two years later he captained Australia on the first overseas tour, in 1878, and was at the centre of the 1879 Sydney riot when his cousin Murdoch was given run out by umpire Coulthard.

“A captain who treated his men as equals — rare in colonial cricket.”

Gregory captained Australia in three Tests across 1877 and 1878-79 and led the 1878 tour of England, the first by an Australian XI. After his playing career he returned to public service in NSW, becoming Auditor-General of the colony.