English cricket team in Australia in 1903–04

The English cricket team's tour to Australia in 1903–04 was the first time the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) took over responsibility for sponsoring and arranging an overseas tour representing England. England had not won the Ashes since the 1896 series in England. The MCC appointed Plum Warner to put together and captain a team, which was very much seen as the underdogs against Australia. Warner and his team, however, pulled off the upset the English were looking for and won the five-Test series 3–2. In the first Test at Sydney, R.E. "Tip" Foster scored 287 to set the world record for the highest individual Test innings; the innings remains the highest by a Test debutant.

Test series

First Test
11–17 December 1903
(Timeless Test)
Scorecard
v
285 (118.2 overs)
MA Noble 133
EG Arnold 4/76 (32 overs)
577 (181.2 overs)
RE Foster 287
MA Noble 3/99 (34 overs)
485 (145.2 overs)
VT Trumper 185*
W Rhodes 5/94 (40.2 overs)
194/5 (95.5 overs)
TW Hayward 91
WP Howell 2/35 (31 overs)
England won by 5 wickets
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Umpires: RM Crockett and AC Jones
  • Australia won the toss and elected to bat.
  • 13 December was taken as a rest day
  • EG Arnold, RE Foster, BJT Bosanquet and AE Relf (all ENG) made their Test debuts.

Second Test
1–5 January 1904
(Timeless Test)
Scorecard
v
315 (152.5 overs)
JT Tyldesley 97
WP Howell 4/43 (34.5 overs)
122 (30.2 overs)
VT Trumper 74
W Rhodes 7/56 (15.2 overs)
103 (28.5 overs)
JT Tyldesley 62
H Trumble 5/34 (10.5 overs)
111 (29.4 overs)
VT Trumper 35
W Rhodes 8/68 (15 overs)
England won by 185 runs
Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
Umpires: P Argall and RM Crockett
  • England won the toss and elected to bat.
  • 3 January was taken as a rest day
  • AE Knight and A Fielder (both ENG) made their Test debuts.

Third Test
15–20 January 1904
(Timeless Test)
Scorecard
v
388 (106.1 overs)
VT Trumper 113
EG Arnold 3/93 (27 overs)
245 (102 overs)
GH Hirst 58
H Trumble 3/49 (28 overs)
351 (114.5 overs)
SE Gregory 112
BJT Bosanquet 4/73 (15.5 overs)
278 (117.1 overs)
PF Warner 79
AJY Hopkins 4/81 (28.1 overs)
Australia won by 216 runs
Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
Umpires: P Argall and RM Crockett
  • Australia won the toss and elected to bat.
  • 17 January was taken as a rest day

Fourth Test
26 February – 3 March 1904
(Timeless Test)
Scorecard
v
249 (114.1 overs)
AE Knight 70*
MA Noble 7/100 (41.1 overs)
131 (51.3 overs)
RA Duff 47
EG Arnold 4/28 (14.3 overs)
210 (99.3 overs)
TW Hayward 52
A Cotter 3/41 (18.3 overs)
171 (72.5 overs)
MA Noble 53*
BJT Bosanquet 6/51 (15 overs)
England won by 157 runs
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Umpires: P Argall and RM Crockett
  • England won the toss and elected to bat.
  • 28 February was taken as a rest day.
  • There was no play on the third day
  • PA McAlister and A Cotter (both AUS) made their Test debuts.

Fifth Test
5–8 March 1904
(Timeless Test)
Scorecard
v
247 (82.1 overs)
VT Trumper 88
LC Braund 8/81 (29.1 overs)
61 (31.2 overs)
RE Foster 18
A Cotter 6/40 (15.2 overs)
133 (43.5 overs)
RA Duff 31
GH Hirst 5/48 (16.5 overs)
101 (22.5 overs)
RE Foster 30
H Trumble 7/28 (6.5 overs)
Australia won by 218 runs
Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
Umpires: P Argall and RM Crockett
  • Australia won the toss and elected to bat.
  • 6 March was taken as a rest day
  • DRA Gehrs (AUS) made his Test debut.

