Intercolonial Cricket in Australia - The Beginnings

The Beginnings

In March 1850, the Melbourne Cricket Club issued a challenge to the Launceston Cricket Club for a match between representative cricketers of Port Phillip district (to become Victoria the following year) and Van Diemen's Land (to become Tasmania in 1856). Launceston sent an acceptance, but it was not received in time and so a new challenge was issued and accepted for the following 1850-51 season. Meanwhile, news that legislation for the long awaited separation of the Port Phillip district from New South Wales had been passed in England was received which prompted a declaration by the Superintendent of the Port Phillip District, Charles La Trobe, for celebrations from November 1850. This legislation and the enabling legislation which was passed in New South Wales on 1 July 1851 created the Colony of Victoria, of which La Trobe later become the first Lieutenant-Governor. The long anticipated cricket match was considered to be a significant part of the euphoric mood within the Victorian colony at the time.

The match finally commenced on 11 February 1851 at the Launceston Racecourse, later to become the Northern Tasmania Cricket Association Ground. The first ball was bowled (underarm) by William Henty for the Launcestonians, to Duncan Cooper of Port Phillip. About 2500 people watched the locals win the match by three wickets.

The following February, nine Tasmanians sailed to Melbourne and joined with three Melbourne based Launcestonians for a return match which was held at the Emerald Hill Ground on the south bank of the Yarra River, which was the then home ground of the Melbourne Cricket Club. The Victorians won this by 61 runs. Possibly due to distractions from the discovery of gold in Victoria in 1851, the deciding match was not held until March 1854. The MCC moved to the present Melbourne Cricket Ground in September 1853.