The first ever Test match was played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in March 1877 — Australia beat England by 45 runs, with Charles Bannerman scoring the first century in Test cricket history (165 retired hurt).
Cricket had been played in England for over 150 years before 1877, with touring matches between England and Australia becoming increasingly regular. The 1877 match at the MCG was not formally designated a 'Test match' until many years later — the participants simply knew it as the most important cricket match yet played.
An English touring party led by James Lillywhite had been touring Australia through 1876-77. The Melbourne match was the culmination — a full representative match between the two countries.
Australia batted first. Charles Bannerman — a professional cricketer from New South Wales — opened the batting and immediately asserted dominance. He made 165 retired hurt — the first century in Test history, accounting for 67% of Australia's total.
England replied with 196. Australia then made 104 in their second innings. England, needing 154 to win, were bowled out for 108. Australia won by 45 runs — the first Test result in cricket history.
The significance of the match was not fully understood at the time. It was only decades later, as cricket formalised its record-keeping, that 1877 Melbourne was designated the first Test and Charles Bannerman's innings became the origin point of an entire statistical tradition.
Charles Bannerman's 165 retired hurt — the first century in Test history
Australia win by 45 runs — the first Test result
Cricket's entire statistical history begins here
March 15, 1877
Australia bat first — Bannerman's 165 retired hurt
March 16, 1877
England reply with 196
March 19, 1877
England bowled out for 108 — Australia win by 45 runs
The origin point of the greatest team sport's most prestigious format. Everything in Test cricket — every record, every statistic, every milestone — traces its lineage to this match in Melbourne in 1877.
Australia vs West Indies
1960-12-14
The first tied Test in 86 years of cricket history — Australia and West Indies finished level on 737 runs each after five days of breathless cricket in Brisbane, producing one of the most dramatic finishes the game has ever seen.
India vs Australia
1986-09-22
Twenty-six years after Brisbane, cricket produced only its second tied Test — Dean Jones's heroic 210 through crippling heat and Dean Jones's fever, Ravi Shastri's unbeaten 48 and India needing 2 off the last over, only for Maninder Singh to be out lbw off the final ball.
Australia vs South Africa
1999-06-17
Lance Klusener smashed Australia to the brink of elimination, then ran out Allan Donald off the penultimate ball to tie the match — but Australia advanced to the final on superior run rate, ending South Africa's greatest World Cup campaign in devastating fashion.