Tour matches

South Australia v M.C.C.
7–11 November 1903 (4-day match)
Scorecard
v
483/8d (182 overs)
TW Hayward 157
N Claxton 4/76 (26 overs)
172 (72 overs)
DRA Gehrs 31
EG Arnold 3/49 (20 overs)
343/7 (f/o) (140 overs)
C Hill 116
AE Relf 3/48 (27 overs)
Match drawn
Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
Umpires: P Argall and GE Downs
  • MCC won the toss and elected to bat.
  • 8 November was taken as a rest day
  • Total attendance was about 19,000.

Victoria v M.C.C.
13–16 November 1903 (4-day match)
Scorecard
v
162 (86.2 overs)
JE Monfries 41*
W Rhodes 5/26 (20.2 overs)
443/8d (143 overs)
GH Hirst 92
FJ Laver 3/76 (21 overs)
210 (111.4 overs)
W Bruce 51
A Fielder 3/35 (23 overs)
MCC won by an innings and 71 runs
Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
Umpires: E Barrass and RM Crockett
  • Victoria won the toss and elected to field.
  • 15 November was taken as a rest day
  • The match was scheduled for four days but was completed in three.
  • Total attendance was about 23,500.

New South Wales v M.C.C.
20–23 November 1903
Scorecard
v
108 (37.2 overs)
VT Trumper 46
W Rhodes 6/55 (17 overs)
319 (137.4 overs)
JT Tyldesley 80
A McBeath 3/72 (37.4 overs)
201 (74.4 overs)
RA Duff 44
BJT Bosanquet 4/60 (19 overs)
MCC won by an innings and 10 runs
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Umpires: R Callaway and AC Jones
  • MCC won the toss and elected to field.
  • 22 November was taken as a rest day
  • The match was scheduled for four days but was completed in three.
  • Total attendance was 40,589.

Queensland v M.C.C.
27–30 November 1903
Scorecard
v
242 (97.1 overs)
WT Evans 72
EG Arnold 3/38 (23.1 overs)
215 (53 overs)
AE Knight 46
T Byrne 5/74 (24 overs)
91 (48.4 overs)
WT Evans 27
LC Braund 5/50 (19 overs)
119/4 (33 overs)
RE Foster 34*
HB Griffith 3/34 (12 overs)
MCC won by 6 wickets
Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane
Umpires: T Muir and JP Orr
  • Queensland won the toss and elected to bat.
  • 29 November was taken as a rest day.
  • Total attendance was about 19,000.

Northern District XVIII v M.C.C.
2, 3 December 1903 (2-day match)
scorecard
Northern Districts XVIII
283 (86.1 overs)
&
241/6 (53.3 overs)
v
MCC
453
Match drawn
Albion Ground, West Maitland, New South Wales

Newcastle XV v M.C.C.
4, 5 December 1903 (2-day match)
scorecard
MCC
306 (76 overs)
&
381/8 (82 overs)
v
Newcastle, XV
203 (80 overs)
Match drawn
Number 1 Sports Ground, Newcastle, New South Wales

Melbourne Colts XVIII v M.C.C.
19, 21, 22 December 1903 (3-day match)
scorecard
MCC
416 (121 overs)
v
Melbourne Juniors XVIII
124 (67.5 overs)
&
193 (f/o) (77.5 overs)
MCC won by an innings and 99 runs
Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne

Bendigo and District XVIII v M.C.C.
26, 28 December 1903 (2-day match)
scorecard
Bendigo XVIII
94 (46.4 overs)
&
64/7 (28.4 overs)
v
MCC
273/5d
Match drawn
Upper Reserve, Bendigo, Victoria

Ballarat XVIII v M.C.C.
8, 9 January 1904 (2-day match)
scorecard
MCC XVII
326 (104 overs)
&
226 (55 overs)
v
Ballarat XVIII
197 (72 overs)
Match drawn
Eastern Oval, Ballarat, Victoria

Tasmania v M.C.C.
25–26 January 1904 (2-day match)
Scorecard
v
185 (55.2 overs)
RE Foster 43
CJ Eady 3/40 (22.2 overs)
191 (88.1 overs)
OH Douglas 38
EG Arnold 4/44 (34 overs)
354/4d (73 overs)
BJT Bosanquet 124*
EAC Windsor 3/96 (24 overs)
63/1 (17 overs)
RJ Hawson37*
RE Foster 1/34 (7 overs)
Match drawn
TCA Ground, Hobart, Tasmania
Umpires: C McAllen and J Watt
  • MCC won the toss and elected to bat.

