Australian cricket team in New Zealand in 1877–78

The Australian cricket team toured New Zealand in January and February 1878, before their 1878 tour of England. It was the first overseas tour by a representative Australian team.

The Australians played seven matches against provincial teams, six of which fielded 22 players (the other team, Canterbury, fielded 15) with the aim of providing more evenly-matched contests. As the matches were not 11-a-side they are not considered to have been first-class.

The team had assembled in November 1877, playing matches against teams in four Australian colonies.

John Conway was the manager and umpire. W. Gibbes, a clerk in the New South Wales audit department, was the assistant manager. Frank Allan pulled out of the trip shortly before the team left Australia, suffering from sciatica, leaving the Australians with just 11 players. Gibbes played in the match against Wellington, relieving Boyle.

Spofforth took 14 for 25 in the first innings; 11 of his victims were bowled. Charles Bannerman opened Australia's innings and scored 125 not out, which was the Australians' only century of the tour. One of his hits over square leg landed in an orchard 50 metres from the ground. Horan made 53. In the first innings the Southland number 10, J. Wesney, made 39 not out, and during a 21st-wicket partnership of 27 struck a ball from Spofforth over the fence.

The match days were declared half-holidays in Invercargill, and special concerts were held each evening at the Theatre Royal.

Garrett took 7 for 25 and 13 for 33. The highest score in the match was 28 by the Otago batsman Hugh MacNeil.

Charles Bannerman made 45, the only score on either side higher than 18. A public holiday was declared in the town for the match.

Tom Horan later wrote that the ground resembled a "worn-out potato paddock on which the lovers of the noble game endeavour to play to the detriment of their legs, body and head".

Canterbury asked to play on even terms, with 11 players a side, but the Australians refused, hoping to prolong the game and thus increase the gate takings. Eventually it was settled that Canterbury would field 15 players, but before the match the reporter in the Christchurch newspaper The Lyttelton Times regretted the decision not to field 18. Without exceptional luck, he said, "I am afraid we shall have to put up with defeat". Interest in the match was high, and the largest Christchurch businesses and law firms closed on each day of the match at midday, which was the scheduled time for play to begin.

...
Wikipedia