Two of Test cricket’s latest entrants are all set to make their bow in the coming days. Ireland will kickstart their Test journey against Pakistan with the match getting underway at Dublin on Friday. Similarly, Afghanistan will follow suit by squaring off against India at Bengaluru in a one-off Test in June.
As the two sides get ready to enter the big league, we take a look at the Test debuts of the already existing 10 full ICC Members.
AUSTRALIA V ENGLAND, MARCH 15-19, 1877
VENUE: MELBOURNE
RESULT: AUSTRALIA WON BY 45 RUNS
It was Australia and England who played the first-ever Test match in history. Skippered by Dave Gregory, the hosts took the honours at Melbourne with a 45-run victory. Australia opener Charles Bannerman struck a fine 165 in his side’s first-innings total of 246.
Chasing 164 to win in the second innings, England were bowled out for 108 with Tom Kendall picking up seven wickets to lead Australia to a win.
SOUTH AFRICA V ENGLAND, MARCH 12-13, 1889
VENUE: PORT ELIZABETH
RESULT: ENGLAND WON BY EIGHT WICKETS
South Africa became the third Test playing nation after England and Australia when they took on the former at Port Elizabeth in 1889.
The Owen Dunell-led Proteas started off horribly with the bat as they were bowled out for just 84 runs in their first innings. Albert Rose-Innes’ five-wicket haul helped the hosts restrict England to 148 in their first attempt. However, getting bowled out for 129 in the second innings proved to be too costly for the hosts as they fell to a eight-wicket loss.
ENGLAND V WEST INDIES, JUNE 23-26, 1928
VENUE: LONDON
RESULT: ENGLAND WON BY AN INNINGS AND 58 RUNS
Karl Nunes led West Indies across the Atlantic Ocean for the side’s maiden Test against an England team captained by Percy Chapman. Ernest Tyldesley’s century gave England a huge first-innings total of 401 and that proved to be enough for the hosts. The Caribbean side were bowled out for 177 and 166 as their tryst with Test cricket ended in a huge defeat.
ENGLAND V NEW ZEALAND, JANUARY 19-13, 1930
VENUE: CHRISTCHURCH
RESULT: ENGLAND WON BY EIGHT WICKETS
Tom Lowry led New Zealand in their first-ever Test against Harold Gilligan’s England. England pacer Maurice Allom picked up a five-wicket haul in the first innings as the home side were bowled out just 112 runs. Though New Zealand did well to scuttle England out for 181 in their first innings, the 69-run lead conceded proved to be a mountain too far to climb with Allom excelling once again in the second innings.
ENGLAND V INDIA, JUNE 25-28, 1932
VENUE: LONDON
RESULT: ENGLAND WON BY 158 RUNS
In 1932, a CK Nayudu-led India departed for England to participate in a one-off Test. England skipper Douglas Jardine’s 79 helped the hosts to a first-innings total of 259. Nayudu top-scored for the visitors with 40 runs as India were bowled out for 189 in the first innings.
Jardine was excellent second time around too and made an unbeaten 85 as India fell to a big defeat in their first Test.
INDIA V PAKISTAN, OCTOBER 16-18, 1952
VENUE: DELHI
RESULT: INDIA WON BY AN INNINGS AND 70 RUNS
Five years after both countries achieved independence from the British, Abdul Kardar led a Pakistan side across the border to India for the side’s maiden Test.
Vijay Hazare, Ghulam Ahmed and Hemu Adhikari each scored half-centuries as India posted 372 in their first innings. Then, India spinner Vinoo Mankar picked up eight Pakistan scalsp in the first-innings and five in the second to guide the hosts to a comprehensive victory at Delhi.
SRI LANKA V ENGLAND, FEBRUARY 17-21, 1982
VENUE: COLOMBO
RESULT: ENGLAND WON BY SEVEN WICKETS
Sri Lanka became the third country from the Indian subcontinent to achieve Test status when took on England in a sole Test at Colombo in 1982. Arjuna Ranatunga and Ranjan Madugalle’s fifties helped Sri Lanka to 218 in their first innings before David Gower’s 89 gave England a five-run lead.
England off-spinner John Emburey’s six-wicket haul in the second innings restricted Sri Lanka to just 175 before Chris Tavare’s knock of 85 handed the visitors a big win.
Ranatunga plays a shot during Sri Lanka’s first Test.
ZIMBABWE V INDIA, OCTOBER 18-22, 1992
VENUE: HARARE
RESULT: DRAW
Mohammad Azharduddin-led India were Zimbabwe’s first Test opponents. A fine century from skipper Dave Houghton and a 82 from Grant Flower led the hosts to a mammoth first-innings total of 456. In reply, India were bowled out for 307 in the first innings despite a ton from Sanjay Manjrekar.
On a flat batting strip, Zimbabwe had reached 146-4 in their second innings as no result was possible in the five days.
John Traicos of Zimbabwe bowls during the historic Test.
BANGLADESH V INDIA, NOVEMBER 10-13, 2000
VENUE: DHAKA
RESULT: INDIA WON BY NINE WICKETS
Bangladesh were the latest of the subcontinent sides to make their Test bow. Despite scoring 400 runs in their first-innings, a Naimur Rahman skippered Bangladesh succumbed to a nine-wicket defeat against Saurav Ganguly’s India.
A superb 92 from spinner Sunil Josh helped India take a 23-run first innings lead before the hosts were bowled out for just 91 runs in the second-innings to pave the way for a big win for the visitors.
Ganguly and Tendulkar were part of the winning Indian team.