Tasmania v M.C.C.
29–30 January 1904 (2-day match)
Scorecard
v
141 (48.2 overs)
N Dodds 48
GH Hirst 5/37 (16.2 overs)
353 (77 overs)
TW Hayward 134
EAC Windsor 4/106 (30 overs)
259/3 (103 overs)
JH Savigny 164*
AE Knight 2/34 (12 overs)
Match drawn
NTCA Ground, Launceston, Tasmania
Umpires: W Lawrence and J Masterton
  • Tasmania won the toss and elected to bat.
  • Total attendance was about 5,000.

Victoria v M.C.C.
5–9 February 1904
Scorecard
v
299 (117.3 overs)
PA McAlister 139
W Rhodes 6/62 (30 overs)
248 (62.2 overs)
TW Hayward 77
JV Saunders 3/39 (15 overs)
15 (12.1 overs)
GHS Trott 9
W Rhodes 5/6 (6.1 overs)
68/2 (27 overs)
TW Hayward 26
HJ Fry 1/24 (10 overs)
MCC won by 8 wickets
Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
Umpires: E Barrass and RM Crockett
  • Victoria won the toss and elected to field.
  • 7 February was taken as a rest day
  • There was no play on the second day.
  • Total attendance was about 6,100.

New South Wales v M.C.C.
12–15 February 1904
Scorecard
v
190 (52 overs)
BJT Bosanquet 54
A Cotter 5/44 (14 overs)
232 (63.3 overs)
AJY Hopkins 52
W Rhodes 3/50 (19 overs)
461 (120.1 overs)
BJT Bosanquet 114
A Cotter 3/56 (11 overs)
141 (40.4 overs)
AJY Hopkins 56
BJT Bosanquet 6/45 (9.4 overs)
MCC won by 278 runs
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Umpires: WG Curran and JJ Giltinan
  • MCC won the toss and elected to bat.
  • 14 February was taken as a rest day.
  • The match was scheduled for four days but completed in three.
  • Total attendance was 28,296.

Western District XV v M.C.C.
19, 20 February 1904 (2-day match)
scorecard
Bathurst XV
248 (74.4 overs)
&
151/3d
v
MCC XVII
176
&
115/5
Match drawn
Sports Ground, Bathurst, New South Wales

South Australia v M.C.C.
12–15 March 1904 (timeless match)
Scorecard
v
259 (77.2 overs)
DGA Gehrs 63
BJT Bosanquet 3/70 (17 overs)
154 (69.4 overs)
PF Warner 50
N Claxton 5/56 (27 overs)
77 (29.4 overs)
DGA Gehrs 30
LC Braund 8/43 (14.4 overs)
184/1 (36.3 overs)
RE Foster 73*
N Claxton 1/58 (12 overs)
MCC won by 9 wickets
Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
Umpires: P Argall and GA Watson
  • South Australia won the toss and elected to bat.
  • 13 March was taken as a rest day.
  • Total attendance was about 7,500.

References

    External sources

    Further reading
    • H S Altham, A History of Cricket, Volume 1 (to 1914), George Allen & Unwin, 1962
    • Bill Frindall, The Wisden Book of Test Cricket 1877–1978, Wisden, 1979
    • David Frith, The Golden Age of Cricket 1890–1914, Lutterworth, 1978
    • Chris Harte, A History of Australian Cricket, Andre Deutsch, 1993
    • Plum Warner, How We Recovered The Ashes, Longman, 1905
    • Roy Webber, The Playfair Book of Cricket Records, Playfair Books, 1951
    • Wisden Cricketers' Almanack 1905
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