Greatest Cricket Moments

Spofforth's First Test Hat-Trick — Melbourne, 1879

1879-01-02Australia v EnglandOnly Test, Australia v England, MCG2 min readSeverity: Serious

Summary

On 2 January 1879, in only the third Test ever played, Fred Spofforth took the first hat-trick in Test cricket — Vernon Royle bowled, Francis MacKinnon bowled, Tom Emmett lbw — at the MCG. He finished the innings with 6 for 48 and the match with 13 wickets for 110 runs, an Australian win by 10 wickets, and an early sketch of the Demon Bowler legend that would mature at The Oval three years later.

Background

Spofforth was already the leading bowler in Australia. He had been the headliner of the 1878 Australian tour of England, taking 6/4 against MCC at Lord's that May — the spell that earned him 'The Demon' nickname.

Build-Up

The 1878-79 English tour was led by Lord Harris. Only one Test was scheduled. The match began with England 113 in their first innings; Spofforth took 6/48.

What Happened

The match began on Australia Day weekend 1879 between a touring Lord Harris XI and Australia. Spofforth, then 25, had missed the very first Test in 1877 over a wicketkeeper-selection dispute and made his Test debut in this game.

In England's first innings he ran through the middle order. The hat-trick fell on the second day: Royle was bowled, MacKinnon was bowled, and Tom Emmett — the Yorkshire fast bowler batting at number 9 — was given out lbw to make it three in three balls. Spofforth's match figures were 6/48 and 7/62. Australia won by 10 wickets.

It was the only Test match of the entire 1878-79 season, and the only Test Spofforth played for nearly two years (because of the 1879 Sydney Riot diplomatic fallout, which postponed the next Australian tour to England). The hat-trick was the start of Spofforth's habit of mid-innings devastation that would peak at The Oval in 1882.

The other detail: Spofforth's lbw to Emmett was given by umpire George Coulthard — the same umpire who, weeks later in Sydney, would precipitate the cricket riot.

Key Moments

1

Royle bowled — first ball of the hat-trick.

2

MacKinnon bowled — second ball.

3

Tom Emmett lbw — third ball, first Test hat-trick.

4

Spofforth 6/48 first innings.

5

England 160 second innings; Spofforth 7/62.

6

Match figures 13/110.

7

Australia win by 10 wickets.

Timeline

2 Jan 1879

Test begins; England 113 (Spofforth 6/48).

3 Jan 1879

Spofforth's hat-trick: Royle, MacKinnon, Emmett.

4 Jan 1879

Australia win by 10 wickets.

8 Feb 1879

Sydney Riot; Coulthard at centre of next storm.

Notable Quotes

“An exhibition of bowling such as no one in Melbourne can previously have seen.”

— The Australasian, January 1879

Aftermath

Spofforth went on to take his famous 14/90 at The Oval in 1882. Coulthard, who umpired the lbw, would within five weeks be at the centre of the Sydney Riot. Royle, MacKinnon and Emmett never played another Test in Australia.

The Spofforth hat-trick remained the only one in Tests until Billy Bates in 1883 (the first by an England bowler).

⚖️ The Verdict

The first hat-trick in Test cricket, taken by the man who would later define what Test fast bowling looked like.

Legacy & Impact

Spofforth's 1879 hat-trick is the foundational hat-trick in Test cricket — every later one (Briggs, Hugh Trumble, Wilfred Rhodes, Hugh Tayfield, Wasim Akram, Hat-trick of hat-tricks etc.) traces back to it. The MCG plaque commemorating the inaugural Test of 1877 also notes the 1879 hat-trick.

Frequently Asked Questions

Was this in the 1880s decade?▾
Strictly January 1879 — but it sits at the head of the era this collection covers and provided Spofforth's foundational hat-trick that the 1880s legend was built on.
Who were the three batsmen?▾
Vernon Royle (Lancashire), Francis MacKinnon (later 35th Mackinnon of Mackinnon, the longest-lived Test cricketer until Wilfred Rhodes), and Tom Emmett of Yorkshire.

Tags

#spofforth#first-test-hat-trick#1879#melbourne#mcg#australia#england#test-cricket-firsts#demon

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