When 'The Ashes' were added in the Dictionary of Cricket.

"When 'The Ashes' were added in the Dictionary of Cricket"

August 28, 1882

The leaves had started to change its color, and the transformation of England's landscape into an array of autumn colors was slowly taking place. But the grass at the Kennington Oval in South London was jazzy-green. The thronging crowd was excited for the beginning of the ninth first class cricket (known as a Test match in modern day cricket) that was about to take place between the inventors of the game and a combined team from the Australian colonies. England appeared to be prepared and confident as they had remained unbeaten on their home soil while the Australians were trying to see the positives in the darkness. 

Nobody knew that this one-off play of two days cricket would mark as one of the most talked-about events in the history of Cricket. 

Day One: Dominance of the English over the Australians.

After winning the toss, Australian captain Billy Murdoch made a decision to bat first. But his decision to put two men in charge and the rest waiting for their turn to take the charge, turned out to be a poor one as the Australians' batting crumbled badly and were restricted to 63 for all by the hosts after a play of 80 overs (four balls per over).
England succeeded in keeping a close rein on Australia. Dick Barlow emerged as the star as he grabbed 5 wickets by giving only 19 runs. He bowled with an impressive economy rate of 0.61, while Ted Peate's economy rate stood close to 0.82, Peate took 4 wickets by giving 31 runs. On the other hand, Australian openers Alec Bannerman and Hugh Massie contributed just 10 runs in the meager total. Captain Murdoch scored only 13 runs. Jack Blackham (17 runs) and Tom Garrett (10 runs) were the other two batsmen who managed to score in double digits, the rest of the middle order plummeted and the tail-enders were no good. 

The beginning of England's innings started off with the opener Dick Barlow on one end of the crease, whereas WG Grace on the non-striker's end. The Ace-of-Pace for Australia, Fred Spofforth splintered the bails and sent Grace back to the pavilion. Soon wickets started to fall at regular intervals until Maurice Read stepped in, who remained unbeaten on 19 off 45. Stumps were called at the end of England's first innings. After 71.3 overs England had establish the first-innings lead of 38 runs, being all out for 101. The highest run scorer was George Ulyett, scored 26 off 59. The pace attack of Spofforth had proved to be a perilous one as he found a place in the sun by taking 7 wickets. 


August 29, 1882

Day Two: English cricket died at The Oval.

Day two was followed by Australia beginning their second innings. The opening pair of Alec Bannerman and Hugh Massie went on for long to put on 66 for the first wicket before Alan Steel made the breakthrough as Massie was sent back to the pavilion. Massie had hit 9 boundaries in his innings of 60-ball-55. That breakthrough marked as a remarkable turnaround for the Australians as they lost four more wickets for 13 in the next few overs. Then came the captain himself, Billy Murdoch, who added a much needed 29 runs and after him no man survived to make any contribution. The scoreboard read Australia 122/10 in 63 overs, with an overall lead of 84. 

England's innings was noted as a dramatic one with the advantage swinging between the two sides. The bowlers of Australia proved effective and broke the opening partnership of 15 runs between WG Grace and Albert Hornby. Once again, the pacer Fred Spofforth thrived and clean bowled the captain Hornby for 9.  His next wicket came in the form of Dick Barlow on the very next ball, which made a call for a Hat-trick. But the achievement of a positive feat three times in a row didn't happen, instead there was a semblance of partnership that started to built between WG Grace and George Ulyett. After putting 36 runs together on the score-board, Ulyett got caught behind for 11 off Spofforth and Grace fell 2 runs later for 32 on Henry Boyle's outstanding medium pace. England started to momentarily lose its balance in the second innings as they were left tottering on 53 for 4, were still required to earn 31 runs more for the victory. With half of the wickets in hand, England's wicket-keeper Alfred Lyttelton took his team to 66 for 5 until his middle-stump been uprooted by the "Demon Bowler" Spofforth. In the next few overs, Alan Steel and Maurice Read both went for a duck in the same over and once again it was Spofforth's pace that surged back to dominate. His hunt for more wickets continued when he clean bowled Bunny Lucas for 5. WG Grace's English eleven were reduced to 75 for 8, still short of 10 more runs with 2 wickets in hand. It was a cinch for England to score 10 runs and win the ninth consecutive match on their home soil. But the Australians made a wide stride as they spurted their actions toward the right direction in creating a historical episode in the world of cricket. After England were on 75 for 8, Henry Boyle attacked the last two batsmen and dismissed them in one single over. Barnes and Ted Peate went for 2 apiece. England were all out on 77 off precisely 55 overs. 

For a moment a wave of silence hit the crowd as it was hard to accept the earnest defeat. Cricket for English was smothered to death that very moment. But after accepting the loss, the crowd congratulated the over-the-top achievement of the Australians. Their success on day 2 was a gimmick. 

The collapse of English cricket left its public outrageous on such a somber occasion and the press started to put them under surveillance, fiercely and maul. The victory of Australia on English soil inspired a young journalist from London, Reginald Shirley Brooks, who wrote a mock obituary that appeared in the Sporting Times.
" In affectionate remembrance of English cricket which died at The Oval, 29th August, 1882. Deeply lamented by a large circle of sorrowing friends and acquaintances, RIP. NB the body will be cremated and the Ashes taken to Australia. "